Discussion keeps the world turning.
This is Roundtable.
Hello, welcome to Roundtable, where we serve up piping hot debates on the issues that sizzle in China and beyond.
I'm Neo Honglin. At the intersection of performance and sustainability, the 9th Asian Winter Games is more than just a sporting event.
It's an experiment in green innovation.
From eco -friendly mobility and renewable energy to artistic ventures like plant -powered colored ice, the multifaceted strategies are setting new benchmarks for global events.
For today's show, I'm joined by Yushan and Steve Hatherly.
Now grab your virtual compass and follow us to the heart of the discussion.
The Ninth Asian Winter Games in Harbin and Diaboli are setting the stage for thrilling competitions.
But just outside of the ranks, or sometimes right on the ranks, some sustainable, eco -friendly and high -tech approaches are also gaining wide attention.
Now please follow Roundtable to probe deep into how green technologies and eco -friendly practices are not just enhancing events but fundamentally reshaping our collective approach to sustainable games.
Actually, during this year's, well, the ongoing Asian winter games, I was in Harbin just two days ago, and I've seen a lot of very interesting application of technologies, and they are actually really just everywhere.
Today, we're going to focus a little bit more on the green development, as well as sustainable approaches to hold a game.
But we can talk about that a little bit later.
Let's now just, you know, try to find one or two applications that really got your attention that that was the wow factor for you during this game.
I mean, for me, it's totally the musical highway that I just looked into just now when I was doing research for this one.
Because, you know, I can't be a musical nerd.
Sometimes I like to learn about composing and how sounds are made, and now I see that on the Yashue Highway, which leads to the snow sports venue of the ninth Asian winter games at the Yabali Ski Resort, I see how they demonstrate the cheerfulness and the welcoming sense from Harbin to, you know, whoever
that's going to drive on that highway.
So, we call it a singing highway.
How does it sing? It's a really interesting mechanism that i looked into so the making of this highway is similar to that of making a vinyl record they put grooves into the road into the pavement yeah yeah so when your car or whatever vehicle drives over that pavement then i don't exactly understand the science
behind it but yeah you're you'll hear the music in your car and it's the sound of your car driving over the pavement yeah it's really cool actually there are sensors being uh equipped on the road and also it has to be at a certain speed so not only it's fun it also tells the drivers that you might be
a bit too fast if you drive too fast faster than this yeah I didn't think about it but now that you mention it that's right because basically as we mentioned it's like a vinyl record which in this case the road itself is a record player and the car driving on the road is the tone arms and the grooves
engraved on the road surface is the vinyl records.
So now when a vehicle travels at a speed of 50 to 60 kilometers per hour the friction between the tires and the road surface creates resonance producing the music internally playing inside the car That's amazing.
Did you do that? No, I didn't get a chance.
I've done that not here in China, but I've done that before.
Except when I did it, I didn't know that there was these grooves on the road.
So I was driving and then all of a sudden this music starts playing in the car.
It sounded like a guitar or piano or something.
And I didn't know what was going on.
But then later I learned, oh yeah, that part of the road, that part of the highway is made for that.
It's a cool experience if you ever have the chance.
How about you, Steve?
Which one impressed you the most?
In terms of the green technology?
Yes. Well, I think the ice is really cool.
If you've heard about it, they're using plant -based colored ice at the Ice and Snow World.
And the Ice and Snow World, it's kind of like a, I guess you were there.
It's kind of like a sub venue to the events, right?
It's a place for people to go and hang out.
What were your impressions of it?
I've only seen it on television.
Cold, really, really cold.
You know what's cold?
Around minus 20, 25?
Yes, degrees Celsius.
And the idea is that when it's really cold, not only can't you as a human being do anything or do many things, like the way you do it in room temperature, in regular, like in Beijing, inside in a room.
Actually, you need to, first of all, you need to endure the coldness and it's also pressure and challenges for all the equipment, for all the workers, for transportation, for communication, for a lot of things.
So talking about ice, one thing about ice there is that the ice are quite solid and in huge, huge trunks, which means that if we we only have around 15 to 20 days, when we say we, I mean those very respectful people, workers and artists, actually, in Harbin who are making those ice sculptures.
and they only have around 20 days, but apparently this year they are being helped with a lot of different technologies and also the one Steve has just talked about, well, the coloring technology.
