30 years of research, development, and experience in sports grass fields! The skills of the designer are often underestimated when it comes to sports fields, as they seem like simple structures, but cross-disciplinary skills and precision in design are essential, as errors or omissions can lead to additional costs throughout the project's life cycle.
The designer's experience is crucial
In the recent procurement code, the principle of the result was incorporated. This is in fact based on the cost-benefit ratio and considers the economic, social, and environmental sustainability in all phases of a public work's life cycle.
During the planning phase, it is essential to conduct an in-depth study to identify optimal solutions, encouraging discussion among experts and stakeholders.
First, it is necessary to draft the requirement framework that takes into account what is foreseen in the three-year planning tools. Depending on the type of intervention itself, it includes:
a) the general objectives to be pursued through the implementation of the intervention, with the associated key performance indicators;
b) the needs, the qualitative and quantitative requirements of the client, the community, or the specific user to whom the intervention is addressed, which must be met through the implementation of the intervention itself.
Secondly, it is necessary to draft the document for feasibility of project alternatives (DOCFAP). It is drafted in compliance with the contents of the requirement framework, identifies and analyzes the possible design solutions, which can include:
The DOCFAP can also analyze technical, economic, and financial solutions, also concerning the maintenance aspects of the work to be carried out. The DOCFAP can consider and analyze all possible options, including, where applicable, the hypothesis of not carrying out the intervention, to allow for an actual comparative comparison of the various alternatives.
Furthermore, the DOCFAP highlights the main impacts of the analyzed alternatives on the territorial, environmental, landscape, cultural, and archaeological context, as well as, for interventions on existing works, on the historical, architectural, and technical characteristics. To this end, it is possible to carry out preliminary investigations.
Thirdly, it is necessary to draft the guidance document for design, hereinafter referred to as "DIP", to be drafted in coherence with the requirement framework and with the solution identified in the DOCFAP. The DIP indicates the characteristics, requirements, and design documents required for defining each level of design.
Requirements for needs
The creation of an amateur sports center does not focus solely on advancing in competitive sports, but rather highlights the need to create a meeting place for socialization through sports activity. The main objective is to provide a teaching model that integrates school education, allowing individuals to learn from coaches how to properly prepare for a match, respect opponents, and work as a team. These principles are fundamental for building an equitable and non-violent society, where differences can be resolved through sports competition.
Participating in sports events with different communities, children understand that diversity is not a reason for exclusion, but rather an opportunity to understand cultural differences and extend their knowledge. Team sports, although involving a large number of athletes, teach the importance of leadership and teamwork for collective success.
Soccer is widely popular due to its simplicity, but there are many other sports that can be played on a grass field requiring different skills, such as rugby, American football, lacrosse, etc. Some of these sports, like rugby and the "flag" or "tag" versions of football, do not involve physical contact, making them ideal for people of different abilities and genders. This makes them particularly suitable for school activities. It is worth noting that in the United States, for example, every educational institution practices football and in the United Kingdom, rugby.
These sports require large playing areas, thus emphasizing the need for multifunctional sports facilities that ensure safety and accessibility, to meet the needs of a large number of citizens. It is common for local authorities to provide grants for new sports center projects or refurbishing existing ones, but it is important to ask the following question.
Natural grass is preferred
Combine the advantages and reduce the disadvantages
Today, to reduce maintenance costs and meet greater utilization demand, many operators opt for installing artificial fields. However, it is known that playing on artificial grass has some differences from playing on natural grass: the bounce and control of the ball change and the player's grip on the surface, especially when wet, decreases, making the game less safe and spectacular. Finally, the heat from the artificial field can be annoying for both players and spectators.
Maintenance of artificial fields is often lacking and difficult to monitor due to their always green appearance; in fact, often their lifespan can be exceeded, putting players at risk. Over time, the fibers lose resilience and lay down on the surface, and players may complain of back pain if the field becomes hard, joint sprains, and muscle strains due to the reduced grip of the artificial field. Additional problems may arise when temperatures increase, causing skin abrasions due to falls and early fatigue caused by heat radiated from the field surface.
