Beijing is asking its star-rated hotels to once more take power-saving measures as part of the city's efforts to host a "Green Olympics" in 2008.

On Monday, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG) distributed power-saving handouts to the 70 hotels that will be designated accommodation suppliers during the Games, urging them to raise room temperatures by one degree during summer and lower it by the same amount in winter.

Research shows that if the temperature of air-conditioned rooms was set just one degree higher in summer, electricity consumption would be reduced by 10 percent. As a result, Beijing would be able to save 250 million to 320 million kwh of electricity.

"Saving power is in line with the theme of a 'Green Olympics'," said BOCOG Vice President Wang Wei. "We hope that everybody can work together to deliver a 'Green Olympics' in 2008."

"Green Olympics," "People's Olympics" and "High-tech Olympics" are the three themes chosen for the Beijing 2008 Games.

The Beijing Municipal Tourism Bureau advised hotels to reduce the use of high power-consuming facilities such as elevators at peak times of power consumption. Hotels are also encouraged to set the temperature of air-conditioning at above 26ºC, enhance room insulation and reduce the number of opening windows.

(Xinhua News Agency November 16, 2004)