Building a sustainable legacy

Most of the facilities for the temporary venues are set for reuse, as it is the case in the configuration of the Asian Games' squash courts, which are located in a converted exhibition hall of the Hangzhou International Expo Center.

According to Zhou Congcong, director of facilities operation and maintenance of the squash venue, the eight squash courts installed for the games will continue to be used after the games.

"One will be donated to the Asian Games Museum and the other seven will be relocated to communities, schools and other educational institutions, continuing to play a role in promoting squash," Zhou said.

Sustainability is also highlighted in the daily operation of the competition venues.

At the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Aquatic Sports Arena — the competition and training venue for swimming, diving, artistic swimming events — light pipes have been installed to introduce outdoor light during the day and solar-powered light at night.

The venue has a water-storage capacity of more than 10,000 tons. Its continuous water-circulation system will automatically detect and disinfect used water. This will save up to 90,000 tons a year, which is equivalent to the annual consumption of 4,000 people.

To save water, a 24-hour uninterrupted water circulation and disinfection system has been installed to ensure that the water in the pools stays clean and clear without the need to change it regularly.

Sustainability is also manifested in the way the competition venues will continue to operate and benefit the host cities after the games, Qiu said.

"We have taken into consideration, and gone to great lengths, to ensure the best use of the competition venues after the games," Qiu said. "The best scenario is that these venues will be able to make money on their own to sustain their daily operation."

The Hangzhou Esports Centre, a newly built venue, is expected to serve as a good example of this. While the center will continue to serve as a key venue for esports, it is also designed to host ball games, concerts, theatrical performances and trade shows to achieve a full range of social benefits.