Paris – As thousands of athletes prepare to compete in the Summer Games in France, some Olympic committees are set up without cooling equipment.
The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee announced recently It joins a growing list of countries that have promised comfortable accommodations for their athletes.
Games organizers built many facilities without AC to reduce the carbon footprint and make the events the most sustainable in modern history.
Representatives from SOLIDEO, the organization responsible for the infrastructure, said the buildings are designed to be several degrees cooler than outside, negating the need for AC.
„The rooms in the village will have air conditioning. We have a lot of respect for the Paris organizing committee in particular and their focus on sustainability,” USA Olympic and Paralympic CEO Sarah Hirschland said during a recent press release. Conference.
Paris 2024 Olympics: Weather that could affect games and why some facilities don’t have AC
France’s location in Western Europe allows a temperate climate to dominate the weather for many of the country’s 68 million residents.
According to data from Météo-France, the country’s national weather agency, a typical late July or early August temperature starts at 60 degrees Fahrenheit and warms to 80 degrees.
Its position over the continent increases the risk of being trapped under high pressure ridges that can reach temperatures over 100 degrees.
The highest temperature ever recorded in Paris was July 25, 2019, during a multi-day heat wave that sent the mercury to 108.7 degrees Fahrenheit.
Climate forecast models predict temperatures for the upcoming Olympics will be warmer than average, but below historical values.
As is typical during heat waves, precipitation is often sparse, and so is during the Games.
Paris typically sees only 2 to 3 inches of rainfall each summer, a figure that models agree is the maximum for any rainfall event.
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With more than 500 athletes, the U.S. delegation is aiming to be the largest contingent at the Summer Games. Hence, elaborate preparations are underway to keep Mother Nature from interfering.
„As you can imagine, this is a period where consistency and predictability is critical to Team USA’s performance, and in our conversations with the athletes, it was a very high priority and the athletes felt it was an important component of their performance. Ability, and the predictability and consistency of what they’re used to, and so, yes. , we’ll have air conditioners,” Hirschland said.
The Games of the XXXIII Olympiad will mark the third occasion that the City of Lights has hosted the event, the previous Summer Games having been held in 1924 and 1900.
The opening ceremony is scheduled to begin on July 26 and the games will conclude on August 11.
The deadline gives organizers more than two weeks to prepare for the Paralympic Games, which will feature more than 4,000 athletes at the same venues.