This chapter highlights the practices and innovations of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games aimed at meeting the environmental ambitions to which both the organisers and public authorities had committed. It underscores the central role played by public procurement and the purchasing strategies adopted by the organisers. It also discusses the influence of these strategies on various sectors, particularly the construction sector, and the benefits that may be derived from them by contracting authorities.
The Legacy of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Upping the Game
Abstract
The Olympic and Paralympic Games and other international sporting events have a significant environmental impact. Previous Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, including Tokyo 2020, Rio 2016 and London 2012, emitted an average of 3.5 million tonnes of CO2, according to the Paris 2024 Organising Committee, the equivalent of driving a car around the world more than 400,000 times or flying from Paris to New York and back nearly 2 million times . Among these emissions, a longitudinal study of the last 16 editions of the Olympic Games (summer and winter, from Albertville 1992 to Tokyo 2020) highlighted the poor performance of the indicator relating to new buildings for the Olympic Games in terms of sustainability (Nature Sustainability, 2021[1]).
Greenhouse gas emissions linked to the construction, delivery and operation of infrastructure are already a well-known issue. According to a joint report by UNOPS, UNEP and Oxford University, infrastructure is responsible for 79% of all greenhouse gas emissions and accounts for 88% of all the costs of adapting to climate change (UNOPS, 2021[2]).
Given the importance of infrastructure-related climate issues, many OECD countries have aligned their infrastructure investment and delivery plans with their national commitments to combat climate change. The OECD Infrastructure Governance Indicator (IGI) on the provision of sustainable and climate-resilient infrastructure provides an overview of the different elements that support the creation of such infrastructure: enabling conditions, planning through to project appraisal, capital budgeting, financing and monitoring (see Figure 2.1).
Note: The IGI on governance for environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient infrastructure has five sub-indices with the same coefficient (20%): enabling conditions, planning, project appraisal, investment budgeting and financing, and monitoring. The overall index ranges from 0 (lowest value) to 1 (highest value).
Source: (OCDE, 2023[3])
The importance of investment plans that promote sustainable infrastructure that is resilient to climate change does not diminish when it comes to the organisation of major sporting events such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games. In fact, within the scope of the Paris 2024 Games, three-quarters of the carbon footprint from 2018 to 2023 is associated with the total impact of new permanent construction. These emissions come from various stages in the infrastructure's life cycle, including the production of construction materials such as cement and steel, the transportation of materials and workers to construction sites, the management of the infrastructure itself, and the use of equipment for its maintenance and decommissioning.
However, these emissions can be minimised by taking these factors into account when awarding public infrastructure contracts. Indeed, public procurement contracts, which make it possible to green their construction, delivery and operation, are likely to play a crucial role in promoting sustainable infrastructure.
Governments can improve the environmental performance of their supply chains by integrating explicit sustainability criteria into their purchasing decisions. This includes assessing resource efficiency and promoting low-carbon practices. In addition, by promoting the use of local materials and a local workforce, public procurement can reduce transport-related greenhouse gas emissions, while supporting the local economy. Local content requirements for new developments can also strengthen the regional economy and promote inclusive employment (UNOPS, 2021[2]).
However, even with the desire to reduce the environmental footprint of buildings, infrastructures still represent a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Indeed, as previously indicated, by the end of 2023, three-quarters of Paris 2024's emissions had been generated by the construction of permanent infrastructure, illustrating the need for a strategy of infrastructure sobriety (Management & RSE, 2024[4]). This strategy reflects an emerging trend in the most advanced countries, particularly when organising global events. At the end of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Paris 2024 had generated a carbon impact of 2.085 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (MtCO₂e), 19% of which came from permanent constructions (CGDD, 2025[5]).
Generally speaking, Paris 2024 has adopted an approach based on two fundamental pillars: “doing with less” and “doing better”. In practical terms, this means limiting the construction of new infrastructure as much as possible:
To “do with less”, 95% of the venues are temporary or already existing structures. Only two non-competition venues (the Athletes' Village and the Media Village) and two competition venues (the Aquatic Centre and the Arena Porte de la Chapelle) have been built for the needs of the Games. They will be used by Paris 2024 for the Games and left as a legacy to the territories (Paris 2024, 2024[6]). This strategic choice made it possible to save 1 448 kilotonnes of CO₂ equivalent (ktCO₂e), according to the General Commission for Sustainable Development (CGDD, 2025[5]).
To “do better”, Paris 2024 has also identified the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated by the Games and has put in place an action plan to reduce emissions linked to construction, operations and transport.
To achieve these objectives, a holistic, systematic and integrated approach to the delivery of the Olympic and Paralympic Games was essential to limit the environmental impact of the event. This has involved integrating climate action and sustainable development objectives into the planning phase to ensure that the various stakeholders are coordinated throughout the life cycle.
