By Guan Xiaomeng (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2008-03-05 20:25

The Olympic Village will welcome as many as 16,000 athletes and officials during the Beijing Olympic Games, and at the same time it won't consume too much energy to accommodate the guests.

The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the 29th Olympiad (BOCOG) invited the press for a sneak preview of the Olympic Village on Wednesday. During the press conference prior to the visit, Olympic officials said the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) praised the village as a healthy, comfortable and energy-saving residential area focusing on people during a visit last year.

The gate of the Olympic Village is seen in this photo taken on March 5, 2008. The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the 29th Olympiad (BOCOG) unveiled the village to the press on Wednesday. Covering an area of 66 hectares, the village has 42 buildings and will house 16,000 athletes, coaches and officials during the Beijing Olympic Games. The village will be officially opened on July 27 for the Olympics and August 30 for the Paralympics. [chinadaily.com.cn]

Located northwest of the National Stadium, or Bird's Nest and covering an area of 66 hectares, the village consists of 42 buildings with 9,993 rooms in total. It is no more than five minutes' drive from the Nest to the village.

Behind a grand hotel-like gate, the light grey and brown apartment buildings are lined up on both sides of the walkway. It looks like a typical residential area.

However, the design behind this complex is not only high-tech but green too.

Liu Rong, an official from Guo'ao Investment Company, which was contracted to build the Olympic Village, said there were water reclaiming systems, solar energy generators and energy-preserving facilities installed to sustain and save energy within the village.

Liu said the village would save as much as 200 tons of water for landscaping through a biological sewage treatment technique, where recycled water would be used to water grass and plants. This is good news for the water-tight host city.

A red carpet led to an apartment for the press to examine. It was in a six-storey building with two units on each floor. In between the two units are two bins, one for recycling, the other for waste.

Three clay statues of women from the Tang Dynasty stood on the table near the door to welcome guests. Beside them was a living room with photos of old Beijing hanging on the wall.

"We decorated the rooms with Chinese elements taken into account. We will also have booths selling Chinese traditional arts and crafts in the village," said Yu Debing, deputy head in charge of village construction.

Three bedrooms and bathrooms surrounded the living room. Organizers had arranged beds with extra mattresses tacked on for tall athletes like Yao Ming and handle bars in the bathroom for the disabled.

Yu added that parties and performances would be organized to encourage athletes from all countries to participate in the concept of "the people's Olympics". "Athletes compete in the venues, but they are friends in the village. We want to make them feel at home," Yu said.

In addition, double-glazing low-E windows are installed in each unit to prevent from heat from entering the rooms in August. "Future residents after the Games can also benefit from this high-tech widow as they can turn their air-conditioning down a little bit," said Liu. This housing complex is also the first in Beijing to offer potable water for residents.

Salespersons didn't reveal the price of the units which will be sold after the Games. However, they will definitely be hot for grab since so many sports icons will be former residents.

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