Cheel Arena has been labelled as a "great example" of Lake Placid 2023's commitment to sustainability ©Lake Placid 2023

Organisers of this year's International University Sports Federation (FISU) Winter World University Games in Lake Placid has claimed that Cheel Arena is a "great example" of its commitment to making international sports more environmentally conscious.

The venue is set to host preliminary games in the men's ice hockey tournament at the event which is scheduled to run from January 12 to 22.

It underwent an extensive remodel and upgrade in 2020 which featured the installation of a new insulated, interlocking floor that helps to better maintain the ice beneath, and a separate system to heat or cool the air in the building.

When the new floor is used for warmer non-hockey events, like career fairs and ceremonies, the ice no longer gets soft or attracts dirt and sand, which in the past would require extensive shaving to restore competitive-grade ice.

"Clarkson, at its core, has had a long-standing push to become a more environmentally sustainable campus," said Clarkson University’s athletic director Scott Smalling.

"Cheel Arena is a great example of Clarkson’s commitment to sustainability.

"Making the facility more energy efficient, using an electric Zamboni and edger, the switch to LED lighting, and other energy-saving features shows you can have a facility that is among the best in our sport but also leads the way towards a more sustainable campus."

Other improvements included the renovation of the arena's leaky roof, the addition of six inches of insulation, installation of high efficiency windows, and changing the gas ice edger to electric.

The insulation barrier between the rink floor was also enhanced between the ice slab and earthen foundation.

"In the past few years, Cheel has improved energy efficiency in its ice-making, ice maintenance and temperature in the building itself," said Josh Bartell, the university's assistant athletic director.

"We don't need to keep it as cold in the rink, which certainly keeps our fans happy but also saves us having to chill the air that doesn't really need to be chilled.

"Our facility went from being the top energy-user on campus to the third."

The top four teams from the tournament will then advance to the Herb Brooks Arena in the Olympic Center for the medal rounds.

The Olympic Center has also recently completed upgrades with eco-friendly renovations and practices.

Lake Placid 2023 is the first FISU Games to make sustainability a major theme.