A better city to live in

Thanks to the Games of the XXXII Olympiad, Tokyo’s 14 million residents have more green spaces to enjoy, an improved transport infrastructure, a better work/life balance, and the opportunity to lead healthier lifestyles, all made possible by developments such the creation of more than 400km of new bicycle lanes and the removal of thousands of utility poles from the city’s streets. The city’s inhabitants can also enjoy more sport at venues such as the Ariake Urban Sports Park, which hosted the BMX freestyle, BMX racing and skateboarding events and now provides a modern hub for urban sports in general.

Sustainability was central to the Tokyo 2020 success story. Only eight of the 43 competition venues were built for the Games, with recycled materials widely used in their construction. Those new venues included the Olympic Stadium, whose giant eaves, a feature of traditional Japanese architecture, are designed to allow cooling breezes to ventilate the stadium, removing the need for air conditioning. Meanwhile, existing venues were retrofitted with advanced materials to reduce energy consumption.

For its part, the Olympic Village Plaza was built with wood borrowed from 63 local authorities around the country. When the plaza was dismantled after the Games, the wood was returned to them for use in the construction of public facilities.

The energy used to power the Games was 100 per cent renewable. Sources included solar arrays, hydrogen and wood biomass, which uses construction waste and tree clippings to produce electricity. The Ariake Urban Sports Park is entirely powered by renewable solar electricity produced in Fukushima, which was hit hard by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, while the power needs of the Tokyo Aquatics Centre are met by solar energy and a ground heat exchanger. In addition, some 95 per cent out of the 2,654 passenger cars used at the Games were low-pollution, low-fuel consumption vehicles.

As a result, and owing in part to the fact that almost no spectators were in attendance, Tokyo 2020’s carbon footprint was 1,067 kt-CO2 lower than business as usual, dropping from 3,029kt-CO2 to 1,962kt-CO.

Post-Games, the aim is for a 50 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and energy use by 2030 and a 50 per cent increase in renewable energy use across the city. The strengthening of measures and systems supporting the extended use of renewable energy, such as the compulsory installation of solar panels on new-build houses, will contribute to this goal, as will wider use of zero-emission vehicles of the kind used at the Games.

Tokyo 2020 was also tough on waste. Some 62 per cent of the 2,900 tons of it generated during the Games was recycled and 99 per cent of the items procured for the Games have been reused or recycled. Having seen what is possible, Tokyo is aiming to increase the amount of municipal solid waste it recycles to 37 per cent by 2030.

The 5,000 medals awarded to Olympic and Paralympic athletes at Tokyo 2020 were themselves the product of waste, thanks to a national recycling campaign that salvaged the metals used to make them from nearly 79,000 tonnes of smart phones and other electronic equipment donated by the people of Japan.

One part of the Japanese capital to benefit from the emphasis on urban improvement, accessibility and sustainability was Tokyo Bay, which was transformed from an underdeveloped district into a thriving, green, sustainable urban hub that has revitalised Tokyo’s waterfront.

Now a model for innovative urban development and home to 16 Tokyo 2020 venues, it boasts improved transport links and access, including the new Tokyo BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) public transport system, 339km of bicycle lanes, and better docking infrastructure for water transport.

Post-Games, the aim is to extend Tokyo’s network of bike lanes to 570km, expand ferry use for commuters and sightseers, improve rail services by extending the No. 8 Yurakucho Line, and build new subway lines.