Beijing Olympic Village Lands LEED Gold

Power at the temporary home for Olympic athletes comes from renewable energy sources.

by Mairi Beautyman -- Interior Design, 8/25/2008

The Beijing Olympic Village has something in common with swimmer Michael Phelps and gymnast Shawn Johnson: It took home gold this year. The 160-acre temporary town, with LEED Gold under its belt, is the first Olympic Village to receive LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Servicing 17,000 athletes from around the world, the Beijing Olympic Village is also the first project out of the U.S. to achieve certification under the USGBC's pilot LEED for Neighborhood Development program. So far, only eight developments have been awarded through the program. The village includes two 17-story buildings, two seven-story buildings, two three-story buildings, and more than 400 standard hotel rooms.

Power for most of the heating and cooling systems is generated by a near-zero energy building, which taps renewable energy sources such as solar cells and geothermal heat pumps. The village also includes an Environmental Protection Corner, offering attendees green tips.

"The world’s most pressing issues -- including climate change, habitat destruction, water and energy shortages, human health, and social inequities -- require global cooperation to solve," says Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO, and founding chair of the USGBC. "The Olympic Games represent the exciting possibilities that emerge when the world comes together."

Above: A rendering of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Village.