Operator training for stable ice quality, efficient operation and faster fault response
A well-designed ice rink can still perform poorly if it is operated with the wrong setpoints, excessive ice thickness, inconsistent resurfacing or unclear alarm procedures. The operator is therefore part of the technical system.
SPORTWAVE provides practical training for seasonal teams, ice masters and permanent-arena technical staff. Training is based on the actual rink, refrigeration equipment, controls, resurfacer and operating programme rather than generic classroom theory.
What an operator needs to understand
The operator does not need to be a refrigeration engineer, but should understand the relationships that determine ice quality:
- ice temperature and sport requirement;
- ice thickness and thermal resistance;
- resurfacing water quantity and temperature;
- secondary-fluid temperatures and basic hydraulic behaviour;
- weather impact on outdoor rinks;
- humidity and condensation in indoor arenas;
- normal chiller / pump status and alarms;
- boards, gates and public-safety checks;
- when an operating adjustment is appropriate and when technical service is required.
Colder ice is not automatically better ice
Different users need different surface conditions. Hockey generally prefers harder, colder ice, while figure skating needs slightly warmer and more forgiving ice. Recreational skating can operate warmer again.
ASHRAE gives representative indoor ice-temperature ranges of approximately:
- −6.7 to −5.6°C for hockey;
- −4.4 to −3.3°C for figure skating;
- −3.3 to −2.2°C for recreational skating.
These are engineering reference ranges, not fixed universal setpoints. The actual target depends on the rink, water quality, ice thickness, humidity and programme.
Source: ASHRAE Handbook — Refrigeration, Chapter 44: Ice Rinks.
One unnecessary degree can become a significant annual cost
The IIHF Ice Arena Guide illustrates the scale of operating decisions: in a year-round arena example, raising ice temperature by 1°C, where ice quality allows it, can save approximately 40–60 MWh of electricity and 70–90 MWh of heating energy per year.
The lesson for operators is simple: setpoints should match the current use instead of running every session at the coldest possible setting.
Source: IIHF Official Ice Arena Guide 2024.
Ice thickness should be measured, not guessed
Ice gradually becomes thicker if more water is added during resurfacing than is shaved away. The surface can still look good while energy use rises slowly.
IIHF recommends approximately 25–35 mm ice thickness and states that thickness and evenness should be checked weekly. ASHRAE gives a similar economical range of approximately 25–32 mm.
The operator should understand how to:
- measure representative points across the rink;
- identify local high and low areas;
- recognise edge build-up near the boards;
- adjust resurfacing practice so thickness remains stable over time;
- report persistent unevenness that may indicate a deeper floor or hydraulic issue.
Sources: IIHF Official Ice Arena Guide 2024; ASHRAE Handbook — Refrigeration, Chapter 44.
Resurfacing is one of the operator’s biggest energy decisions
For a full-size 30 × 60 m rink, IIHF and ASHRAE guidance indicates roughly 0.4–0.8 m³ of resurfacing water per operation. IIHF notes that resurfacing can account for up to approximately 15% of refrigeration demand in representative arena conditions.
Training therefore covers not only how to drive the resurfacer but why the following matter:
- shaving depth;
- water quantity;
- water temperature;
- machine speed;
- overlap;
- blade condition;
- snow removal;
- available freeze time before the next session.
Adding excessive water to make the rink “look better” can increase both ice thickness and refrigeration load.
Sources: IIHF Official Ice Arena Guide 2024; ASHRAE Handbook — Refrigeration, Chapter 44.
Water quality changes the resurfacing strategy
Minerals, dissolved air and other contaminants affect freezing behaviour and ice quality. ASHRAE recommends demineralised or very-low-mineral-content water as one route to improved ice and reduced energy demand.
Operators should know what water-treatment system is installed, what water temperature the rink has been commissioned to use and when a change in clarity or freezing behaviour may indicate a water-quality issue.
Learn the normal refrigeration baseline
The most useful operator skill is recognising what “normal” looks like on the installed system.
Depending on the controls available, daily reference points can include:
- ice temperature;
- secondary-fluid supply and return temperatures;
- pump status;
- chiller / compressor status;
- outdoor or indoor air conditions;
- active alarms;
- overnight operating behaviour;
- compressor runtime or energy trend where metering is available.
The exact values are project-specific. Training should therefore use the commissioning baseline of the actual rink instead of memorised generic numbers.
Outdoor operators need to read the weather as part of the rink
Solar radiation, wind, rain, air temperature and humidity all affect an outdoor rink. The operator should expect the refrigeration load to change significantly between a cold night and a sunny afternoon.
Training for seasonal outdoor rinks includes how to interpret:
- rapid warming;
- direct sunlight on selected zones;
- rain and surface water;
- wind exposure;
- night-time low-load periods;
- changes in public load and resurfacing frequency.