It is obvious that you play better on an artificial field than on a natural one with holes, but if we could play on resilient natural grass for matches and training without holes and with low maintenance, we would have achieved the desired goal.
Dr. Niko Sarris
Section for roof garden
The integration of synthetic turf into natural grass has been a pursued goal in the industry for the past 30 years, but has not always been successful. All hybrid grass systems should meet expectations of greater resistance and durability, making the work of maintenance technicians more complex, and it should not be forgotten that the presence of synthetic turf sometimes limits the possibility of mechanical interventions and often makes the surface too solid for both play and the natural grass's roots to develop.
Today there are synthetic carpets with an open backing that allows roots to penetrate and anchor, thus achieving greater resistance to tearing. The synthetic fibers that emerge on the surface above the infill protect the plants from intensive use, forming a durable playing surface where natural grass prevails, also known as "reinforced natural grass," "hybrid grass," or "mixed grass."
In hybrid fields, play takes place on natural grass and the presence of synthetic grass is almost imperceptible because it is actually less than 5%; therefore, they are equivalent to natural grass fields in every respect. The cleats of the shoes interact with the natural grass but do not lift the turf in hybrid fields. Play takes place with greater safety and damage to natural grass is limited, particularly reducing post-match recovery operations. When natural grass suffers damage, the synthetic fibers ensure the continuity of play until regrowth, making the work of the groundskeeper easy and fast.
Hybrid grass systems are appreciated by professional players because they make the playing surface more stable by anchoring the grass to the synthetic backing, which would otherwise give way during play and form potentially dangerous holes. The player feels more secure and performs at their best, allowing for spectacular plays.
POWERgrass Section
The POWERgrass hybrid system was developed holistically. The synthetic backing features numerous evenly arranged three-dimensional holes that limit the migration of sand, thus preventing the holes from clogging and hardening the system. The synthetic backing is soft yet resistant to tearing and deep aeration and maintains its characteristics over time. The roots of the natural grass grow deeply from day one of growth, and once through the backing, are protected from abiotic and biotic stresses.
The synthetic fibers are strong, durable, and thermally glued to the three-dimensional backing to allow for proper installation and facilitate maintenance, so they remain upright to genuinely protect the crowns of the plants on the surface. Once installed, the synthetic fibers protrude approximately 20-25 mm above the surface before seeding.
ZOEsand is a sports-use soil amendment resulting from an in-depth study to enhance the physical and chemical properties of the sand. It consists of three essential components: an elastic, an organic, and a mineral component to be mixed with USGA-type sand. ZOEsand makes the growing medium softer, more fertile, and more resistant to soil compaction.
The POWERgrass hybrid grass system consists of a synthetic grass turf made with a tailored backing, a sand-based substrate amended with elastic, organic, and mineral elements like ZOEsand, and the natural grass seeded into the synthetic turf. The system is installed in situ by expert personnel, and maintenance is developed by the workgroup following the POWERgrass experience and adhering to the principles of regenerative agriculture to achieve a positive environmental impact.
The final result of a successful installation is a sports surface with greater traction, stability, and softness, highly draining for safe play even in the rain, even without natural grass and, above all, without dangerous holes.
Natural grass with its roots anchors in the backing holes and at the same time aggregates the sand with the synthetic grass. The system is thus functional and appropriate in flood-prone areas, considering the need for high permeability but reducing the risk of spreading waste or pollutants in the groundwater.
The duration of the system is indefinite, without an expiration date, if maintained regularly due to the self-repair capability of natural grass. In the context of managing a sports center between 10 and 20 years, it is the best choice because it reduces management costs and allows the field to be returned in a better state.
2025 POWERgrass S.r.l.
- IT13102060152
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