Supporting Olympic-Sized Sustainability

Supporting Olympic-Sized Sustainability

During the 2024 Summer Olympics, thousands of Olympic and Paralympic athletes, along with multitudes of spectators and journalists, will call Paris home. The Olympic Village, along the Seine River, in the northern part of the city, is at the center of the action. Unlike any other Olympic Village in the past, the Paris Olympic Village stands out for its sustainable and unique approach. The area's redevelopment went beyond renovation to become the most sustainable Olympic Village to date. Developers aimed for a 50% reduction in carbon emissions compared to London 2012 and Rio 2016 through heavy repurposing, recycling, zero-waste and using existing materials. This elevated focus on sustainability is a primary reason Paris was chosen to host the Olympic Games in 2024. Valmont’s engineers contributed to this vision, developing 36 highly customized light poles using existing steel from unused customer inventory. These strong galvanized steel poles are outfitted with LED lighting and withstand extreme weather with little to no maintenance. Simply using recycled steel cut the carbon footprint of the lighting structures in half. After the athletes go for gold and head home, the Village will be repurposed into a neighborhood for 6,000 people with new housing, office space, local shops, six hectares (14 acres) of green space, including a public park, and more. The Village’s thoughtful design and careful planning will mean minimal renovations are needed to convert it into a community with increased opportunities for those who will live and work there. The sustainable Olympic Village not only meets the needs of today but also is functional for future generations, aligning with our purpose of conserving resources and improving lives. We are proud to have contributed to a project that supports the Summer Games and provides a historical legacy of sustainability, regeneration and inclusivity.