Yeah, so they're using natural plant pigments to create these colored ice sculptures and these sculptures are huge.
This isn't something that sits on a tabletop or something like that.
These are massive structures And these pigments that they're using, they're not like your traditional industrial dyes.
Your traditional industrial dyes are not really good for the environment.
But these are natural colors.
They're sustainable.
They're long -lasting.
They look amazing. And they're eco -friendly, too.
So, for example, if you saw the blue ice there, well, that is extracted.
The pigments are extracted from butterfly pea flowers.
The purple ice, those pigments are extracted from roses.
I did saw one, a pinkish purple Swen that's from that area this year.
So that's how it's made.
Yeah, the tea colored, the green ice colors, those are derived from tea leaves and tree leaves.
And then what they do is they adjust the pigment concentrations in water.
And that's how they achieve this diverse color scheme.
It's really cool. It's not easy either, right?
It's quite challenging to get the pigment distribution done properly because you're dealing with large blocks of ice.
And you're dealing with a wide surface area.
So to get the color schemes to look good, that's one of the big challenges.
But they did a lot of experimentation with that to get it exactly right.
So it's a very successful project and it demonstrates how natural resources can be used to create something that's both sustainable and beautiful to look at.
And I looked a bit into that as well.
And it's really interesting how they formulated this formula that could not only help to disperse the pigmentation well in the ice, but also keep it eco -friendly after the ice melts.
Because we all know that the season is rotary, that the ice is going to melt and all of these water is going to sink into the ground one day.
So that's also one big reason why they're not using industrial coloring this year, because the idea is to keep it eco -friendly and green.
So the team, they actually added some environmentally friendly plant -based molecules to achieve the effect that we see now that, you know, the ice is all colored well.
And to be honest, I also looked into that because worldwide there are so many ice castles, ice venues globally in Nordic countries, in North America as well.
And we see more often the LED light used to add some sort of pigmentation and reflection for the eyes just to decorate it.
But nowadays we see new technologies that's also green that can help decorate the eyes with some color.
But in the meantime, guarantee that when the ice melts in the warmth of spring, it turns into a nutrient that settle into the soil.
Oh, so it gives back to the soil.
That's cool. I think they might be ice experts in Harbin.
I was reading another story, how about 60 years ago or so, I think this was just somebody's blog post.
Around 60 years or so, they would take ice blocks, and then the water that wasn't frozen from the middle of the blocks yet, they would cut it and drain that out and then insert some sort of light inside to create like this beautiful ice lamp.
So when it comes to ice in Harbin, they know what they're doing.
Yes, they do. And now they are up -leveling their games as well.
Actually, we know when you're in a snow and ice world, it can be very romantic and very beautiful, cold aside.
Still, you think about sometimes it can be a little too bright because with all eyes around you, the reflection of different light, rays of color, different types of light, you would find it a bit too shy.
It's hard to open your eyes.
And apparently they are doing something to improve that situation when it's in the designing section, not only outside in the eyes and snow world, but also inside in the venues.
They're making sure that both athletes and spectators are enjoying the games without finding it a bit too bright in the ice and snow world.
So definitely this game is full of different applications of technologies.
Yeah. Speaking more about the technological innovations, these automated ice cutting machines that they used.
You know, when I think about ice sculptures, I think old school, you know, somebody with it with like a chainsaw.
Yeah. Right. The artists would carve through the ice.
Yeah. But this year, this time, not only was the ice colorful, but they had these cutting edge ice cutting machines, too.
So they were developed or it was developed by Harbin Institute of Technology.
They tested it last year, and it's really revolutionized the ice production process.
So the system itself uses AI, of course it does, for real -time visual recognition.
It also has multi -sensor data fusion, and it ensures precise cutting and optimal dimensions for the ice blocks.
And the introduction of this tag, it really reduces the labor intensity, and it allows for a lot faster construction of these ice sculptures as well and also other features at the venue too.
Definitely. And we all know that actually this is already the second time that Harbin is hosting an Asian winter game.
1996 was the first time, right?
Yes, it was the first time.
Almost 30 years ago.
It was 30 years ago.
So what have they done to improve the situation in the venues?
Are they using the old venues or anything else?