As a result, Paris 2024 has put in place four areas of action based on environmental objectives: the fight against climate change, the circular economy, the preservation of biodiversity and resilience. Paris 2024's overall ambition was to halve the carbon footprint of the Games compared with previous editions. To achieve this objective, the stakeholders used various procurement strategy levers to translate this commitment into concrete measures.
Source: adapted from the sustainability report for the Paris 2024 Games
To steer the implementation of these commitments, Paris 2024 has created the Committee for the Ecological Transformation of the Games (CETG). The CETG is made up of eight experts in biodiversity, climate, catering, the circular economy, digital technology, construction and responsible innovation. Its role was to advise and monitor the implementation of Paris 2024’s commitments in its climate and environmental strategy, including the implementation of its purchasing activities (Paris 2024, 2024[6]).
This strategy meets the requirements of French public procurement (Paris 2024, 2024[6]). Since the Climate and Resilience law of 22 August 2021, the inclusion of environmental criteria in public procurement became an obligation. From 2026, at least one environmental criterion will have to be taken into account in tenders, and from 2030, bio-sourced materials will have to account for 25% of major refurbishments and new builds.
Paris 2024 was also at the forefront of discussions on the revision of the ISO 20121 standard. With the support of AFNOR and the entire French events industry, as well as the IOC, Paris 2024 led the international working group dedicated to this issue. More than a dozen countries met several times between March and October 2023 to write a new version of the standard. Among major changes, the new standard now includes references to responsible purchasing, setting precise rules for purchasers, and suppliers . In addition, Paris 2024 has obtained AFNOR’s “AFAQ 20400 Focus RSE Achats Responsables” certification, with a level described as exemplary in line with the ISO 20400 standard, making Paris 2024 the first organisation in France to achieve this level of certification (Paris 2024, 2024[6]).
Different ways of translating this ambition into procurement strategies
Given their specific purchasing portfolios, the main stakeholders have translated these objectives using slightly different levers. To integrate these objectives into all relationships with its suppliers, the OCOG has put in place a responsible purchasing strategy, based around five axes, placing environmental and social requirements at every stage of the project (Box 2.1).
Organising the Olympic and Paralympic Games requires considerable resources. Paris 2024's purchasing budget amounts to around EUR 2.7 billion, spread over more than 500 purchasing categories and resulting in the award of nearly 1 500 contracts. The sustainable procurement strategy has been developed to integrate environmental and social requirements into every purchasing decision, at every stage of the project (strategy, negotiations, execution and legacy).
This strategy is broken down into five priority commitments:
1. Circular economy: All Games stakeholders are encouraged to use eco-design, to limit the use of raw/non-renewable resources, waste production and wastage, and to take into account the end-of-life or post-Games transfer of their products.
2. Reducing the carbon impact and preserving the environment: Paris 2024 gives priority to proposals that contribute to the carbon neutralitý of the Games and to respect for the environment in its location territories and in particular to the preservation of local biodiversitý, water resources, air and soil qualitý.
3. Social innovation: Paris 2024 promotes initiatives and innovative players who invent and develop innovative solutions to help with the economic integration of vulnerable people or those far from employment, promote equalitý between women and men, encourage diversitý, fight against all forms of discrimination, and participate in the development of sport and convivialitý as accelerators of social ties.
4. Inclusion of people, workers and users with disabilities: Paris 2024 is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities are better taken into account in society, thanks to the possibility of reserving contracts for the protected sector, the universal accessibility of infrastructures, products and services, the attention paid to the professional and social inclusion of people with disabilities and the promotion of disability awareness initiatives in all spheres of society, particularly sport.
5. Creating value in the regions. Paris 2024 encourages players and initiatives that create sustainable economic, social and environmental value in the region, through direct or indirect involvement or partnerships.
The Organising Committee therefore used public procurement as a lever to improve the ecological performance of the Games by including at least one criterion dedicated to environmental and social performance in all calls for tenders worth more than EUR 1 million. The average weighting of this criterion, around 20%, went up to 30% in some cases and has placed these considerations at the heart of purchasing decisions.
To harmonise all of its processes, Paris 2024 set up in May 2019 a weekly tendering committee to examine and validate contracts worth more than EUR 1 million, representing three quarters of all tenders. This commission, bringing together representatives of the State, permanent members of Paris 2024 (in particular the Administrative and Financial, Environmental Excellence and Planning Departments) and the referents of the departments concerned, had examined nearly 90% of the total value of the invitations to tender issued by Paris 2024 by the end of 2023.
By the end of March 2024, 823 invitations to tender had been issued. More than 1 600 suppliers, 88% of them French and 75% of them SMEs, had contracted with the OCOG, highlighting the commitment to local businesses and social economy structures (Commission des Affaires Culturelles et de l'Education de l'Assemblée Nationale, 2023[9]).
