US Olympic and other teams will bring their own AC units to Paris
The U.S. Olympic team and others will bring their own AC units to Paris Games, defying emission reduction efforts. Athletes prioritize performance over sustainability, reflecting disparities in air conditioning usage globally.
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The U.S. Olympic team, along with other countries like Germany, Australia, Italy, Canada, and Britain, will bring their own air conditioning units to the Paris Games, contradicting the organizers' efforts to reduce carbon emissions. The decision was made to ensure consistency and predictability for the athletes' performance. Olympic organizers had planned to cool rooms in the Athletes Village using a system of cooling pipes under the floors to maintain temperatures between 23-26 degrees Celsius. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo emphasized the importance of environmental considerations for the Olympics. The move to bring AC units reflects the high-performance environment expected at the Games, with athletes' comfort being a priority. The decision also highlights the disparity in air conditioning usage between Europe and other regions like China and the United States. Despite efforts to promote sustainability, some countries prioritize athletes' needs for optimal performance.
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5 commentsIt sounds like they have an advanced geothermal AC system, but are making some distinction that this is not an AC. They also have good insulation.
Even if they had a traditional AC, the carbon in French electricity is so low that it's a rounding error compared with the carbon of holding an international sporting event, even if they had poor insulation.
Any additional AC on top of the "not an AC" cooling system, in a well insulated building will have less work to do and so draw less electricity.
I can see why any dense traditional city would have a preference for heating networks over a proliferation of window AC but something seems to have got lost in translation.
edit: some googling suggest that Paris, like many big cities, has had geothermal cooling networks for large office buildings, museums etc. for decades. The new Olympic village extends those networks and is designed to be converted into office buildings with sufficient cooling planned for 2050 temperatures so seems mostly a storm in a teacup.
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