I mean, they actually are using old venues and upgrading it to have it fit into this year's theme, which is getting it greener and more eco -friendly.
For example, there's this speed skating rink, which has already been in use since 1996.
And recently it has undergone substantial renovation to enhance insulation and energy savings.
And its roof was upgraded to include a new energy efficient.
Let me try to make this right.
So aluminum, magnesium, and manganese material.
Magnesium? Yeah, material.
So it's a collaboration of several metals just so that it can reduce the area that was originally covered by glass to ensure better insulation and less energy consumption for heating.
And other adjustments would include switching to new ice -making systems and upgrading high -energy consuming equipments covering lighting, power supply, and air conditioning units as well.
And there is this digital sensing technology that enables precise energy consumption control and optimized energy distribution of the venue through smart management.
So all of these are done on this 29 -ish, 30 -year -old old venue that's been revitalized just to welcome the Games this year.
This is the first time in Asian Winter Games history that 100 % of the energy required to power all of the venues comes from renewable sources like wind or like solar power.
And, of course, that reduces the carbon footprint of the event, but it's in line with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting the use of clean, renewable energy as well.
They've taken a lot of steps.
For example, ahead of the event, there were 170 power grid enhancement projects that were completed, and that ensures a stable and energy -efficient power supply.
new electric ice resurfacing machines they replaced your traditional powered ones the fuel powered ones so that's a lot greener everything that they've done is in line with this 100 renewable energy required to power the games and it's really quite impressive that they were able to accomplish this yes
and as always we know that when you're traveling in different venues where maybe you're just you know i'm traveling in the city a little bit you You have to use cars because it's really cold outside.
And for this year, for this game, it marks the first large -scale use of hybrid vehicles in an international sports event.
And these vehicles equipped with a hybrid engine and electric drive offer 42 % reduction in carbon emissions compared to similar gasoline cars.
And this is something very impressive, because if we think about it, one very vital issue is the temperature.
With temperatures so low, making sure that all these different cars, different vehicles, and also different equipment, different technology that are used in these venues, or sometimes outside of the venues, that can actually work properly.
This is already some really hardcore technology.
And if we're thinking about this, actually traditional methods of cutting large ice blocks that Steve has mentioned, that is one thing.
And also, I was about to talk about communication because in this entire venues, I figured that because I have the experience of going to different sports games and sometimes different events.
And if you're in a huge hole with a lot of people, you find your signal in your phone a bit sketchy.
Because too many people are using it.
And for this year, actually, they're using the 5G A kind of technology, which is a little bit like a 5 .5G.
It's between 5G and 6G, making sure that the technology, the transportation can be ensured.
And that is the foundation of a lot of the technologies we talked about, the monitor, the artificial intelligence enhancing.
And also, since CMG is there producing the international feeds for many sports, actually, they are using artificial intelligence, immersive sounding effect, as well as 8K.
And all these can happen with the solid foundation of a good communication ground or background.
it's really important.
It's important for the reporters, too.
Yeah. Right. To be able to connect to a high speed system.
It's funny. You know, the Asian winter games are happening now.
The Super Bowl, if you know what that is, it's the American football championship game that just wrapped up.
And with that event, which is maybe the most televised watched television event in America during one year, maybe not, but close.
The reporters were all there in the week leading up to it and they were complaining about the internet connection you know why can't we get on why don't they have fiber optic cables here why can't we get this kind of connection that we need so it sounds like something that we take for granted I guess
now right 5g and all this but it really is important when it comes to communication for an event of this scale yes indeed one thing that is a little off topic but I find interesting is that with this good level of communication technology, you started to want a little more.
For those who are, well, Steve, you must know this, if you're in a hockey games and you're enjoying the games and everything, you find it very exciting and everything.
Yet, if you want to make a phone call in those venues, you cannot hear a thing.
You cannot hear... Because of the crowd?
Yeah, because it's really loud and...
It's echoing. Everybody's shouting.
Yes, everything's happening.
But think about those who need to work in those venues.
Maybe they're talking to their colleagues.
Maybe they need to report to their boss in the headquarters.
Actually, people have even done something in that regard.
They tried to enhance the communication technology they use for the workers inside those different sports venues and making sure that the noise reduction technology actually takes the simple noise.