The aim is not manual constant adjustment. It is understanding whether the system behaviour matches the weather and when the control strategy or technical team should intervene.
Indoor operators need to understand dew point and humidity
Warm humid air contacting a cold rink can create fog, condensation and extra refrigeration load. Humidity can also lead to dripping or building damage if it is not controlled.
Operators should know:
- which humidity or dehumidification indicators are available;
- why doors should not be left open unnecessarily;
- how unusual fog or condensation should be reported;
- why increasing refrigeration alone does not solve a humidity problem;
- how rink-space and public-space HVAC operation can affect the ice.
Controls should support operating modes, not one permanent setting
A rink can have different modes for:
- public skating;
- hockey;
- figure skating;
- event operation;
- overnight hold;
- ice build-up;
- maintenance or shutdown.
Where controls allow it, using defined modes reduces the temptation to make unstructured manual changes that later become difficult to trace.
EasyCHILL and remote monitoring are most useful when operators understand the data
AST EasyCHILL can provide remote status, alarms and energy-management functions on compatible systems. The operator should understand which parameters are informative, which can be adjusted and which are service-level settings.
Training can include how to use trends rather than reacting to one isolated reading. A slow increase in compressor runtime over several comparable days can be more important than one short peak.
Daily operator KPIs
A simple daily record can turn operator knowledge into measurable performance.
| KPI | What it helps identify |
|---|---|
| Ice temperature | Whether the surface matches the current programme. |
| Ice thickness | Long-term build-up and unnecessary refrigeration resistance. |
| Supply / return temperatures | Changes in hydraulic and thermal behaviour. |
| Compressor runtime / energy | Energy drift when compared with similar days. |
| Resurfacing water per cycle | Overflooding and increasing ice thickness. |
| Indoor humidity | Condensation and dehumidification performance. |
| Alarm count | Recurring problems that should not be normalised. |
Not every rink needs every KPI, but a small consistent set is more useful than large amounts of unreviewed data.
Board and public-safety checks belong to the operator routine
Before public use, the operator should visually verify:
- gate closure and latches;
- loose or damaged board elements;
- glass and protective netting where applicable;
- resurfacer gate condition;
- dangerous ice edges or exposed transitions;
- rubber-flooring route;
- clear emergency and service access.
Anything affecting structural board safety or professional glass systems should be escalated rather than improvised.
Seasonal staff need a simpler but stricter operating procedure
Temporary winter rinks often use staff who are not full-time ice specialists. In this environment, the procedure should be simple and clearly divided into:
- what to check;
- what normal looks like;
- what the operator may adjust;
- what must not be changed;
- which alarm requires a call;
- who the responsible contact is;
- what information to send when asking for support.
A short written routine is often more valuable than expecting seasonal staff to remember a long technical presentation.
Permanent-arena ice masters need deeper optimisation training
Experienced permanent teams can use more detailed performance information. Training may include:
- sport-specific temperature programmes;
- ice-thickness mapping;
- water-treatment optimisation;
- resurfacing-water reduction;
- pump and refrigeration trend interpretation;
- heat-recovery interaction;
- humidity control;
- energy KPI review;
- seasonal and event changeover strategy.
What the operator should not do
Operator competence includes understanding limits. Unless specifically trained and authorised, operators should not:
- bypass safety switches or alarms;
- open refrigerant circuits;
- perform live electrical work;
- change protected refrigeration parameters without technical approval;
- continue operation when a safety-critical board or equipment condition exists;
- treat repeated alarms as normal simply because the rink still appears to work.
When to call technical support
SPORTWAVE recommends escalation when there is:
- rapid unexplained loss of ice quality;
- repeated refrigeration or pump alarms;
- large temperature difference between rink zones;
- visible secondary-fluid leak;
- abnormal noise or vibration;
- unexpected increase in runtime or energy;
- persistent condensation or fog;
- control or network failure that prevents safe monitoring;
- board or gate damage affecting safe use.
Training should finish with a real operating shift
The best handover is practical. Where project scope allows, SPORTWAVE training can follow the operator through a real sequence:
- pre-opening inspection;
- system-status check;
- ice and temperature assessment;
- public or sport session;
- resurfacing;
- post-resurfacing freeze check;
- alarm / support procedure;
- closing or overnight mode.
This connects the technical explanation directly with the actual rink.
Information needed to prepare operator training
- rink type and dimensions;
- seasonal or permanent operation;
- main sports and public-skating schedule;
- refrigeration and control system;
- EasyCHILL or other monitoring platform where installed;
- resurfacing equipment;
- water-treatment system;
- operator experience level;
- number of staff and shifts;
- responsibilities retained by SPORTWAVE or another service contractor.
From this information, SPORTWAVE can define a training programme that matches the actual decisions the operator is expected to make every day.