Reducing the carbon footprint of services has been included as a criterion in the most strategic contracts. As a result, 25 service providers across 38 contracts have contractually committed to reporting their carbon footprint and implementing actions to reduce it, monitored specifically via a dedicated tool (Paris 2024, 2024[6]).
The Paris 2024 mascot contract provides an illuminating example of the objectives pursued, but also of the challenges encountered. It illustrates both the OCOG's commitment to integrating environmental and social criteria into its public procurement, while supporting the local economy and sustainability objectives, and also highlights the challenges encountered in implementing these strategies (Box 2.2).
A call for expressions of interest (AMI) was launched for the production of plush mascots. The aim of this AMI was to select manufacturers capable of producing these mascots while respecting the environmental and social criteria defined by the OCOG in its responsible purchasing strategy. The published call for tenders included specific criteria relating to the circular economy (preference for recyclable materials and sustainable production processes), carbon neutrality (assessment of carbon footprint), social innovation (promotion of professional integration and inclusion of people with disabilities) and the creation of local value (commitment by suppliers to contribute to local economic development).
Doudou et Compagnie, a French SME, was selected to produce and deliver 60% of the mascots, whereas at the time the contract was published, 99% of the world's plush toy production was concentrated in China. Their commitment has enabled national production to increase by 30%, despite the industrial challenges in this sector. The OCOG has endeavoured to reconcile economic competitiveness and social responsibility in its public procurement contracts, in line with the "climate and resilience" law. Nevertheless, the French plush market remains limited, with higher production costs than in Asia. The development of local production on a larger scale therefore depends on consumers' willingness to pay a higher price for products made in France.
On the other hand, SOLIDEO, which is responsible for the delivery of all permanent infrastructure, has also incorporated concrete environmental objectives into the definition, implementation and monitoring of the projects for which it is responsible. For example, in October 2018, SOLIDEO presented a plan adopted by its Board of Directors for environmental ambitions in construction related to the Games. This plan includes a set of specifications for environmental excellence that sets the course for a target to reduce carbon emissions from buildings in line with Paris 2024's procurement strategy and focuses on 3 major areas:
Axis 1: Towards carbon neutrality in 2050: the Athletes' Village is part of this trajectory, through the use of bio-sourced materials, recourse to re-use and energy-saving buildings.
Area 2: Urban comfort, adaptation and resilience to climate change: guaranteeing everyday comfort when the standard climate situation corresponds to today's extreme events.
Area 3: Urban biodiversity: seeking to ensure that the infrastructure created makes a positive contribution to the ecosystem.
SOLIDEO has subsequently adopted an ambitious strategy of environmental excellence based on 4 major environmental objectives (Figure 2.3).
Source: (SOLIDEO, n.d.[10])
Applied to construction purchases, this strategy has led to the introduction of a "carbon budget". In order to meet the target of halving greenhouse gas emissions, SOLIDEO has implemented an innovative strategy to reduce the carbon emissions of all permanent Olympic infrastructure over its entire life cycle, including the Athletes' Village. This strategy is based on the establishment of a "carbon budget", which sets an absolute threshold of CO2 equivalent in tonnes. For each project, construction method and type, a reference scenario is defined to achieve a certain level of performance, in line with 2019 construction standards and thermal regulations for concrete structures.
Tangible benefits but evaluation to be refined over time
To measure the performance and impact of the public contracts awarded for the organisation of the Games, Paris 2024 has defined five priority indicators. These are aligned with the IOC criteria, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Global Reporting Initiative standards. These indicators are:
Percentage of rented or purchased products whose second life has been anticipated: re-use, re-cycling, recycling.
Respecting the carbon budget: Monitoring emissions in tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
Number of jobs created for people in integration: Via the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE).
Amounts of contracts awarded to companies in the disability sector: including Disabled Independent Workers (DIW).
Share of contracts awarded to VSEs/SMEs and SSE players.
Although the OCOG has adopted an ambitious responsible procurement strategy, a parliamentary commission highlighted the lack of specific targets for monitoring social and environmental impacts, unlike other organisations such as SOLIDEO (Commission des Affaires culturelles et de l'éduction de l'Assemblée nationale, 2023[11]).
However, the OCOG and the French government are committed to a shared approach to evaluating the legacy. An evaluation monitoring committee, made up of French and international experts, is taking an independent look at the work carried out on the evaluation of the impacts of the Games. It produced an intermediate report at the end of 2023 and after the Games, in 2025, and will subsequently release the final report five years after the Games. The intermediate evaluations notably concluded that the introduction of environmental performance in contracts signed with suppliers had various benefits, including upskilling businesses with an increased need for competences in sustainable operations and mainstreaming environmental performance across value chains (CGDD, 2025[5]).
The following sections illustrate concrete initiatives in which Paris 2024 has used public procurement to achieve the environmental performance objectives expressed in its strategy and in its commitments to all stakeholders.
