There are greener approaches to climate control that do not require electricity. Whether with terracotta or bamboo, these cooling techniques often rely on age-old, but no less effective, ideas
With energy savings on the agenda, the question of air conditioning is the focus of much attention. Take, for example, the controversy surrounding the air conditioning of open-air stadiums in Qatar, where the soccer World Cup will take place in November. However, there are greener approaches to climate control that do not require electricity. Whether with terracotta or bamboo, these cooling techniques often rely on age-old—but no less effective—ideas.
The whole system works without electricity or electronics and is available in several forms: as a wall tile, as a partition or a vertical column. This air conditioning system, which produces no polluting emissions, is one of the winners of the "A'Design Awards" 2021-2022.
An Indian architect, named Monish Siripurapu, has also designed an air conditioning system, based on a traditional Indian clay-based cooling technique, and inspired by the structure of a beehive. Indeed, he came up with an air conditioning system taking the form of a giant beehive, and made from a series of terracotta pots.
Also read: Great Barrier Reef sees the fragile coral comeback
To achieve this result, AREP was inspired by Vietnamese artisanal techniques. "To evaporate, water needs energy which is ‘absorbed’ from the heat of the ambient air, thus generating the cooling effect," the firm explains. The prototype was a prize-winner at the 2021 Seoul Architecture and Urbanism Biennale. It is comparable to a body of water in a park in summer: the closer you get to it, the cooler the air seems. For the moment, AREP has only tested its prototype in the city of Hanoi. According to the firm, this natural air-conditioning made it possible to lower the temperature by 6°C around the device.