Beneath the ice is a green foundation

To stick to the green principle of the 9th Asian Winter Games, all 13 venues in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, will use energy-saving, environmentally friendly materials and green, low-carbon technology.

Liu Qinghui, head of the environmental protection team of the athlete services department of the organizing committee, said the team has been intensively preparing a plan for low-carbon hosting since 2023.

"Green energy will be used for the venues' heating, and ultra-low energy consumption technology will be employed for electricity supply, in order to achieve environmental protection goals," Liu said.

According to the organizer, all venues and competitions of the Games will be powered by green electricity, produced from renewable sources with lower environmental impact.

Meanwhile, all construction materials used to upgrade the Harbin Ice Hockey Stadium, which previously hosted the 3rd Asian Winter Games in 1996, are environmentally friendly, said Qin Xulin, director of the Engineering Department of Harbin Urban Development Investment Group.

"All paints and decoration materials used needed to meet strict environmental protection standards," he said.

"Also, the sports lighting fixtures and equipment are all energy-efficient, low-consumption devices."

He added that the construction team has also minimized the use of adhesive agents when building temporary facilities, and that regular tests on air quality in the venue have also been carried out during the construction process.

The Harbin International Conference, Exhibition and Sports Center, venue for the opening and closing ceremonies, has embodied green concepts since its design phase.