The Solution
At the heart of the stadium’s lighting infrastructure is a comprehensive zencontrol DALI-2 system, supplying:
- DALI-2 Application Controllers
- Relays and Phase Dimmers
- Scene Controllers
- Switch Interfaces and Sensors
This architecture enables precise control of architectural, concourse, hospitality, back-of-house, and feature lighting across the entire site.
Lighting is organised into intelligent, addressable zones, allowing operators to recall complex scenes instantly for matchdays, events, cleaning regimes, or emergency conditions. Scene Controllers provide rapid transitions between lighting states, while Switch Interfaces and Sensors deliver local control, automation, occupancy detection, and daylight harvesting, all within a single DALI-2 framework.
Seamless Integration Across Stadium Systems
A key requirement for the project was deep integration with the stadium’s wider digital infrastructure. The zencontrol system delivers this through:
- BACnet/IP integration with the Building Management System, enabling coordinated control alongside HVAC, energy monitoring, and other building services
- UDP/IP communication with AV systems, allowing lighting to synchronise with media, audio cues, and live event presentations
- Integration with the central battery system, providing full emergency lighting monitoring, testing, and compliance
This unified approach ensures lighting is not an isolated system, but an active contributor to the stadium’s overall performance and experience.
Centralised Control and Visibility
The entire lighting installation is managed through zencontrol’s onsite software management suite, hosted locally for resilience and performance. From a single interface, operators gain:
- Full system-wide visibility of all DALI-2 devices
- Centralised scheduling and scene management
- Automated emergency lighting testing and reporting
- Device-level diagnostics and fault detection
- Energy, luminaire, and performance data
This level of insight simplifies day-to-day operation, reduces maintenance overheads, and ensures the system remains adaptable throughout the stadium’s lifecycle.
DALI-2 was selected as the backbone of the lighting control strategy due to its ability to meet the demands of a large, complex, and future-focused venue.
Key benefits include:
- True addressability, allowing every luminaire and control device to be individually configured and reconfigured without rewiring
- Open, standards-based technology, ensuring interoperability, long-term support, and reduced risk
- Advanced control capabilities, supporting dynamic scenes, automation, diagnostics, and emergency lighting
- Scalability, enabling thousands of devices to operate reliably across concourses, stands, hospitality areas, tunnels, and plant spaces
- Energy efficiency, achieved through intelligent scheduling, occupancy sensing, daylight regulation, and precise dimming
For a stadium expected to operate for decades, DALI-2 provides the flexibility and resilience required to evolve with future needs.
Delivering Performance, Experience, and Sustainability
The zencontrol solution at Everton’s new stadium demonstrates how intelligent lighting control can enhance both operational efficiency and the fan experience. From dramatic event lighting and seamless AV synchronisation to energy-efficient everyday operation and simplified maintenance, the system delivers measurable value across every level of the venue.
By combining DALI-2 technology with deep system integration and powerful central management, zencontrol has helped create a lighting platform that is not only fit for today, but ready for the future.
