Magazine: Natural or Synthetic Turf?
By Keith McAuliffe in Consultancy on 1st Oct 2008 6:00
This article has been supplied by the New Zealand Sports Turf Institute (NZSTI). NZSTI is New Zealand's leading sports turf consultancy group, recognised by SPARC (Sport and Recreation NZ) as the "standard setting body" for turf maintenance and management. They can offer advice for all natural and synthetic turf surfaces.
BACKGROUND
Historically natural turf was the preferred, if not only, option for outdoor sports and amenity uses in Australia and New Zealand. Progressively a few sports, notably athletics, hockey, tennis and more latterly lawn bowls and cricket, have moved in the synthetic surfaces direction.
There have been past attempts by the synthetics industry to make in-roads to the sports field domain - grid iron went the synthetic turf way for a while, and several UK soccer clubs (unsuccessfully) installed synthetic pitches for championship play.
Recent developments, both in advanced technology and resulting user group acceptance of the product, now create a real challenge to the supremacy of natural turf as the preferred playing surface for football (soccer) and related outdoor sports. We are witnessing a ground swell of activity globally with synthetic surfaces. Australia and New Zealand are likely to be no exception.
To counter this threat the turf (green industry) groups will need to continue developing improved technology and improve their marketing. Our turf industry needs to be aware of what is happening and what the ramifications of current trends are.
WHY THE NZ SPORTS TURF INSTITUTE HAS ESTABLISHED A SYNTHETIC SURFACES DIVISION?
The majority of Institute staff are lovers of natural turf surfaces. Agronomy still represents the bulk of our business. However, when one looks at the global picture it is apparent synthetic surfaces will have a significant future here. Products could be either 100% synthetic material or a hybrid system such as the Grass Master, MOTZ or Sport Grass systems.
Recognising this the Institute moved to set up a synthetic turf business unit, offering independent advice on product selection and performance testing to sports clubs and councils. This move was seen not only to safeguard our interests in existing key client sports such as cricket and bowls, but also to resurrect our involvement with sports such as hockey and tennis. Further, we see potential for synthetics in schools and general recreation areas.
WHY WILL SYNTHETIC TURF MAKE IN-ROADS?
Perceived reasons why synthetic turf will become more popular in future years include:
• Development of improved new technology and synthetic products that will satisfy user requirements of a playing surface. Products that look, feel and play more like natural grass.
• Aggressive marketing and ‘no holds barred’ approach to selling the benefits of synthetics.
• Support gained from International bodies (especially FIFA and UEFA). Approval has now been given by FIFA and UEFA for international use of synthetics this coming season. Synthetic turf surfaces are now covered under the laws of football.
• Access to funding for one-off investments (an important issue). Currently, funding systems seem to make it easier to get a one-off grant rather than funding for on-going maintenance (this is something natural surfaces need to develop strategies for).
• Perceived lower maintenance hence less hassle/less cost. It is very important to note that synthetic turf surfaces are not maintenance-free.
• Able to handle intense 24/7 use year round. Whereas natural turf can be used for a finite time (e.g. 400 hours of football use p.a.), synthetic turf could potentially be used for unlimited hours.
• Where use must be intensified because of limited opportunity to acquire additional land to build new fields. Many schools and councils in metropolitan areas face this challenge. There is often little choice but to intensify use on existing grounds (rather than build new fields).
• Reduced water requirement - an issue particularly relevant to Australia, where water is becoming a real cost and environmental issue.
• All weather performance, lessening risk of cancellation (note so too are well built natural turf systems).
WHERE CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE SYNTHETIC TURF INSTALLATIONS?
Environments where we can expect to see synthetic surfaces challenge natural turf include:
• Council or schools playing areas and sports fields where there is no more spare land, use pressure is rising and intensifying use of existing surfaces is the only option. Most of these new synthetic surface installations will be designed for multi-use (possibly soccer/hockey/tennis/general recreation).
• Football (soccer) clubs throughout the world, and in particular high population intensive zones or regions with a poor turf growing environment.
• Regions where there are genuine limitations on maintaining a quality natural turf surface, such as regions with no (or expensive) water supplies, where the climate is inhospitable for turf growth or where there is no curatorship industry.
• Stadia which have a multi-use function, especially where there are difficulties growing natural turf (e.g. indoor arenas; arenas with light issues such as the Amsterdam Arena).
• High intensity use, all-weather training pads for football codes (possibly half field size).
WHAT IS THE ACHILLES HEEL WITH SYNTHETICS?
• Despite what may be said, synthetic surfaces do require maintenance and correct maintenance from day one. Get it wrong at the start and the results
can be disastrous and costly.
• Associated with the above, inherent problems with synthetic surfaces are generally hard to correct. If for example base levels alter, or the pile becomes matted, it is costly to repair.
• Even though technology has advanced tremendously, playing on a good natural turf surface is still hard to beat (we must concede that not all sports surfaces are good however).
• There are some unknowns and questions that need answers from a health and comfort perspective, such as:
o Sanitation? Effects of spit, blood, sweat - staphylococcus bacteria infections.
o Higher temperature in relation to an actively transpiring turf surface (potentially a major issue).
o Toxic compounds in rubber and ingestion of dust.
o Abrasion? Hardness?
• There are environmental issues, especially disposal of product when it has reached end of life. Also non-replenishable resources (petroleum products) are needed to make carpet and rubber (11 tonnes of fibre, 80 tonnes rubber per soccer field).
• Is there a potential fire hazard?
• How effectively can surfaces be repaired if damaged? Synthetic turf surfaces are generally not easy to patch and repair if damaged.
• They are not natural. Turf is not only aesthetically pleasing, but it also considered to create a healthier environment (oxygen, supply, buffer for water runoff etc.).
WHAT CAN THE NATURAL TURF INDUSTRY DO BETTER?
• There is a need for natural turf surfaces to improve on its marketing effort.
• Why hasn’t FIFA/UEFA invested in natural turf research in years past? “Success in the artificial turf industry has come with the application of science, but also in the battle to win match-day approval from the top players...”
• Do sports like hockey and tennis know what can be achieved these days with modern natural turf technology?
• Can the natural turf industry do a better job to help potential clients secure external funding for constructing and maintaining natural surfaces (e.g. funding from gaming trusts)?
• We need to keep on developing new and improved technology.
• Developing root zone systems, turf types and management systems that result in better quality, cheaper and easier to maintain natural turf surfaces will help stave off competition from the synthetic turf suppliers.
SUMMARY
Sports participants will acknowledge there is nothing to match a good quality natural turf surface. However, experience shows that not all natural turf surfaces are of good quality.
It is apparent that synthetic turf surfaces offer a real option to natural turf for many sports, and we will see an increased number of synthetic turf surfaces appear in New Zealand and Australia.
In order to remain competitive the natural turf industry needs to improve its marketing effort. It also needs to continue developing new technology to develop better quality, more durable and more affordable systems for playing surfaces.
The NZ Turf Management Journal is printed quarterly (Feb, May, Aug,
Nov) and is specifically tai lored to the turf industry with a range of topical, technical and research articles, book reviews and trade information
www.nzsti.org.nz
Post your own comment on this article
The majority of Institute staff are lovers of natural turf surfaces. Agronomy still represents the bulk of our business. However, when one looks at the global picture it is apparent synthetic surfaces will have a significant future here. Products could be either 100% synthetic material or a hybrid system such as the Grass Master, MOTZ or Sport Grass systems.
can be disastrous and costly.
