Sochi Airport

A variety of measures have been considered and taken towards ensuring ecological security as part of the preparations for the winter Olympic Games in the Russian sea resort of Sochi. The contractors for the building  of facilities for the Games have assured a meeting of the Public Council that the so-called “green standards” were taken into account in their work.

Innovative methods in the building of the games facilities are required based on the Green Standards. These include the  use of energy saving glass on the premises, the use of alternative source of energy,  as  well  as  an automated system of operations, enabling a significant saving in electricity consumption. In addition, the builders should reduce to the minimum the inconvenience to be  endured by the residents of Sochi and visitors to that holiday resort. Construction sites should not be turned into refuse zones, and the level of dust around sites under construction should not exceed the permissible norms.

"Gleb Vatletsov, Director of the Economics Department of Olympicstroi  firm,  says that the company has its own green standards, which are incorporated into the system of voluntary certification.  The demands to the builders of the Games facilities are 70 per cent more stringent than those in the Russian law, and that provides a guarantee that all the facilities for the 2014 Games will meet contemporary requirements," Gleb Vatletsov said.

The Russian Meteorological service has launched an automatic system of monitoring to control the environment in Sochi. The levels of pollution and dust around all the construction sites can be seen online on the pogodasochi.ru site. According to Mr. Vatletsov, above-normal levels were found only at Imereti Lowland and Krasnaya Polyana.

As part of the preparations for the Games in Sochi, not only new facilities are being constructed, but old ones are also being upgraded, says Rinat Gizatulin, deputy minister for natural resources and ecology.

"More than 10 per cent of the budget for  the  Olympicstroi corporation  is being spent on the environment one way or another, including on cleaning equipment, a new communications system, on housing and utilities services, on a transfer of the boiler system  from one   source of fuel to a safer one, as  well as a new system of waste disposal. The construction of the infrastructures is going on but the  changes  are not yet visible. We are however confident  that when  the gigantic work is completed by 2012-2013, the ecology of Sochi will take a turn for the better," Rinat Gizatulin promised.

Moreover, the Sochi river Mzymta will be fully restored towards the end of 2013. The project is being handled by the St. Petersburg based Russian Meteorological, Water Resources and Hydrological Institute, in collaboration with the Kuban Basin Authority. Work on the project will start in August this year.