Unlike most pieces of modern architecture, the Richmond Oval is built to be admired from the inside out. A glass façade on the structure's north side gives clear, expansive views of the North Shore Mountains. The venue's three other sides are wrapped in a polycarbonate glaze in varying shades of blue. The design aims to maximize natural light for the 8,000-seat speed-skating track. The structure—located across the Fraser River from Vancouver's main airport—is also notable for its innovative wooden roof. Made from trees killed by the recent pine-beetle infestation in British Columbia, the roof showcases a practical use for the once-discarded material.
Get a look at some Eco Chill action
And no, "eco chill" is not what environmentalists do to relax. An ice rink needs to transfer heat energy out of water to make it freeze. Normally that energy is wasted. But the UBC Thunderbird Arena—an addition to the University of British Columbia's ocean-side campus—has installed Eco Chill, an energy-recycling system that collects and reuses the energy needed to maintain the ice. The largest of the complex's three ice arenas will hold more than 7,000 people and be a battleground for men's and women's ice hockey during the Games. The exterior is modern but won't win any style accolades.
Even stadiums can be "recycled"
Vancouver's push for sustainability in its new Olympic venues would be pointless if it built them for 16 days' worth of events and then never used them again. The city is making sure that each structure can serve the community long after the Olympic torch has been extinguished. For instance, the Vancouver Olympic/Paralympic Centre, near Queen Elizabeth Park, includes a 100,000-square-foot curling venue that will be converted into a multipurpose community recreation center after 2010. Next door, there's a 60,000-square-foot aquatic center. Not only will the two venues be connected by an indoor concourse, but they'll also share energy. Waste heat from the curling rink's refrigeration plant will be captured and reused to heat parts of the venue next door.
