What the Paris Olympics Can Really Teach Us About Sustainability
Happy Summer Olympics, RYSERS! As the thrills of the Paris Olympics have officially ended, we can’t help but explore what went right in the organizers’ sustainability initiatives, and wonder how those ideas could be implemented in other development projects.
The Olympics are a massive undertaking for any city, spending billions of dollars to host by renovating and constructing areas to accommodate not only different events (swimming pools, tennis courts, track and field sports, etc.) but also how to do so in a way that is cost effective and environmentally friendly. The Paris Olympics Committee set out to make the 2024 Summer Olympics the most sustainable of all the previous games and set a roadmap for what other host cities can do. Think back to Barcelona’s epic transformation for the 1992 games. They revamped the whole city, boosting tourism and the local economy. Now, Paris is taking it a step further with a focus on sustainability. Let’s see how they did it and how we can do it too!
The Olympic Dream: Sustainability Edition
Sustainability has become a cornerstone of modern development goals, with an increasing number of initiatives integrating environmental, social, and economic considerations from the outset. Embracing the concept of "doing more with less", Paris 2024 is the first games to be fully aligned with Olympic Agenda 2020, the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s strategy to shape the future of the Olympic Movement and the Games to make them more sustainable, cost-effective and aligned with the needs of host cities and communities. Olympic Agenda 2020 made several recommendations, including the use of existing and temporary venues, reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable energy sources.
By examining the Paris 2024 Olympics’ sustainability initiatives, we can glean valuable insights into how these principles can be applied to various types of development projects across different industries.
1. Green Building, Infrastructure, and Recycled Materials
Paris 2024 Olympics Initiatives: Paris went all out, using 95% existing structures or temporary ones that will be reused. For the re-usable new structures, they were built with eco-friendly materials like locally sourced wood and energy-efficient designs, including roofs that naturally regulate heat and humidity. The Olympic Village? Solar panels, rainwater harvesting, and green roofs, all designed to high environmental standards for the incoming residents once the Paralympic Games are over in November. Additionally, the podiums used for Olympians to receive their gold medals are made from 100 percent recycled plastic containers from a French start-up company, Le Pave. They’ve also produced 11,000 bleacher seats for sports arenas made from used shampoo bottles and bottle caps.
How These Methods Could be Implemented in Other Projects:
Residential and Commercial Buildings: Developers can prioritize renovating existing buildings as opposed to ground-up developments. During these redevelopments, planning which materials could be restored and reused and focusing on green building certifications such as LEED or BREEAM, as well as incorporating energy-efficient HVAC systems, triple pane windows to eliminate drafts, LED lighting, and other sustainable building materials such as recycled plastic and concrete that absorbs carbon dioxide from the air.
Public Infrastructure: Cities can develop green transportation systems, such as electric buses and bike-sharing programs, and ensure that new public buildings are energy-efficient and incorporate renewable energy sources. New development projects can be tethered to community nature improvements such as the miraculous success of Brooklyn Bridge Park which stipulated that new buildings must also provide green space and sustainability initiatives.
2. Achieving Carbon Neutrality
Paris 2024 Olympics Initiatives: One of the most ambitious goals of the Paris Olympics was to achieve carbon neutrality. This involved not only reducing carbon emissions, but also offsetting any unavoidable emissions through various measures like reforestation and investing in renewable energy projects to achieve its goal of 100 percent renewable energy usage.
Implementation in Other Projects:
Corporate Offices: Businesses can conduct carbon audits and implement measures to reduce their carbon footprint, such as optimizing energy use, promoting remote work, and investing in carbon offset programs.
Events and Festivals: Organizers can adopt zero-waste policies, use biodegradable materials, and provide incentives for public transportation to minimize the carbon impact of large gatherings. Much can be learned from The Lightning in a Bottle festival which focuses on waste reduction by providing refillable water bottle stations, and encouraging attendees to bring their own water bottles. They have a strict adherence to recycling bins set up throughout the festival as well as a “Leave No Trace" policy. They encourage sustainable transportation via a dedicated bus service and carpooling, and offer onsite educational workshops on environmental topics. Additionally, the festival publishes a "Leave it Better Map" and Sustainability Report to raise awareness and accountability, encouraging attendees to carry sustainable practices into their daily lives.
