(BEIJING, Oct. 5) -- A natural ventilation concept was introduced in the design of the Olympic Green Tennis Center in an effort to reduce the court's ground temperature by five degrees Celsius.
According to statistics provided by the China Meteorological Administration, the period for the Olympic Tennis competition from August 10 to 17 might be the hottest days in Beijing, with the highest temperatures nearly 30 degrees Celsius and the lowest above 20 degrees Celsius. The sunlight that directly hits the partially exposed venue will heat the ground to over 40 degrees Celsius and may force the game to halt as it once did at the Australia Open.
To solve the problem, several pieces of ventilation equipment have been installed at the 12 petal-shaped stands of the court to take in fresh air. Circulation facilities then release the air through vents located all around the court, lowering both the temperature of the court and the stands.
"A combination of cutting edge machine ventilation and fresh air circulation adopted for the Olympic Green Tennis Center not only solves the problem of high temperature of the tennis court, but also prevents the production of vortex in the venue," said Zheng Fang, a designer of the flower-shaped structure.
The white mesh on the outside wall of the stands for the three main courts -- the main court, the No. 1 and No. 2 courts -- is not simply there for decoration. It shines at night and conceals the equipment for drawing in fresh air. The compressed air enters through the Persian blinds at the bottom of the stands and is blown out to cool the venue.
From October 6 to 20, the Good Luck Beijing 2007 ITF Pro Circuit will be held at the center. Eighty tennis players, including 36 men and 44 women from 13 countries and regions, will compete in a total of 210 matches.
Through the tournament, the center will be tested according to the Olympic standards. There will be closed qualification matches on October 6 and 7, and beginning October 8 spectators will be able to enjoy tennis matches inside the petal-shaped buildings.