Green innovation in the Athletes' Village
Objectives and activities
Encouraging the private sector to reduce the carbon footprint of long-term infrastructures
In order to reduce the environmental cost of the infrastructure for which it is responsible, SOLIDEO has implemented several parallel strategies, all of which involve the use of innovative construction processes. For example, SOLIDEO's environmental objectives include the use of low-emission and bio-sourced materials wherever possible, taking into account the conditions under which projects are carried out. Wood is one of the most important of these materials. It is used not only for structures and facades, but also for insulation and finishing work. The use of wood for the construction of the Paris 2024 Athletes’ Village was intended to achieve several objectives:
Reducing the carbon footprint by using a renewable, biosourced material with a small ecological footprint.
Making the most of European wood with strict traceability, giving priority to the use of French and European wood.
Through the creation of FranceBois 2024, unite the players in the timber industry around this ambitious project (SOLIDEO, 2022[12]).
The use of wood for buildings under 28 metres in height was almost systematic, but the final choice of the means used was left to the builders . In the end, 100% of the housing buildings under 28 metres in height, out of the 41 buildings that make up the village, use wood in the structure (beams, posts, floors). Out of a total of almost 280,000 m2 of floor space, 200,000 m2 use wood for the façade and 80 000 m2 use wood for the structure (posts and/or beams and/or floors) (SOLIDEO, 2022[12]).
At the same time, other strategies have also been used to reduce the environmental impact of construction, such as the use of ultra-low carbon concrete. In fact, SOLIDEO and the owners of the Athletes' Village have launched a joint study into the development of new materials to meet the environmental ambitions of Paris' bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
These innovations, like other projects, were made possible thanks to the use of a dedicated fund created and financed by SOLIDEO, which made it possible to overcome certain constraints linked to the use of public procurement contracts, in particular the thresholds for competitive tendering, the complexity of the applications and the rigidity of the selection criteria, which often favour established solutions to the detriment of new innovative approaches. The aim of this fund was to encourage the emergence of innovative solutions for the city of tomorrow by subsidising the additional costs associated with the experimentation and research phases required to implement them. 16 Athletes' Village projects have benefited from grants from this fund (SOLIDEO, 2022[12]).
SOLIDEO has set up a EUR 36 million "Innovations and Ecology" fund. This fund finances innovations in Olympic facilities and adjacent public spaces, with the aim of going beyond traditional environmental standards and best practice by:
Encouraging the introduction of innovations: by offsetting the additional costs on the market due to the non-generalisation of the innovation.
Creating links between manufacturers and innovative companies.
Supporting the emergence of innovations: by experimenting and encouraging their replicability.
34 innovative solutions for the city of tomorrow have emerged thanks to this fund. These innovations cover a wide range of fields, including:
Circular economy: Example - Recycled plastic seats made from local plastic waste.
Carbon neutrality: Example - Wooden frame of the Olympic Aquatic Centre reducing heating consumption thanks to its concave shape.
Urban comfort: Example - Pollution-removal shading systems achieving a pollution abatement rate of 90 to 95%.
Universal accessibility: Example - Inclusive signage to help all visitors find their way around.
Biodiversity: Example - Participatory monitoring of ecosystems in the Athletes' Village and the media cluster.
In addition to the material urban legacy left behind, the communities will also benefit from the new professional skills and scientific knowledge acquired. Building techniques such as the use of wood in structures and facades, and the creation of zero-step showers on wooden floors, known as "à la française", are examples of this.
Source: (SOLIDEO, n.d.[13])
Throughout its mission, SOLIDEO has sought to demonstrate the full-scale viability of innovative solutions. For example, it has implemented a specific strategy for the use of low-carbon and even ultra-low-carbon concretes, a construction process that is still experimental when this strategy is implemented, in order to achieve the emission reduction targets. Throughout the various design phases, it has monitored the carbon footprint projections produced by design offices and construction companies, highlighting the need for ambitious use of these materials.
Mobilising all the players upstream of the procurement process, a crucial stage in meeting the objectives set
Stakeholder engagement is essential in the construction of infrastructure for the Games, as it ensures effective and inclusive project management. According to the OECD's Infrastructure Governance Indicators, ongoing stakeholder involvement enables accurate identification of needs and promotes transparency, which enhances the legitimacy of projects and public confidence (Ruiz Rivadeneira, Dekyi and Cruz, 2023[14]). This involves proactively informing, consulting and engaging stakeholders throughout the infrastructure lifecycle, to ensure that infrastructure planning and investment is guided by an understanding of the needs of citizens and communities (Ruiz Rivadeneira, Dekyi and Cruz, 2023[14]). For example, 58% of OECD countries have adopted national guidance on stakeholder participation, but only 27% have adopted a formal requirement to consider and respond to input from stakeholder consultations (OECD, n.d.[15]).
For the London 2012 Games, long-term communication with businesses, residents and service providers was crucial to managing services such as traffic management and security, demonstrating the importance of stakeholder engagement from the earliest planning stages (OCDE/CIO, 2023[16]).
