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number of spectators and their distance from the field of play. Recommended illumination levels for various ice activities from the Illuminating Engineering Society are listed below. Recommended Ice Rink Illumination Levels Activi Foot-candles Pro Hockey 100 Amateur Hockey 50 Recreational Hockey 20 Figure Skating 15 Curling 10-20 Recreational Skating. 10 Because ice sheet lighting requirements vary significantly for different types of on-ice activities a lighting system which can respond to changing light level requirements will be most energy efficient. In addition to using more electricity, ice rink lighting systems which over-illuminate also cause the refrigeration system to work harder than necessary. Multi-level lighting systems provide energy savings by more closely matching the light output and energy usage to the activity on the ice. Multi-level systems are usually more cost-effective than dimming systems. Some rinks have tried to bank their lighting system to achieve similar results, but this approach tends to produce shadows and non-uniformity that can make it difficult for players and spectators to follow the puck. Many electric utilities offer lighting efficiency rebates. RESURFACING IMPROVEMENTS Demineralized Flood Water Treatment Water purity has a direct effect on the quality of ice and the amount of energy used to produce and maintain the ice surface. Ice arenas are extremely large users of water. A moderately busy ice arena with an average of 6 resurfacings a day will use approximately 1,000 gallons of water per day. The majority of this water is use to recondition the ice surface. As a general rule, heated city water is used to fill the resurfaces tank which in turn are used to flood the ice sheet. The water is heated to provide a better bond to the existing ice and to melt and fill in cracks in the ice caused by skate blades. With the use of demineralized flood water the need for heating is eliminated because pure water bonds very easily to the existing ice sheet. A reduction in the water temperature also reduces the amount of energy needed to freeze the flood water thereby reducing the work of the refrigeration system. Pure water also provides a harder ice surface that is more resistant to cuts. Demineralized water can be achieved by two different methods. The first is an ion-exchange method that uses chemicals to remove the minerals. The second is a reverse osmosis filter that allows only pure water to pass through a filtering membrane. Both methods are extremely effective in removing the impurities in common water supplies. Installation costs for the ion- exchange demineralization and the reverse osmosis filtration systems are approximately $18,000. Operational costs for the two systems are different. The ion-exchange requires chemicals that Page 4 Energy Improvements in Minnesota Public Ice Arenas Project Center for Energy & Environment