I’ve been chatting with ChatGPT about what the ice rink of the might look like. The answers it gave were interesting and, frankly, encouraging. Encouraging because the ice rink of the future will have less guess work, much more sustainable, safer, and less expensive to run. The responses acted as a starting point for this article.

The best thing is many of the futuristic elements are available now. Okay, maybe not the robotic referee you see pictured above (that will be standard around 2050). But when it comes to the ice and ice operations, most are on their way to universal adoption.

1. Combustion Ice Resurfacing Machines will be Replaced

The move from combustion to electric ice resurfacing machines is an adoption that is ongoing, and expected. Phasing out gas- or propane-powered resurfacers and other on-ice machines will be a two-pronged win, reducing emissions both inside the rink as well as cutting Scope 1 emissions outside the rink! Best yet, if the electricity is properly sourced (renewable), the facility will cut down on Scope 2 emissions as well.

đź”® To learn more about Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, see this article from NationalGrid.

…and They’ll be Autonomous

Not only will the ice rink of the future be equipped with electric ice resurfacing machines, they will be autonomous (or have an autonomous driving option). These are self-driving, battery-powered ice resurfacers that use (or will use) GPS, LiDAR, and onboard sensors to fully automate the process of resurfacing the ice — from shaving to flooding — without the need for a human driver.

In a future rink where staff may be minimal, water is precious, and emissions are tightly regulated, autonomous resurfacers:

  • Free up operators for higher-level tasks
  • Reduce mistakes like overflooding
  • Use precision resurfacing, resulting in lower utility usage
  • Support remote monitoring and scheduling

Italian manufacturer WM Technics is leading the autonomous charge. Raymond LaFond of LSK Enterprises, Inc., a WM distributor in the USA, says the launch customer at an arena in Switzerland just reported its 1,000th autonomous cut, without any anomalies. Here’s a video showing the autonomous machine in action.

2. Treated Cold Water Resurfacing Will Become Standard

Legacy hot water floods will be obsolete. Technologies like REALice are proving that.

  • The cold flood water, vortex-treated for degassing, gives equal or better ice with little to no boiler input, less emissions, and faster freeze times at higher ice temperatures.
  • Facilities that adopt this can reduce their carbon footprint by 30–50% on resurfacing alone.

This also means the ice will run warmer, a point that fundamentally reframes the conventional wisdom around rink operation. The idea that “better ice means colder ice” is deeply entrenched — but with REALice, the physics change.

3. The End of R/O, Water Softeners and Paint Waste

Reverse osmosis (R/O) systems are quite common in ice rinks in an effort to strip the water from the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in the water. Unfortunately, these systems are energy-intensive and waste large volumes of water — concerns already flagged by European sustainability policies. Salt-based water softeners contribute to brine discharge and sodium pollution, which has prompted many California communities to ban them outright. As to ice paint disposal, one of the primary concerns is managing the solid waste from the paint and ensuring it doesn’t contaminate local water sources.

Future rinks will:

  • Eliminate both reverse osmosis and salt-based softeners by adopting mineral-tolerant, chemical-free systems
  • Phase out ice paints entirely, replacing them with reusable mesh sheets and logos, epoxy-coated concrete markings, or light-based systems like projection or LEDs — all aligned with circular economy goals.

♻️ As zero-waste policies are adopted and regulators focus on water discharge quality, systems like RO units, salt softeners, and disposable ice paints will become increasingly unsustainable — both environmentally and economically.

4. The Rink Gets Even Smarter

Smart sensors. Real-time automation. Grid participation. AI.

These aren’t future predictions — they’re actually being implemented through Guest Automation’s Intelligent Rink Energy Management and Control System (IREMCS). Guest’s open-source, open-platform controls are now running nearly 400 rinks worldwide, including facilities owned and operated by some of the largest players in the industry.

“With the IREMCS and its real-time power monitoring and modeling capabilities, we create a virtual motor-control platform that manages and optimizes the entire building’s electrical demand profile. That enables both decarbonization and brings substantial utility savings,”says Patrick Ferguson, Guest’s VP of Energy Services. Ferguson adds, “With the addition of a Fault Detection and Diagnostics package on top of IREMCS we can monetize these datasets and control algorithms into annual savings across the four largest operating costs in rinks: labor, energy, maintenance, and insurance.”

đź’ˇ Selling Capacity Back to the Grid

Ferguson sees automation evolving into grid-interactive systems, where rinks can sell capacity back to the grid through: Demand response Load shedding Thermal energy storage — using the ice itself as a “battery” He also points to AI-driven video analytics and next-gen motor technologies becoming change makers. That includes permanent magnet synchronous motors and switched reluctance motors that are achieving 75–90% efficiency gains over legacy AC induction motors.

đź”® The Smart Rink Future Includes:

⚡ Grid Integration – demand response, load shifting, and capacity sales

🎥 AI & Video Analytics – real-time optimization and safety insights

🌀 High-Efficiency Motors – 75–90% energy savings vs. legacy AC motors

🧠 Automation First – centralized, remote operations at scale

Rinks that invest in intelligence aren’t just becoming more efficient — they’re becoming more profitable.

5. Policy-Driven Innovation

We’ll likely see: ◦

  • LEED-style certification programs specific to ice rinks
  • Carbon benchmarking for recreational facilities â—¦ Incentives for operational decarbonization (especially for municipal rinks, where taxpayer savings matter).

🧾 Rinks will need to document and prove their sustainability, not just aim for it.

🧠 Final Thought

The rink of the future won’t just have warmer ice — it’ll be quieter, cleaner, smarter, and much cheaper to run.