In today’s sports world, it seems there are countless considerations when designing a field. Player speed, ball interaction, gmax/impact attenuation, aesthetics, maintenance, warranty, sustainability, abrasion… the list goes on. One element becoming a bigger consideration is surface heat. Some synthetic turf fields can reach temperatures 35º to 55º F hotter than natural grass fields. Natural grass fields allow for evaporative cooling, continually absorbing water through the root and grass blade structure, then transpiring water over time to keep surfaces cooler. When it comes to synthetic turf fields, the turf fibers and the infill can each contribute to higher temperatures if they do not have a mechanism to cool themselves. To combat high surface heat…
