MasterClass 2016 proved to be a thought provoking and educational event. MasterClass is an invitation only, education event put on by Stadium Grow Light (SGL) specifically for their over 180 stadium customers around the globe to come together. 2016 MasterClass was entitled “Back to the Future” to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the unique event. MasterClass #1 was also held in Holland, Home of SGL. A full detailed break down of the event can be experienced here on the live blog of MasterClass 2016, “Back to the Future”.
Day 1 of MasterClass took place at the world famous Amsterdam Arena. Day 2 featured a visit to Porta Nova, the 25 acre rose growing operation that has been in SGL inventor Nico van Vuuren’s family since the 1890’s. At Porta Nova, MasterClass participants also were exposed to ongoing research being done by the SGL agronomy team. After Porta Nova, MasterClass moved to Rotterdam, Holland’s Feyenoord Stadium for a pitch tour and to wrap up the education and sharing.
Let’s look at some of the key thoughts and points of the events education and sharing:
IMPROVEMENT: SGL is the world leader in the supplemental light technology sector, a sector that they (SGL) created. Supplemental light research and technology reached the sales market during the early 2000’s when SGL successfully completed its first trial at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light in the UK. Since they have grown to have over 180 stadiums around the world using supplemental light for natural grass growth and recovery. But even as the world leader, SGL continues to evolve and improve.
Three examples of that improvement were on display at MasterClass:
LU440: The LU440 is a new, full size light unit with aluminum construction. The aluminum reduces the overall weight of the unit dramatically. It also allows the unit to fold up much easier, which saves time on set up and break down of light rig. The LU440 overall is a dramatic improvement on an already fantastic full size light unit, the MU360. While the LU440 is still in limited supply, the MU360 is still am amazing tool for supplying supplemental light!
IQ55: The IQ55 was considered by many as the star of MasterClass 2016. The IQ55 is a full climate controlled tent unit to provide natural grass field managers with a tool to control all components of plant growth. Temperature, humidity, moisture, CO2, O2, light… any and all factors leading to plant growth, health, and recovery… can be controlled with an automated system. And all of it mounted on a standard, MU50 type light rig frame for simple movement. As the playing season now is nearly year round, the IQ55 provides a tool that can support growth and recovery at any time.
Modeling Improvements/ Additional of Disease Pressure: SGL provides a high level of data and support models to its clients around the world. The model inputs include hours of play, weather conditions, and the expectation of field quality to dictate potential fertilizer needs and to supply the needed hours of lighting. SGL agronomists and engineers continue to evolve the growth and lighting models to best to supply clients with the correct lighting recipe to 1) use the light amount of light required and 2) meet the demands of field quality set by the client. A new addition to the models this year is disease modeling and alerting. The models will provide clients with on-demand data on potential diseases that their fields could be prone to. This data will greatly reduce the guessing that sometimes goes into spraying for disease suppression.
TECHNOLOGY: Technology is always evolving and improving. Especially with products involving energy and light. SGL is working closely with several companies to provide the latest in lighting innovation. These include the world leader in lighting, Phillips.
LED: LED is the most popular topic in the world in reference to lighting. Where LED is breaking into the stadium flood lighting market, for plant growth (and specifically grass growth) LED is still in development. The SGL research and development team is working closely with the green house development team at Porta Nova rose green houses to create the best system possible for LED and plant growth. The LED light spectrum can provide plants light. But heat is needed in combination with light to provide the most efficient growth. Currently the high pressure sodium lights provide that needed heat. Eliminating the high pressure sodium bulbs could reduce energy use, but then infrared heat is required to be added to provide the best growing conditions. The additional infrared heat actually increases overall energy costs.
In the end, it seems some sort of hybrid option with a mix of LED and high pressure sodium will be worked out. But as demands on natural grass increase, the need for light intensity and heat increases as well to encourage regeneration of the grass plants. 
IQ55: Back to the IQ55. The technology involved in the IQ55 controlled growing environment is a new level for anything ever seen in turfgrass growth. The automated sensor system inside the IQ55 allows a natural grass field manager to have complete control of the growing environment. Though somewhat small compared to a full size field, the IQ55 is large enough to treat and repair quickly high traffic areas such as the front of a baseball infield, between the hash marks on an American football field, or through the PK area on a soccer field. As the IQ series evolves, this will become a valued tool to win against high use.
INNOVATION: To innovate is defined as to “make changes in something established, especially by introducing new methods, ideas, or products”. SGL was founded on innovation when it introduced the first supplemental turfgrass grow lighting solution into the market. No longer were shade or short day length limiting factors for natural grass growth. New solution, old problems.
Innovation is again a description with the UVC180 introduction. Turfgrass managers spend more time on disease pressure/ disease management than about any other turfgrass challenge. Many times budgets for fungicides match or even dwarf other budget categories. Thus, the potential that UV light could treat diseases to reduce the stress on turfgrass managers and/or reduce their budgets is ground shaking. No doubt there is much more to come in reference to UV light and diseases, but the initial introduction is extremely exciting!!!
SGL MasterClass certainly was the thought provoking and educational event that participants had hoped for. Well done SGL, and CONGRATULATIONS on 10 years of such a unique and successful educational event.
FOR THE TIMELINE OF THE ENTIRE EVENT, VISIT HERE
Growing Green Grass #GrassCanTakeMore® 