Energy Efficiency

The building that an ice rink is housed in must be energy efficient in order to maintain the ice sheet. The most basic elements needed to maintain the facility are insulated walls and ceiling, efficient refrigeration and heating systems, mechanical ventilation, and air dehumidification system.ice-rink-energy-efficiency-16

The overall efficiency of an ice rink facility can be determined by breaking it into three areas. The first being the buildings construction characteristics. An efficient ice rink facility must have a tight envelope. This means that the air from outside has very few points of contact with the air adjacent to the ice. This is controlled by having entrance lobbies containing doors that lead into the building then another set that leads into the rink area. The walls and ceilings should be well insulated to prevent internal air from escaping and external air from entering.ice-rink-energy-efficiency-15

The poorer the quality of insulation of the building the harder the refrigeration and heating systems have to work to maintain the climate and ice sheet. The second and largest area of energy consumption is the plant. This includes all of the mechanical systems including lighting, refrigeration, ventilation, heating, dehumidification, and ice maintenance equipment. These account for up to 50% of the energy used by the facility. The third and most varied area is operation. Operation refers to the length and type of skating season, air temperature and humidity, ice temperature, and fresh air/supply air temperature. By having all three areas properly maintained and working in conjunction the facility will be able to conserve and optimize its energy usage.

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