T°Cool® Field Coming to the Sunshine State

As temperatures continue to reach record highs, T°Cool®, an evaporative cooling solution that is proven to reduce synthetic turf surface temperatures by30 to 50 degrees, is coming to the sunshine state. Somerset Canyons Middle & High School, in West Boynton Beach, Fla., is set to become the first school in Florida to install the revolutionary technology designed to combat the oppressive heat on synthetic turf surfaces. 

During warm weather months, synthetic turf temperatures can get hot, consistently exceeding 150° in Florida, making the fields uncomfortable and often unplayable. T°Coolis an innovative solution that makes fields cooler, safer and more playable, without compromising the performance benefits.

The extreme heat on synthetic turf fields is primarily driven by the sun and composition of the synthetic turf fibers. The only proven method for reducing this heat is by treating the infill or sand with a cooling solution, and T°Cool®is the only proven synthetic turf cooling solution that cools the entire turf system for sustained periods of time. Today, approximately 80% of synthetic turf fields nationwide use black crumb rubber infill, due to the benefits of fiber support, cushioning, and consistency for performance.T°Cool®is an eco-friendly solution that cools the synthetic turf surfaces by coating the black crumb rubber infill and/or sand. Once installed, theT°Cool®solution continuously activates through rain, dew, humidity and/or watering the field, thus reducing the field temperature and bringing the overall field temperature closer to that of natural grass.

TheSomerset Canyons Middle & High School installation, which will take place in late September, comes on the heels of a summer of installs across the Carolinas, led by The Citadel - the first Division I Athletics program in the USA totake a proactive approach to combat the heat by installing T°Cool®.  The military institutionwas joined by several high schools and municipalities across both North Carolina & South Carolina – as proactive adopters of the cooling technology.

“Given the warm and humid climate, Florida is an ideal geography for evaporative cooling solutions. It is rewarding to see Somerset Canyons recognize the benefits ofT°Cool® technology and the importance of being properly equipped to more effectively battle the heat issue,” said Rick Oleksyk, President, T°Cool®.   

According to Penn State University’s Center for Sports Surface Research, and Brigham Young University’s “Synthetic Surface Heat Studies,” playing on fields where the temperature is higher than 122° is not considered safe. By following those safety guidelines, unless a synthetic turf field is treated by a cooling agent, the field would not be available for activity on many days between April - October.

“Having a synthetic turf field here in South Florida is going to be a blessing, especially during the rainy season,” said Michael Feierstein, Athletic Director, Somerset Canyons. “Previously, we would lose our grass field use to flooding from poor drainage, and it would deteriorate by mid-year. With a new turf field, we solve these issues, and the installation of T-Cool technology alleviates the heat issue associated with synthetic turf surfaces. The ability to reduce field temperatures creates a safer and more consistent environment for our athletes. The face of athletics will be changing here at Canyons and we look forward to utilizing our facility year round, and in a much safer way.”

As an added benefit, T°Cool’s evaporative cooling solution for synthetic turf fields also reduces the coefficient of friction, thus diminishing the severity of turf burns,while effectively reducing the growth of harmful bacteria on open wounds.

Added Oleksyk, “Field temperatures exceeding 150° are now a common issue. In Florida, during the past few weeks, we’ve received inquiries from end users regarding the prospect of adding evaporating cooling to their upcoming, and existing projects. We anticipate the Somerset Canyons installation will further prompt decision makers at high schools and municipalities to embrace our proven and patented technology.”

For more information on T°Cool visit www.tcoolpt.com.