To ensure that winter fun is literally clear until late in the evening, one of the most popular ski slopes in the Fichtelgebirge (Germany) has been equipped with a modern LED floodlight system — installed on a STEEL-ROOT® from BFtec.
The municipality of Mehlmeisel spent a lot of money in the past year to turn the Klausen slope, which is popular with experienced skiers, into a winter sports destination for the whole family. The "Familienland Mehlmeisel" was created below the Klausen lift, which now also has a toboggan slope and a carousel where children can learn to ski in a playful way. The main attraction, however, are the two so-called magic carpets, two tunnel conveyor belts that pull the ski and snowboarders either 50 or 100 meters up the slope. On around 100 days a year, the municipality of Mehlmeisel wants to be able to offer skiers and snowboarders ideal snow conditions.
This is also ensured by our own snowmaking system, which supplies the 150 m wide and 700 m long piste and the adjacent family country with sufficient snow. In order to make the most of the snow season, a modern LED floodlight system was installed. The mast was placed in the middle of the area directly next to a conveyor belt tunnel to ensure maximum illumination in all directions — without being an obstacle for winter sports enthusiasts.
Less load-bearing soil
However, since the terrain in this area was modeled and filled with soil, special requirements were required for the foundation: A classic case for STEEL-ROOT® from BFtec, as they provide sufficient support even on less load-bearing soil. After all, the four LED spotlights from a well-known specialist for floodlight systems weigh about 200 kilogramms and also offer a wind attack area of about 1 square meter. The STEEL-ROOT® was configured according to these specifications, which the employees of the community building yard assembled under the professional guidance of a BFtec employee on site from individual parts: a large round steel tube in the middle, four cross struts pointing in all directions, steel plates their ends and cross connectors for better stability. BFtec company founder Peter Kellner and his team were inspired by nature when designing and developing STEEL-ROOT®: Similar to the root system of a tree, STEEL-ROOT® divert the forces into the ground.
A two by two meter wide and almost 1.5 meter deep construction pit was excavated, filled with a layer of ballast and compacted. With the help of an 8-ton mini-excavator, the STEEL-ROOT® was lifted onto the fine planum. The empty pipes for the LED lighting system were pulled in and the construction pit was filled with the excavated material in layers and compacted. The uppermost part of the STEEL-ROOT® lies above the top edge of the site and is equipped with a connection hinge for the light pole. Screwed together, the mast was raised with an excavator. For maintenance work, it could also be conveniently lowered using a hydraulic ram. Finally, the light pole was covered with a plastic impact protection so as not to endanger winter sports enthusiasts.
A foundation with a concrete foundation would have been much more complex. No formwork had to be put in, no concrete had to harden and no excess floor had to be removed. With their flexible and effective mode of action, STEEL-ROOT® are the ideal foundation variant for LED floodlight systems with their high efficiency and low energy consumption: both stand for sustainable and careful use of resources. Because the STEEL-ROOT® could be completely dismantled and recycled without residue.