In Los Angeles, for the 2028 Games, working groups and a youth council have been established to represent the diverse voices of the community. These groups provide advice on issues such as local hiring, sustainability and market opportunities for small local businesses. This approach ensures that the Games reflect the diversity and needs of the local community and guarantees active and meaningful stakeholder involvement throughout the preparation and delivery of the Games (OCDE/CIO, 2023[16]).
The construction of the Athletes' Village was marked by close collaboration between SOLIDEO and the various developers. The basic principle was that the developers built the buildings and bought the land in collaboration with the local authorities. As the developer, SOLIDEO had several important roles to play:
Work on public spaces
Verification of the quality of the buildings constructed, in compliance with standards
Supervision and adherence to schedule
The role of developers in the development of more environmentally-friendly urban planning and the synergies that exist with public action have long been highlighted (Côme Pelée de Saint Maurice, n.d.[17]). Developers play a prescriptive role in the use of bio-sourced materials. The developer's ambitions in terms of bio-sourced materials, which are set out in the urban development plan for the project and then negotiated when the land is sold, have an influence on the projects undertaken by the developers.
SOLIDEO has taken care to establish effective governance by ensuring the collaboration of local authorities, in particular the city of Saint-Denis. In 2018, SOLIDEO organised a consultation process for the creation of the Olympic and Paralympic Village, including two workshops in Saint-Denis and Saint-Ouen to present the technical aspects of the project and to discuss and respond to questions and comments on the project, and a public information meeting on the island of Saint-Denis. The consultation provided an opportunity to inform the public, explain the genesis of the projects and their governance, and gather comments on the elements presented in order to enrich the projects and strengthen the legacy (SOLIDEO, n.d.[18]).
The framework agreements drawn up between the various developers selected to build the different lots of the Athletes' Village and SOLIDEO then reflected the results of these discussions. They included the social and environmental criteria set out in Paris 2024's sustainable procurement strategy and SOLIDEO's environmental strategy, in particular the principles and objectives of combating illegal employment, social inclusion and environmental, architectural, urban and landscape ambitions. The promoters then passed on these criteria to their general contractors, thus ensuring that the objectives of sustainability and social responsibility permeate the entire supply chain.
In addition to mobilising stakeholders in the design of the structures, it was also necessary to ensure that the market had the capacity to meet these requirements. In this way, the use of wood in construction processes was strongly encouraged thanks to thorough preparation upstream, through consultation of the market and its main players, which ensured that the skills and capacities needed to achieve the objective were in place. As early as 2018, the timber construction industry initiated consultations with Nicolas Ferrand, then CEO of SOLIDEO, to present partnership offers and commit to meeting the decarbonisation and timeframe objectives for the construction of the Athletes' Village (France Bois 2024, 2024[19]).
This initial phase enabled concrete measures to be defined to reflect the environmental ambitions of the project sponsors. All the wood used had to be certified as coming from sustainably managed forests, either by the PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes) or the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) (SOLIDEO, 2022[12]). It was possible to trace the origin of the wood used in the constructions of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games thanks to a partnership with the FCBA technological institute and FranceBois 2024.
The transport of wood was organised to further reduce the initiative's carbon footprint. River transport was promoted to limit the CO2 emissions associated with transport. In total, 1.4 million tonnes of materials will have been supplied and cleared by river transport on the Olympic construction sites, including 500 000 tonnes of rubble from the construction of the Athletes’ Village alone (SOLIDEO, 2022[12]).
With regard to the construction sites themselves, the use of wood has enabled a different, more efficient and more sustainable organisation. More work was carried out in the workshop and less on site, reducing travel times and the amount of site waste generated. What's more, energy costs have been kept under control by pooling work on a single site. Finally, the use of wood has enabled the ATEx (Appréciations de Technique d'Expérimentation) for the wood industry to be grouped together on one large project. This has facilitated administrative procedures and strengthened collaboration between the players in the industry (SOLIDEO, 2022[12]).
Sharing the risks involved in implementing innovative solutions
Risk is inherent in innovation and needs to be actively managed. The development of innovative solutions within the framework of contractual relations between a public institution such as SOLIDEO and the private sector requires an understanding and a shared willingness to assume the risks associated with the innovative dimension of the solutions proposed. Risk aversion has long been identified as one of the main obstacles to innovation (OECD, 2017[20]).
The large-scale use of innovative materials, such as ultra-low carbon concrete, demonstrates the importance of a fair distribution hazards. In the Universeine sector, VINCI wanted to use innovative materials, in particular ultra-low carbon concrete, developed specially for this project. This project illustrated the collaboration between SOLIDEO and VINCI, as well as highlighting the sharing of risks and costs necessary to enable the deployment of innovative solutions (Box 2.4).
To achieve its sustainability objectives, SOLIDEO has had to work in concert with the various property operators. In the Universeine sector, developed by VINCI, an ultra-low-carbon concrete was developed and poured on site for the rafters and floors of the main office building after an initial trial on the VINCI headquarters site. This concrete has a carbon footprint of less than 100 kg of CO2 per m³, compared with 250 kg of CO2 per m³ for conventional concrete.
In June 2021, SOLIDEO and VINCI jointly decided to use this new ultra-low-carbon concrete process, even before obtaining European NF EN 206/CN certification in October 2021. This risk-taking has made it possible to test this innovative material on a large scale, giving VINCI a significant competitive advantage over other construction players.
The use of ultra-low-carbon concrete was made possible by a EUR 993,000 grant from the SOLIDEO Innovation and Ecology Fund. By the end of 2024, VINCI Construction France and its partners involved in the use of ultra-low-carbon concrete will submit a report detailing the feedback, thereby helping to advance the entire industry.
With regard to Paris 2024's supplier relations, similar approaches have been put in place with its service providers, particularly those specialising in the events sector. Paris 2024 has structured its agreements to distinguish between fixed-price contracts and those where demand is not stable in the events sector. Deciding to work on an “open book” basis, these new contracts have made it possible to adjust services and to manage both quantities and prices, thereby introducing pro-active risk management strategies with its critical suppliers.
Source: Interview with VINCI and (SOLIDEO, 2022[21]), (SOLIDEO, 2022[12]) (Décision Achats, n.d.[22])
Challenges encountered and responses taken
Verifying compliance with contractual obligations: a challenge for principals
Ensuring that contractors meet their commitments can be administratively complex and resource intensive. Although wood is considered to have a low carbon footprint due to its ability to store carbon, the total environmental impact of a project using wood depends on factors such as transport distance and processing methods. Furthermore, the unsustainable use of wood can contribute to deforestation and biodiversity loss. For this reason, SOLIDEO has set a dual target of 100% wood from certified forests (via the PEFC and FSC labels) and 30% French wood (via the Bois de France label). However, when the construction contracts were signed, these additional labels required separate verification procedures, making it difficult to monitor contract performance.
To meet this challenge, France Bois 2024 has launched the France Bois Traçabilité initiative. This has brought together the main certification labels (PEFC, FSC® and BOIS DE FRANCE) under joint audits by the FCBA technology institute. This has made it possible to standardise practices and simplify the certification process for companies in the sector. This new tool for simplifying traceability, which did not exist at the start of the construction operations, has made it possible, with some delay, to provide SOLIDEO with the assurance that these requirements in terms of the origin and production of the wood were respected during the contractual execution phase (France Bois 2024, 2024[19]).
Mobilising a large number of stakeholders around common objectives
The stakeholders involved in a large-scale project such as the construction of the Athletes' Village may have interests and priorities that sometimes diverge. For example, construction companies will naturally tend to prioritise profitability and cost management, while principals or public authorities such as SOLIDEO or local authorities may emphasise sustainability and compliance with environmental standards.
Creating relationships of trust between all the players facilitates open and transparent communication. Contracts and agreements between the various players are complex, which can compromise the smooth running of the collaboration if expectations are not clearly defined from the outset. The success of the project therefore also depended on close collaboration between SOLIDEO, the local authorities and the construction companies. This enabled problems encountered throughout the construction process to be identified and resolved quickly. For example, regular meetings between SOLIDEO, the construction companies and local authority representatives enabled operational challenges to be discussed and pragmatic solutions to be found (France Bois 2024, 2024[19]).
Results and what’s next
A reduced environmental footprint during the construction phase thanks to innovative construction processes and materials
Construction materials account for 9% of global greenhouse gas emissions linked to energy consumption (PNUE, 2022[23]), more than the energy consumption of the whole of Europe, and demand for these materials is only growing. The majority of emissions from the construction sector come from two products: steel and concrete. Finding lower-emission alternatives should therefore make it possible to significantly reduce the footprint of Games-related construction.
For example, the strategic decision to favour the use of wood in the construction contracts for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games has had a significant impact on the carbon footprint of the organisation of the Games. A recent study shows that Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 40% compared to the traditional use of concrete and steel (Younis and Dodoo, 2022[24]). However, in order to achieve this objective, it is also necessary to ensure that the wood is produced under the right conditions, and that it comes from sustainably managed forests (Massachussets Institute of Technology, n.d.[25]). In total, 100% of the housing built for the Games uses wood in its structure, and 49% is all-wood (SOLIDEO, n.d.[10]). Thanks to this, and although the results are still being consolidated, the carbon impact of the Athletes' Village has been halved (47%) compared to a conventional building (SOLIDEO, n.d.[10]).
