Olympic Games and the Environment

09 January 2004

During a recent interview, Yu Xiaoxuan, Deputy Director of the Environmental Activity Department of the Beijing Organising Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG), said the construction of the National Stadium would highlight the concept of environmental protection in five aspects.

Advanced energy-saving design
The spectator stands and several other parts of the National Stadium will fully utilise natural ventilation and lighting instead of mechanical and artificial means so as to minimise energy consumption.

Rationalised water supply, ventilation and air conditioning systems
Certain parts of the National Stadium will adopt a triple-pump system consisting of a geothermal pump, a cold water unit and a hot water unit. This system will fully utilise the renewable energy of geothermal heat to generate a simultaneous supply of cooling in summer, heating in winter and hot water for daily use.

Rationalised utilisation of water resources and environment protection
BOCOG has compiled two special research reports: "The Water Recycling Project for the National Stadium" and "The Project of Exploiting Rain and Flood Water for the National Stadium". The purpose of these two reports is to effectively raise the recycling rate of various water resources and to reduce pressure on urban utilities in terms of water supply and drainage.

Use of clean energy
The stadium is adopting various efficient and energy-saving lighting sources to protect the environment. Lighting in outdoor areas such as the pedestrian square will use a solar-energy-powered lighting system as much as possible. The heating, ventilation, air conditioning and fire-fighting systems in the stadium will use environment-friendly non-Freon materials, as well as other proactive measures to protect the ozone layer.

Adoption of environment-friendly construction materials and optimisation of waste recycling
All construction and decoration materials used will be energy saving and environment friendly. They will meet national technical requirements and the Guide for Environment Protection in Olympic Construction Projects so as to minimise pollution. The stadium will set up adequate devices for gathering and processing solid waste so as to achieve an optimised level of waste recycling.

Check that you understand what these words mean in this document To To highlight: to focus the attention on something.
Spectator stand: an area where people sit or stand to watch an event.
To utilise: to make something work or use something.
Ventilation: the process of drawing old air out and sending new air in.
Artificial: things made by man as opposed to natural things.
To minimise: to make something as small as possible.
To rationalise: to build according to logical or scientific principles in order to get desired results.
Consisting of: made up from, containing.
Geothermal: related to the heat from the inside of the Earth.
Simultaneous: happening at the same time.
To exploit: to make good use of something.
To reduce pressure: to make fewer demands on something.
Urban utility: a public service company of a city.
Drainage: the system of water or waste liquids flowing away from somewhere into the ground or down pipes.
To adopt: to select and follow, put into use.
Pedestrian: a person who walks in the street.
Solar-energy: energy coming from the sun.
Freon: a material which was used in refrigeration facilities in the past, but has been abolished as dangerous to health.
Proactive: an action which has as a purpose to handle something before it happens rather than after it happens.
Optimisation: the making of something the best it can be.
Technical requirement: a standard and necessary quality for something. Adequate: meeting the requirements or needs.
Device: an object that is used for a particular purpose.
Solid: a material which has shape and form but is neither like water nor like a gas.