Ice sport federations seek ‘cross-sport synergies’

The event, which was also held in partnership with the German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB), took place in Berlin.

The three parties concluded the conference by committing to enhance collaborative efforts “with the goal to spur sustainable events, while upholding high-quality standards and experiences for athletes and spectators alike”.

According to the 2023 IIHF Guide to Sustainable Ice Arenas, between two and three million litres of water is often used per year in a single-sheet ice rink, with refrigeration accounting for about 65% of energy consumption in arena fitted with energy-efficient technology.

The conference aimed to create a platform for stakeholders around the world to share best practice knowledge and devise innovative solutions in support of more environmentally friendly ice rinks.

More than 100 influential figures from the ice sports industry were present – including architects, ice experts, sustainability consultants, and academics. The conference featured 12 presentations highlighting environmental developments in the construction, renovation, and utilisation of ice rinks and arenas.

The ISU launched its own sustainability programme 18 months ago with an extensive stakeholder engagement review and a detailed materiality assessment resulting in the development of their first sustainability strategy.

Echoing the IIHF’s own findings, rinks were identified by the ISU as being responsible for a significant portion of the governing body’s carbon footprint. Ice Rinks were therefore earmarked as one of four strategic pillars by the ISU, with the other three being Circularity and Carbon, Nature and Community.

Although no sustainability commitments were made at the conference, gathering together so many stakeholders met one of the key objectives for the ISU and IIHF. Many of the venues used by ISU events are often shared with the IIHF, and bringing together the ice rink community was seen as a first step towards a greater engagement programme with the major players in this sector.

“Discussions around the latest green technologies in ice-making, energy efficiency and water conservation took centre stage during the conference,” stated Chloé Burkhardt, Media Relations and Operations Coordinator at ISU.

“These trends apply to the construction of new buildings, but also to renovation projects that offer interesting results in terms of carbon footprint reduction.

“As part of the debates, the participants explored a large variety of scientifically researched techniques capturing the entire operation cycle of ice rink arenas – including the manufacturing process of artificial ice to expand horizons on alternative ice surfaces possibilities.”

A need for joint efforts was stressed throughout the conference.

Speakers all felt that no single entity could stop climate change alone and that because a lot of ice sports share the same facilities, collaborative work has the potential to make the most progress in reducing energy use.

“Exchanging good practices, technical know-how and creating alliances across sports federations were identified as crucial tools to raise awareness, educate and promote environmental stewardship among the broader sports community,” Burkhardt said.

Image: Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash