Because of one of Paris’ best-kept secrets—an underground cooling system that has helped the Louvre deal with the oppressive heat that has broken temperature records throughout Europe—the Mona Lisa may still have her infamously enigmatic smile.
The little-known “urban cold” network, which pumps icy water through 89 kilometres (55 miles) of maze-like pipes to cool the air in over 700 locations, snakes covertly beneath the feet of Parisians at a depth of up to 30 metres (98 feet). The system, which runs on electricity produced by renewable sources, is the biggest in Europe and continuously makes a loud noise that cannot be heard above ground.
The ambitious contract that Paris City Hall has now signed will increase the network’s size to 252 kilometres by 2042. (157 miles). It would then be the world’s largest urban cooling system. The new agreement aims to aid the city in both preparing for and fending off the threat posed by global warming. In July, temperatures in a lot of Europe reached 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
Over the next two decades, the city will expand its cooling network to include hospitals, schools, and metro stations. Uncertainty surrounds how much of the system will be in use by the time of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, but it’s possible that the systems will be utilised at various Olympic venues.
Millions of tourists are unaware that the piping is currently used to cool the City of Light’s most famous attractions, including the Louvre and the Quai Branly Museum. As it lowers temperatures in the National Assembly, it might even help calm the irate legislators’ tempers.
The joint-venture company Fraicheur de Paris, which is owned by public transportation provider RATP and the French energy company EDF to the tune of 85%, runs the programme. Officials of the company extol its advantages for the entire French capital.
“A very significant urban ‘heat island’ effect will gradually be created if all (Parisian) buildings get equipped with autonomous installations (such as air-conditioning),” said Maggie Schelfhaut of Fraicheur de Paris, referring to the increased heat in cities as a result of less vegetation.
However, according to Schelfhaut, the pipe network could cool down the entire city of Paris by one degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to if autonomous installations were placed all over the place.
She continued, “One degree less in the city centre is a lot.”
In a location that resembles the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” lair, three of the ten high-tech cooling sites are located on the Seine river and are accessed by retractable spiral staircases that are barely visible from street level.
When the water in the Seine is cold enough, a device collects it and uses it to cool the water in the system. The Seine receives the heat produced as a byproduct and absorbs it. After that, the chilled water is pumped through the pipes of the system to its 730
All of Paris’ cooling facilities rely on renewable energy sources like solar and wind energy. Additionally, four new solar energy sites that will feed into this network are planned for development. Given the possibility of Russia cutting off energy supplies to Europe, French officials view this energy independence as being of particular importance.
On Wednesday, the Russian energy giant Gazprom reduced the amount of natural gas flowing through a significant pipeline from Russia to Europe to 20% of its capacity. Fearing that Russia could completely halt gas exports, which are used for industry, electricity generation, and home cooling, in an effort to exert political sway over the EU, European nations are scrambling to find alternatives.
Sites that use them are already benefiting from using cooling systems that run on renewable energy. Since the 1990s, the network has benefited the Louvre, the museum with the highest number of visitors worldwide. Officials are proud of the network’s benefits for the environment, the economy, and art preservation.
According to Laurent Le Guedart, the heritage director at the Louvre, it enables us to take advantage of year-round access to energy with a lower carbon footprint. “The Louvre Museum is unique in that it requires the use of ice-cold water to properly conserve the art and control the humidity.”
The Louvre does not use air conditioning, and officials claim that by doing so, they gain much-needed floor space in the expansive but claustrophobic former palace that serves as its home.
Given the rising cost of energy associated with the conflict in Ukraine, Le Guedart claimed that the system is cost-effective. It is particularly prominent in the State Room of the Pavillon Denon, which houses the Mona Lisa. Perhaps this explains why sweat beads have never trickled from Leonardo da Vinci’s painted brow.
“The Louvre’s annual energy expenditure is expected to be around 10 million euros in 2021. Despite the obvious fluctuations and increases in energy costs, we are making every effort to keep this bill under control, Le Guedart said.
By absorbing the shock as Russia continues to disrupt the energy market, the system could save it millions of dollars.
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