They have taken more than 100 types of simple noises, including the shouting from the athletes, of course, the cheering from the spectators, and also the running, the equipment running or operating noise and everything taking all that simple so that if you use their technology and actually be in a video or audio
phone call with anybody, actually, you will feel the noise reduction the moment you start talking.
Oh, okay. So it doesn't affect the quality of your conversation.
Not even a little bit.
I'm just so impressed by how things have changed in the past three decades now that we're talking about Harbin hosting the Asian Winter Games again.
Because this is not specifically an Asian Winter Game that we're talking about, but also other winter sports events that require decent or detailed reports from the media as well.
I once interviewed such an old journalist.
She once had the experience of reporting about one Winter Olympic Games.
I don't remember which year, but it was in the 1990s.
And back then she said her car was all frozen, let alone her equipment, which was bulky.
And she had to bring packs and packs of battery just to get ready.
And, of course, she used all of them just so that the camera could keep on operating while she takes the shot and recording stuff.
And the technology back then is far beyond imagining for me right now, who's just been a journalist for about three years.
So for her to describe what it was back then, and then now that we're discussing how it is right now, it's such a leap of faith for the technological development in the past 30 years, let's say.
At the same time, we also see a lot of tiny little but very comforting and very considering details happening in all grounds.
Take souvenir, for example.
Oh, did you buy any?
I bought a very expensive magnet.
It's very expensive because it's around 70 yuan.
Yet you see it's in the shape of a fan and all four leaves of the fan can actually spin.
And also all four leaves are benchmark architectures in Harbin, including the, let's say, the snow and ice world and everything.
And also you see the mascots of this Asian Winter Games this year.
It is very beautiful.
It's really fun. And my son enjoys it a lot when it spins.
But it also is the kind of magnet that includes augmented reality technology.
So you scan the magnet with your phone?
Yes. And the mascot would start pop out and start dancing.
And it was just really fun.
I mean, you see the technological advancement in so many different ways.
And for those of you who do not know this, actually Heilongjiang province, as well as all, of course, Harbin, these are traditional major cities here in Beijing, here in China, which are actually very proud and also very much rely on their traditional industries.
You see some traditional energy -related industries in these places for so many years.
And not only because of ancient winter games, actually, for the past decades, they have been trying to figure out a way to transform from the traditional energy industries to new energy industries as well.
And they have been making an effort, and we're seeing results as well.
Yeah, and they're going to try to make it, you know, as we move forward, they're going to try to make it even greener with a zero -waste strategy.
You talked about, Yushan, the fact that these ice sculptures, when they melt, the pigmentation will serve as fertilizer for the soil.
That's a great thing.
They're also looking at recycling programs and composting at venues.
They're looking to eliminate single -use plastics and replace plastic bottles and packaging with biodegradable or reusable alternatives.
Also, ticketing. We might not think about it, but if you get a paper ticket to something, that's one.
But if you think about how many people are attending these events, that's a lot of paper being used.
So digital tickets, digital programs can help reduce paper waste with e -tickets and digital event materials.
And then sustainable food and water practices too.
If you're talking about food, then you can use locally sourced and plant -based options.
Serve food from sustainable local sources and those are all ways that you can help reduce your carbon footprint.
Yes. And up till now, we've been talking a lot about the green energy, the eco -friendly commitments.
Why do we need to pay such big attention onto this?
It's because nowadays scientists globally warn that climate change will reduce the number of locations that's capable of hosting winter sports events in the future.
Oh, I read that as well.
What did they say, like 10 countries?
Yeah. And I didn't really find out which 10 countries, but it's according to the International Olympic Committee that's predicting that by 2040, which is not really that far away anymore, only 10 countries will be suitable to host sports, well, snow sports.
And also the Future Host Commission has started to address this very concerning situation that's according to IOC President Thomas Bach.
So we now see that a lot of green approaches have been adapted.
So that this snow events, more of such in the future that is to come, could be hosted in the future.
And let's hope that will be true.
Yes, and that's why our conversation has woven together narratives of technological breakthroughs and environmental care.
underscoring a vital truth that sustainable innovation is not merely a trend but a transformative force reshaping our future.
These reflections invite us to cherish and nurture the delicate interplay between progress and the natural world.
