Comparison of light-thermal environment and energy consumption in ice sports venues between China and Finland

Due to strong cold radiation from the ice surface, the indoor environment of ice venues is more complex than that of ordinary sports facilities. However, maintaining a comfortable indoor environment consumes substantial energy. Therefore, indoor environmental quality and energy use are critical to the sustainable operation of ice venues. Under the dual-carbon agenda, it is urgent to assess the real operational performance of existing ice venues and to identify energy-saving optimization pathways. Supported by a China–Finland intergovernmental science and technology innovation project, this study conducted field measurements and surveys at four representative ice venues in China and Finland, and used numerical simulation to evaluate indoor environmental quality and operational energy-saving measures.

Main conclusions: (1) The indoor air temperature in ice areas can be raised to the standard upper limit. At Wukesong Figure skating venue, the measured temperature (4.7 °C) is well below the standard (12 °C). Increasing it would save energy while maintaining thermal comfort. (2) Spectator areas are 6–9 °C below standard but acceptable (TSV > PMV). The lower tier is 2–3 °C cooler because of the ice surface, requiring zoned temperature control and enhanced dehumidification. (3) Illuminance generally exceeds the standard (Wukesong Figure skating venue: 1362 lx vs. standard 300 lx). Increasing design illuminance from 300 lx to 2000 lx would raise lighting energy use by about 4.3 times. (4) Ice production accounts for 45 %–50 % of total energy consumption. Reducing the ice-surface temperature from −3 °C to −8 °C increases energy use by 8.5 kWh/m². Improving heat-recovery performance (increasing COP to 7.4) can reduce consumption by roughly 15.69 kWh/m². (5) Low-carbon retrofit strategies could combine Finnish practices (heat recovery and seasonal operation) with Chinese approaches to natural daylighting.