The City of Lights is taking a giant leap towards greener, more efficient cooling. And the secret ingredient?
The iconic Seine River.
Paris has a plan to expand its urban cooling system, and it's set to revolutionize the way we keep cool while reducing carbon emissions. Say au revoir to individual AC units and hello to a cutting-edge cooling network powered by water.
How Does It Work?
Europe's biggest cooling network is already in action, cooling down famous landmarks and soon-to-be Olympic venues like the Grand Palais.
Here's how it works: Instead of each building having its own energy-guzzling, carbon-emitting air conditioner, the system taps into the Seine River's cool waters. These waters are sent to power stations that pump refreshing, chilled water through underground pipes to the buildings.
Voila! Cool, comfortable spaces without the big carbon footprint.
Climate-Friendly and Cost-Effective
Raphaelle Nayral, the city's secretary general, is excited about the environmental impact: "It's a game-changer for Paris. Buildings soak up the coolness of the water, reducing the city's air-conditioning carbon emissions."
And that's not all. Plans are in motion to expand this green initiative to the southern parts of the city, hospitals, day care centers, and retirement homes. Paris aims to triple this network to a whopping 250 km (155 miles) by 2042. So, you can bet on even more cool comfort in the years to come.
And for forward-thinking property owners, like Ghislain Tezenas Du Montcel, who've already leveraged this technology, it's not just good for the planet, but it's also financially sound.
"Given the fact that the price of electricity has increased, we think (air conditioning via this network) is now cheaper," said Tezenas du Montcel.
As we see global temperatures rise, Paris is setting an inspiring example by cooling down its streets and buildings with an earth-friendly alternative to A/C.
It's a WinForThePlanet 🙌🏼
2 comments
I’m no engineer, but this idea seems relatively simple but on a large scale. What happens to the water that is circulated and warmed up? Would returning it to the river warm the river up too much, or is the river volume too great for that to occur as it is continuously refreshed? Will drought be a factor? Is there part of this system that could be used to heat (radiant) in the winter? Heating cold river water is too great and would nullify any summer savings. Congratulations, Paris, this is a Sane Solution.
J’aime Paris !