Why the Olympic Village in Paris is not air-conditioned

For the upcoming Games in Paris, one of the notable decisions of the organizing committee was not to install an air conditioning system in the athletes' village. The decision sparked a backlash from athletes. So why isn't the Paris Olympic Village air-conditioned? Let's take a closer look at the reasons behind the athletes' strong opposition.
​​It is understood that the decision of the Paris Olympic Village is to reduce the pollution of the environment. The logic behind this decision is certain: reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions is necessary for a greener and more sustainable planet. While such a decision may seem honorable in the interest of environmental protection, it also brings with it considerations of the practical impact on the athlete experience.
​We must be aware of the possible negative impact of high temperatures on athletes' performance and health. Proper temperature regulation is a key factor for athletes to be able to maintain their best performance, especially when they need to perform under extreme competitive pressure. Athletes believe they need to be at their best during the Games and that the heat will negatively affect their training and performance. Especially in some high-intensity sports, athletes need to endure a long time of training and competition, and the high temperature environment may lead to physical consumption too fast, and even lead to health problems such as heat stroke.
​In the face of strong opposition from athletes, organizers have also begun to reconsider the decision. They said they would re-evaluate conditions in the Olympic village and consider whether temporary cooling equipment needs to be installed in some special places to meet the needs of athletes.
​In the face of global environmental challenges, finding a balance between environmental protection and practicality has become particularly critical. The ideal solution is one that protects our precious natural resources while meeting the growing demands of human activity. This requires a fully integrated mindset that incorporates environmental awareness from the earliest stages of project planning, extending to product design, production processes, and use and disposal by the end consumer.
​In the pursuit of energy efficiency, we cannot ignore sustainability in product and process design. By optimizing the design, the energy and material consumption of the product can be reduced, the product life can be extended, the maintenance cost can be reduced, and the product can be easily recycled and reused at the end of the life cycle. This circular economy model not only reduces the demand for resources, but also reduces the production of waste, which is a sustainable development strategy in the true sense.
​However, the success of environmental protection measures does not only depend on technological advances, but equally important is the flexibility and adaptability of design. Over time, technology will continue to advance and environmental standards will continue to rise. The design should be able to adapt to these changes to ensure long-term environmental benefits. In addition, education and training play a key role in fostering environmental awareness and behaviour. Understanding and supporting environmental practices is critical to achieving environmental goals, whether it is employees within a business or consumers of the end product.
​In this case, as the organizers re-evaluate the decision, they are confident that they will find a balance that meets environmental requirements while safeguarding the health and performance of athletes.
​The balance between environmental protection and practicality is not a static goal, but a dynamic process that requires constant effort and innovation. Through integrated strategies and measures, we can ensure that the development needs of human civilization are met while protecting the planet. This process requires the participation and unremitting efforts of all parties to build a more sustainable and prosperous future.