Padel and Noise Pollution: Why do Fiberglass Padel Courts prove to be the Solution?
When deciding to build a padel court, one of the most important issues to consider is the noise pollution.
It is not uncommon for projects, especially those located near urban centers, to be denied approval by the relevant authorities due to noise issues that could disturb public peace or otherwise cause dissatisfaction among residents living near existing padel courts.
It is estimated that the noise generated during a padel match is about 20 dB higher than that of a tennis match: the impact of the ball on the carbon fiber rackets and the long rallies that characterize padel make up a large part of the noise, but as we will see, the padel court itself also plays a key role.
As you know, in padel, the ball can also hit the fences and glass of the court, and repeated impacts contribute to the noise generated.
Based on these assumptions, some countries have already established regulations regarding the distance of courts from houses and, as in the case of the Dutch Federation, a parameter has been established to determine the maximum noise threshold allowed for an outdoor padel court. Specifically, the KNLT, the Dutch Tennis and Paddle Association, under the guidance of the Dutch Olympic Committee NOC*NSF, the custodian of all guidelines related to sports infrastructure in the country, discussed the issue by conducting tests and examining various legislative texts, land-use planning guidelines and studies related to noise pollution. The result is the "Padel and Noise" manual, which defines the maximum allowable noise level for a padel court. The noise level during a match must not exceed 91dB for new outdoor courts.
Why are our Fiberglass Padel Courts a winning solution?
As many of you already know, the Fiberglass structure and ComfortGlass are our greatest innovations, with which we have started a real revolution in this field.
In addition to their unprecedented advantages in terms of installation, safety, maintenance, and the fact that they have been designed in compliance with all the parameters imposed by the IPF, both the Fiberglass structure and ComfortGlass are also decisive in terms of noise.
Let's see how:
Contrary to what happens with iron fence, which, depending on the quality, tend to vibrate for a few seconds after impact with the ball or the player's body, the Fiberglass fence produces a much more circumscribed, low-pitched sound on impact, which stops after a second or so.
ComfortGlass, which differs from tempered glass in that it is safer and indestructible, has also been measured to produce less noise due to the special chemical composition of this incredible material.
Based on these assumptions, our two main models of padel courts offer a significant reduction in the noise generated during a match and represent a winning solution, being well below the maximum threshold allowed by the Dutch Federation.
1)On the N1, our panoramic model with a Fiberglass structure and 12mm tempered glass, the noise level recorded during a match is 72dB.
2)On the N1A, our standard model, equipped with a Fiberglass structure and ComfortGlass, the noise recorded during a match is 64dB.
In conclusion, let us remember that while it is true that much of the noise on padel courts depends on the 'impact of the ball with the racket, it is equally true that from the moment there are federations, bodies, and municipalities that hear maximum noise parameters to allow the installation of a padel court, being able to count on a court that allows you to stay below this threshold, is decisive.