3. Mastering Waste Management
Paris 2024 Olympics Initiatives: The Paris Olympics have a comprehensive waste management strategy aimed at significantly reducing waste generation and enhancing recycling efforts. This includes using compostable materials, extensive recycling programs, and designing products and packaging to minimize waste.
Implementation in Other Projects:
Construction Projects: Developers can implement waste reduction plans that prioritize the reuse and recycling of materials, reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills.
Retail Operations: Retailers can reduce packaging waste, promote reusable shopping bags, and implement take-back programs for recycling products. Grocery stores such as Whole Foods, have been making great strides towards reducing waste by utilizing up-cycling and repurposing. For example, Whole Foods actively repurposes or up-cycles food across various departments such as using imperfect produce in prepared foods and juice bars, and repurposing seafood off-cuts into soups and other dishes. They also participate in food waste diversion programs including anaerobic digestion.
4. Smart Water Conservation
Paris 2024 Olympics Initiatives: Water conservation is another critical focus area, with initiatives such as efficient irrigation systems, the use of grey water, and water-saving fixtures in all facilities. The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has spend over a billion dollars to clean up the Seine in order to make it swimmable for olympic events, to negate the necessity of building venues for particular swimming races.
Implementation in Other Projects:
Agricultural Developments: Farms can adopt precision irrigation technologies, rainwater harvesting, and crop selection that require less water.
Urban Development: Cities can invest in smart water management systems, promote the use of drought-resistant landscaping, and encourage the use of low-flow fixtures in residential and commercial buildings. They can also encourage xeriscape projects (a type of landscaping with slow-growing, drought tolerant plants to conserve water and reduce yard trimmings) by offering rebates and resources to homeowners to convert traditional non eco-friendly lawns into energy-saving landscapes. You can even buy your own non-GMO seeds to make cover crops (plants that are used primarily to slow erosion, improve soil health, and enhance water availability) from companies such as Seedsnow to fulfill your eco-garden or lawn.
5. Community Engagement and Social Responsibility
Paris 2024 Olympics Initiatives: The Paris Olympics place a strong emphasis on social responsibility, ensuring that the Games benefit the local community through job creation, urban regeneration, and the promotion of inclusivity and accessibility. In the town of Seine-Saint-Denis (which has been traditionally associated with crime and poverty and is now home to the Olympic village), after the Paralympics, the entire village will be transformed into a mixed-use neighborhood of homes and offices. Seine-Saint-Denis will benefit from 20-40 percent of social housing whilst the rest will be affordable with thousands of new trees, green spaces, and several swimming facilities as well as new pedestrian and cycle bridges. Remember the company, Le Pave who made the recycled podiums? Well, they partnered with a nongovernmental organization to include 50 elementary and middle schools to collect one million yellow bottle caps that were used for a splash of color in the black and white stadium chairs they used. Imagine the pride of all of those children watching the games knowing they contributed to the making of the eco-friendly chairs!
Implementation in Other Projects:
Community Housing Projects: Developers can engage with local communities to ensure that new housing developments meet the needs of residents and provide affordable housing options. Via Verde in South Bronx, New York is an example of a mixed-use development that combines affordable housing with green design, complete with green roofs, rainwater harvesting, solar panels, and community gardens.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programs: Companies can develop CSR initiatives that focus on local community development, including education, healthcare, and job training programs.
The Takeaway
The sustainability initiatives of Paris 2024 provide a compelling blueprint for integrating sustainability into development projects across various sectors. By prioritizing green building, carbon neutrality, waste management, water conservation, and social responsibility, developers can create projects that are not only environmentally sustainable but also socially and economically beneficial. As we move towards a more sustainable future, these principles will become increasingly important in ensuring that development projects contribute positively to the planet and society. Feeling inspired? Let’s get started on making our own communities more sustainable, RYSING it one project at a time!