The Beijing Olympic Village has been given thegreenthumbs upbythe U.S. Green Building Council.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson presented the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold award to Chen Zhili, of the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee at a function on Wednesday.
The award celebrates advances in environmentally friendly design and efficient use of energy.
The Olympic Village has near-zero energy buildings that generate most of their power, heating and cooling through renewable sources such as solar cells and geothermal heat pumps.
Crowd makes competition a breeze
A British weight-lifter battled through a debilitating back injury to ensure her Olympic dream did not end prematurely.
Welsh weightlifter Michaela Breeze defied obvious pain throughout Tuesday’s competition to lift a combined total of185kg.
The back problem has been plaguing Breeze since before her arrival but she says the cheeringBeijingcrowd helped her get through the tournament.
Trip of their lives
The Beijing Games has attracted people from all walks of life, both healthy and no-so-healthy.
Nearly 200 members of the Shanghai Cancer Recovery Clubare in the capital this week fulfilling a dream to experience the Olympics in their home country.
Setting aside two yuan a day, the group has spent the last seven years saving for the special trip, which for many is their first visit toBeijing.
Games recap
Fluid precision claims gold
Thunderous applause erupted around the National Indoor Stadium yesterday asChinawon its first gold in the Women’s Team Gymnastics.
Despite an earlier fall by Cheng Fei on the balance beam, the young gymnasts leapt to victory on 188.900.
Silver went to theUnited Statesand defending Olympic championRomaniatook the bronze.
TheUSneeded a near perfect final round on the floor to stay in contention, but a second dramatic fall by Alicia Sacramone handedChinathe victory.
Lunge holds position
German fencers lunged their way to two golds last night keeping their country’s medal haul in the top five.
Benjamin Kleibrink won the first gold, winning the men's foil with a convincing victory overJapan's Yuki Ota.
Britta Heidemann followed taking gold in the women's epee, with silver going toRomania’s Ana Maria Branza.
26-year-old Heidemann is no stranger toChinahavingstudied inBeijingand speaks fluent Putonghua.
Good things come in threes
Chinese weight-lifter Liu Chunhong got more than she hoped for after her record-smashingOlympicwin on Wednesday.
Liu broke world records in both the snatch with a lift of128 kg, and the clean and jerk with158 kg, meaning her combined total of a massive286 kgwas record number three.
The weightlifter’s medal-winning performance sent fans in her home town ofQishandancing in the streets.
And Liu’s proud mother has promised a bountiful serving of scrambled bean sprouts, the lifter’s favourite dish.