Electrical Engineering Solutions

The Nelson Mandela Bay Multi-Purpose Stadium, Port Elizabeth, is on track to be the first South African ‘intelligent stadium’ built to FIFA’s exacting standards, says Bradley Hemphill, managing director of Electrical Engineering Solutions (EES) which has been instrumental in implementing the stadium’s intelligent backbone.

The stadium’s first major event is the rugby match between the British and Irish Lions and an Eastern Cape coastal team. EES is also busy at Cape Town’s Green Point Stadium where the installation of the 500km of core cable network is proceeding apace and it is on target to meet the deadlines for next year’s football tournaments.

EES is supporting lead engineering consultants WSP in the planning and implementation of the structured cabling backbones of both the Port Elizabeth Stadium and the Green Point Stadium.

This infrastructure makes these multi-purpose venues showpieces for intelligent building complexes in South Africa.Both stadia have passed the stringent FIFA Information Technology (IT) and technical inspections as they are being built to host matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Hemphill says that the main core network is almost in place in the Port Elizabeth Stadium. “We have started commissioning the network so that the sub-systems - such as air conditioning, access control and lighting – can be commissioned.

When the stadium is handed over to the operators they will have a stadium that has in place the structured cabling systems for all the sub-systems and their integration with information systems that will help the operators manage the profitability of the building complex.

“With billions of rands being invested in these stadia operators must ensure maximum efficiency in their operations and maintenance. With intelligence built in, stadia can easily become multi-purpose venues, providing flexible options to the owners customers at a reduced setup cost and in turn a better chance of year-round use.”

Stadiums can quickly be transformed from a sporting pitch to a rock-concert stage or trade show arena. The more intelligent the stadium is, the more cost effective it will be to host varied events.

To integrate all these needs is a major undertaking. If the intelligent infrastructure is not built into the structure at the start of construction it is expensive and time-consuming to add on the infrastructure needed to stage an event.

Most of the world’s existing stadia were not built to be smart. Some of South Africa’s existing stadia that have been included in the 2010 FIFA World Cup programme have embarked on permanent ICT upgrades to meet FIFA standards while others have opted for temporary installations as retrofits are costly.

Hemphill says that the media – who are the major customers of many live sports and entertainment events held at stadia – are extremely demanding in the facilities they need. If the communication infrastructure is not in place, or if the temporary solution is too expensive, event organisers will simply move the event to where it is cheaper and easier to stage.

Hemphill adds that because stadia cost mega-billions of rands to build there is tremendous pressure on their owners – sporting bodies or municipalities for example – to view them as revenue generators, rather than loss-making amenities.

“By building an integrated and intelligent backbone into the stadium complex at the outset we have, at Nelson Mandela Bay, realised a saving of about 12% on the capital cost of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) installation.”

These applications include managing the entire Internet Protocol (IP) network and telephony provisions, advertising screens around the stadium, access control at turnstiles, ticketing systems, lighting and sound management, concession stand management, plumbing and electrical maintenance and other operational processes.

A major challenge at stadia – particularly on the size of Cape Town’s Green Point which will host the 2010 FIFA World Cup semi-final match - is managing the varied demands of the stakeholders who need intelligent facilities at the stadium. These include numerous stakeholders such as emergency and security services, the South African Police Service, varied media organisations, refreshment and sporting goods vendors as well as stadium management.

An ‘invisible’ service is the facility for sports fans to stream video from their cellphones to friends around the world. “Managing the external stakeholders and ensuring that the technology is in place to support these highly technical and ubiquitous needs is an exacting task – yet it is taken for granted. Fans are not interested in what the technology is, they just want it too work,” says Hemphill.

“There is an extensive list of activities that take place inside an intelligent stadium – all of which contribute to an enjoyable experience for paying fans and a valued investment for sponsors.  A profitable and relatively hassle-free experience for vendors and other customers all adds to the productivity of the stadium.

“The operators can only meet all their demands and make money if the infrastructure is in place to ensure a problem-free operation. That can only happen if an intelligent infrastructure is installed during construction.”

Stadia owners, like all investors in large building complexes, want to attract the best operators so they can maximise their investment. Having an integrated network, open architecture and sufficient and flexible structured cabling will ensure this, says Hemphill.