In addition, around 40 000 m3 of processed wood will have been used during the Games. This represents the storage of 40 000 tonnes of carbon, equivalent to almost 5 000 times the annual emissions of an average European citizen (ALPLA Group, n.d.[26]). SOLIDEO has made it compulsory for all the wood used to be PEFC or FSC certified, guaranteeing sustainable forest management. This has promoted responsible forestry practices and ensured that materials come from sustainable sources. A minimum of 30% French timber was required for construction. This has stimulated demand for local timber, supporting the French forestry economy and reducing the carbon footprint associated with transporting materials (SOLIDEO, 2022[12]). In addition, the use of wood in the constructions of the 2024 Games has led to innovations and acted as an incubator for solutions for the wood industry. New construction processes and new wood products have been developed, making the industry more competitive.
The creation of a “Bois de France” label to be used in all public procurement contracts
France Bois 2024 was created in November 2018. This project was set up to promote the use of construction and fitting-out solutions made of wood, particularly French wood, in the projects for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Working closely with SOLIDEO, it aimed to provide the collective information needed by project owners and to facilitate the participation of as many companies in the sector as possible.
In 2020, the Bois de France label was created, with SOLIDEO requiring that a third of the wood used in the construction of Olympic buildings and facilities should come from French forests and be processed in France. In April 2024, buildings linked to the Games contained around 45% French timber, according to the head of the label (Bois de France, 2024[27]). The Bois de France label is the only national label guaranteeing the traceability of French wood, from the forest to its use in consumer products and construction.
The Bois de France label plays a key role in reducing the carbon footprint and life cycle analysis (LCA) of construction projects. By certifying that the wood comes from sustainably managed French forests, it encourages geographical proximity, thereby reducing transport-related CO2 emissions. In the LCA, the label provides precise data on the origin of the wood and its forestry practices, facilitating a detailed assessment of its environmental impact over the entire life cycle of the building. This enables decision-makers to effectively compare the environmental benefits of wood with those of other building materials, supporting more sustainable and responsible choices (Bois de France, 2022[28]). Since January 2020, almost 100 French companies have already signed up to the Bois de France label. In 2022, LIDL, in partnership with CBI and Arbonis (Vinci construction France), inaugurated the first 100% wood supermarket in its fleet to be awarded the Bois de France label (Bois de France, 2022[28]).
Beyond the Games, the use of this label is set to become widespread in public procurement. Drawing on the experience gained during the construction of the Olympic facilities, a guide to using the Bois de France label in public procurement was published in November 2021. The aim of the guide is to provide purchasers subject to the French Public Procurement Code with practical, directly usable content that will enable them to incorporate into their contracts the commitments and requirements linked to the “carbon footprint” and “traceability of wood and sustainable forest management objectives” (Bois de France, 2022[28]) criteria in order to make a full contribution to the National Low Carbon Strategy and to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Developing the skills of the timber industry and the construction sector
SOLIDEO has supported training and support initiatives to help achieve these objectives, such as the publication of a methodological guide for PAC EXE studies and the organisation of technical days for works managers. These initiatives have helped to train professionals and disseminate best practice . Further, the project led by VINCI Constructions has facilitated an increase in skills within the timber industry, in terms of both production and techniques. By incorporating innovative practices such as the use of glued laminated timber even before the concrete is poured, VINCI has transformed the way in which general contractors approach this material. Through its subsidiary Arbonis, VINCI has also brought in-house expertise that goes beyond the simple use of specialist subcontractors, enabling the general contractor to directly master the skills needed to work with wood efficiently and to assume the associated risks.
In addition, the teams were trained directly on site, enabling team leaders and workers used to working with concrete to diversify their skills in timber construction. This change has been positively received by the site workers, who have expressed their satisfaction at exploring new techniques and extending their skills. This increase in skills has also simplified project execution for VINCI, making schedules more secure thanks to more integrated management of the construction process. Giving responsibility for production to a single entity on site reduces risks and ensures better coordination.1
Finally, the initiative generated employment. This demand led to the hiring of around 1 200 people in the forestry and wood industry (France Bois 2024, 2024[19]). It has also led to the acquisition of new skills through the training of workers, strengthening the industry's capacity for future projects.
Assessing environmental performance to make innovative companies more competitive in public procurement contracts
Environmental performance will increasingly become a source of competition between bidders. The Climate and Resilience law enacted in 2021 sets a deadline of 2026 for public purchasers to introduce environmental considerations, particularly in terms of award criteria, into all public procurement contracts. In addition, since the entry into force of the RE 2020 environmental regulations on 1 January 2022 (for residential buildings), all variants proposed as part of invitations to tender must comply with the carbon footprint set out in the environmental study carried out when planning permission was granted. In other words, the overall greenhouse gas emissions balance must not be worsened - but may be improved - by the introduction of variants.
For companies, it is therefore essential to be able to assess the environmental impact of the alternatives they propose if they are to be accepted. In practice, however, they were often refused alternative proposals because they could not justify their carbon impact.
