A distinctive mark of a permanent ice rink system is that the piping system is encased in concrete. Consequently the piping system is not removable. Most arenas are equipped with a permanent installed ice rink piping system.

In former days, the piping of the permanent ice rink facilities consists of metal, mainly steel. The cooling agent of the direct vaporization facilities was ammoniac. These days, permanent installments mostly come along with ordinary PE-piping and glycol used as cooling liquid.

The option of the complete remove of the facilities as well as their energy efficiency makes non-permanent ice rink systems become more and more popular for permanent use in arenas.