The Paris Olympics and Paralympics, starting in just two days, represent a major stride towards sustainable mega-events. France’s capital is preparing for up to 15 million visitors, 15,000 athletes, and 45,000 volunteers across over 800 sporting events. With such a vast anticipated carbon footprint, Paris 2024 organizers are committed to making this the most sustainable edition of the Olympics.
Paris aims to halve the average carbon emissions of previous Games—Tokyo 2020, Rio 2016, and London 2012—which averaged 3.5 million tons of CO?. The target is to limit the carbon footprint to 1.75 million tons of CO2. Hitting this goal will be impressive, given that Tokyo 2020 had no spectators due to COVID-19 restrictions. Paris will use carbon offsets to meet this goal and invest in global environmental and social projects.
Nicolas Ferrand, head of the Paris Olympics infrastructure group, described the village’s roughly 40 blocks as a “coherent model of the best things we can do at the start of the 21st century, even a bit ahead of time.” Thanks to energy-saving measures over their lifetimes, the 2,800 apartments are expected to produce about half the carbon emissions of conventional buildings. After the Games, these apartments will be repurposed, with a third designated for public housing.
Paris 2024 organizers have prioritized using existing infrastructure, with 95% of events hosted in pre-existing or temporary venues. The only new permanent venue, the Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis, is constructed from recycled materials and powered by solar energy. The Athletes’ Village will harness solar and geothermal power, featuring beds made from recycled fishing nets and reinforced cardboard.
A key feature of the village is its natural cooling system, which eliminates the need for air conditioning. Advanced insulation, sun shades, and a reversible underfloor plumbing system connected to a local geothermal power plant ensure indoor temperatures remain 10.8°F cooler than outside in summer. This system reduces operational costs and carbon footprints and aligns with Paris’ sustainability goals, despite concerns from some national teams regarding recent record-breaking summers.
Sustainability goals required real estate companies to reduce emissions by 30% per square foot compared to traditional buildings. This led to innovative construction techniques, such as replacing carbon-intensive concrete with wood for core supports, facades, and floors. Low-carbon concrete, which uses less energy-intensive materials, was also widely used. According to Julie Bosch, project director for Vinci Immobilier, materials were chosen for their carbon footprint rather than their technical or economic attributes. Recycled concrete was used as ballast and mixed with compost to form garden base layers.
The village boasts extensive green spaces, with gardens covering 40% of the total land area and incorporating 9,000 trees and shrubs. Charles Richard-Molard, deputy director of public spaces at Solideo, highlighted the high green ratio and the system for recycling water to maintain these areas.
An on-site mini water treatment center purifies wastewater for garden use. One experimental building, the “Cycle building,” will use purified rainwater for toilets designed to separate urine and feces, which can be converted into fertilizers. Additionally, recycled materials, such as oyster shells and paper industry byproducts, were used in pavement construction to enhance heat absorption and sustainability.
The village’s commitment to a circular economy is evident, with around 300,000 household items set for reuse or recycling post-games. Julia Watson, deputy director for the village works at Solideo, emphasized that suppliers were selected based on their ability to recycle or reuse items. Bed bases will be made from reinforced cardboard, and mattresses will be crafted from recycled fishing nets, similar to the Tokyo Olympics. Reclaimed wood and recycled steel piping are used for street furniture and lighting.
Paris’ sustainability target will not be easily met, as previous hosts have struggled with similar commitments. Issues such as budget overruns and waste management, particularly reducing plastics and single-use items, pose significant challenges. Emissions threaten the goal despite creating 621 miles of bike lanes and promoting public transport.