To remedy this situation, the FFB has developed a new module in its BatiCarbone tool. Structured around specific modules for the various building trades, this tool is designed to enable companies that are innovators in the construction materials on offer to promote their innovations and ensure that better environmental performance is taken into account in the decisions of public purchasers.
Innovation also fosters cooperation between stakeholders. The use of ultra-low carbon concrete in the construction of the Athletes’ Village, in response to the desire to achieve ambitious environmental targets for infrastructure construction, has profoundly transformed the relationship between public contractors and private companies. This change has resulted in a significant evolution from a historically antagonistic relationship to a closer collaboration based on mutual trust.
Businesses, supported by the public sector through financial incentives and proactive regulation, have been encouraged to innovate and assume a degree of risk-taking to achieve shared environmental goals. This increased collaboration has led to a rethinking of traditional construction practices, while integrating sustainable solutions and reducing the carbon footprint of urban infrastructure, marking a turning point towards more responsible and resilient construction.
Innovations that companies can capitalise on when awarding contracts
Innovation, whether technological with ultra-low-carbon concrete or constructive with the use of wood, has demonstrated the viability of these solutions on a large-scale project. Government support, illustrated by the innovation fund set up by SOLIDEO, has played a decisive role in raising the level of expertise in the French construction sector. By subsidising innovative initiatives and enabling the large-scale implementation of cutting-edge technologies, this fund has enabled companies to test and perfect cutting-edge processes such as the use of ultra-low-carbon concrete.
This proactive approach should not only propel construction players to the forefront of the European market, but also stimulate innovation within the industry. In fact, by 2023, less than 10% of new buildings in France will be using low-carbon concrete, despite the significant environmental advantages of this material, which can emit up to 70% less CO2 than traditional concrete ((n.a.), 2023[29]).
Yet France is the first country to legislate on the use of low-carbon concrete, with the RE2020 environmental regulation (AFP, n.d.[30]). Since 2022, it has imposed stringent and evolving CO2 standards per square metre built, with emission thresholds falling until 2031. RE2020 aims to reduce the carbon footprint of the construction sector and encourages the use of more sustainable materials, such as low-carbon concrete (Ministère de la Transition Ecologique, 2020[31]).
As a result, the organisation of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games was able to play a catalytic role in its adoption on large-scale construction projects. Given the various plans for massive investment in infrastructure, the experience gained in preparing for the Paris 2024 Games should give the major French construction companies a significant advantage in future public procurement contracts. According to the main players involved, this momentum should accelerate the use of low-carbon concrete in other construction projects in France2. In other countries, such as New Zealand, this widespread integration of environmental impacts into the awarding of construction-related public contracts is reflected in the development of tools to help public purchasers effectively integrate these dimensions (Box 2.5).
The New Zealand Procurement Guide to reducing carbon emissions in buildings and construction is a strategic tool designed to help players in the construction sector integrate sustainable practices into their projects. Aimed primarily at contracting authorities, project managers and suppliers, the guide provides a roadmap for reducing the carbon emissions associated with building and construction projects
Role of the Guide:
Reducing Carbon Emissions: The guide provides concrete strategies for minimising embodied carbon (linked to construction materials) and operational carbon (linked to building operation).
Encouraging innovation: By incorporating sustainability criteria from the earliest stages of design, the guide encourages innovation and the adoption of new environmentally-friendly technologies.
Capacity building: The guide provides tools for assessing and building stakeholder capacity, ensuring that all stakeholders are equipped to implement sustainable practices.
Target audience:
Contracting Authorities: Local governments and public agencies responsible for the procurement and management of construction projects.
Project Managers: Those responsible for planning and executing construction projects.
Suppliers and Contractors: Companies involved in the supply of building materials and services.
The guide offers practical advice and tools on:
Lifecycle Assessment: The guide proposes methods for assessing carbon emissions throughout the lifecycle of projects, enabling more sustainable materials and construction methods to be chosen.
Use of Rating Tools: It recommends the use of rating tools for sustainable buildings, such as HQE or BREEAM, to ensure a comprehensive assessment of environmental and social impacts.
Market Engagement: The guide highlights the importance of engaging suppliers early in the planning process to encourage innovative and sustainable solutions.
Contractual clauses: It is advisable to include specific clauses in contracts to guarantee compliance with sustainable practices and carbon emission reduction targets.
Monitoring and Reporting: The guide stresses the need to put in place rigorous monitoring systems to measure sustainability performance and ensure transparency.
To ensure that the efforts made to make the infrastructure for the Paris 2024 Games innovative and sustainable can be replicated in other infrastructure projects, the key players could develop a common guide based on the experience gained during the Games, taking inspiration from the New Zealand model. Such a guide, aimed at contracting authorities, project managers and suppliers, would make it possible to reduce carbon emissions in the construction sector and to generalise the good practices acquired during the development of the infrastructure required for the Games.
References
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