FOR multi-sport events like the Asian Games, the competition between elite athletes may dominate the focal point, but innovations in making these sporting events a sustainable reality are worth the public’s attention as well.

With the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, East China’s Zhejiang Province, around the corner, organizers are hoping their efforts to stage a green and smart Games will contribute to an extraordinary experience for athletes, officials and spectators.

“We will fully utilize Hangzhou’s advantage in digital economy to integrate innovative technologies throughout our preparations for the Asian Games to contribute to a successful, splendid and unforgettable sporting and cultural event,” said Chen Weiqiang, executive secretary general of the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (HAGOC).

All 56 competition venues for the Games were completed by the end of March last year, with 12 being newly built and the rest renovated or temporarily built.

As Hangzhou aims to host a carbon-neutral Asian Games, the use of green electricity in the venues is a concrete step.

According to State Grid Hangzhou Electric Power Supply, some of the green electricity utilized in the venues is photovoltaic energy transmitted from areas such as Qaidam Basin in Qinghai Province, Jiayu Pass in Gansu Province and Northwest China’s Loess Plateau, while another is wind power generated in areas including Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Apart from green energy, environmentally friendly technologies have been widely used in equipment, transportation and delivery services in the lead-up to the Games.

In the Asian Games Village are located the country’s first high-power, wireless, Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging stations, equipped with eight 500-kilowatt charging devices, eight wireless charging parking spaces and eight V2G charging piles. The facility will provide efficient and convenient charging service to secure green transportation in that area.

In a move to increase sustainability, a number of venues have adopted water recycling systems. For instance, thanks to a rainwater recycling system, the Fuyang Water Sports Center can save around 1,000 tons of water per month, accounting for 35% of its consumption.

The Hangzhou Asian Games mascots, whose fabric is made using digital printing technology, are also an innovative attempt at going green.

Compared with traditional printing technology, the digital process doesn’t generate any waste of water, gas or pulp.

For Hangzhou, the event is a window to showcase the city’s cutting-edge technologies, including big data, artificial intelligence and virtual reality.

The first self-driving bus route for the Hangzhou Asian Games was launched at the Shaoxing Baseball & Softball Sports Center in June. The shuttle buses are equipped with HD cameras, laser radar, millimeter wave radar and an ultrasonic radar and positioning system to ensure safety.

Auto-driving shuttle services are also available in the Huzhou competition zone.

Another highlight of Hangzhou’s efforts to host “smart Games” is the digital torchbearer program, which allows any smartphone users to take part in the torch relay.

(Xinhua)