An Ancient Solution Making a Comeback

They say if we are smart, we learn from our past! So, let’s not stop there and apply what we have learned in the future! For over 3,000 years civilizations around the world living in hot desert environments have been using a simple solution. Today, we can apply this ancient emission free cooling source solution to our ever-warming built environment and reap the benefits of a solution that does not produce greenhouse gas emissions, utilize refrigerants to cool and requires no electricity to power it. Can you guess what is it?????
It is called a wind catcher. What is a wind catcher? It is a tall chimney like structures that protrudes from the rooftops of older houses in many middle east cities. It harnesses the cool breeze and redirects it downward into the structure or into an underground room where the breeze will blow over a pool of water further cooling the air. There is also another chimney allowing for the hot air to rise out creating passive convection currents.
I have learned about this passive solar technique back in 2000, while I was studying for my master’s degree in architecture. These techniques made great sense to me, and I could not understand why no one else was using these strategies in the modern day. Well, two decades later, this solution is gaining attention and momentum. It is being implemented with new technologies raising the bar while still utilizing the basic principle of the ancient wind catcher. In essence we are continuing to build a better mouse trap! One that can help us escape from contributing to global warming of our planet!
This short article focuses on an ancient sustainable solution related to catching a breeze.