As countries from China to Spain break heat records, some architects have been looking to cooling systems used centuries ago for inspiration. In Iran’s historic city of Yazd, decorative wind-catching towers, sometimes paired with cooling pools, have been able to provide emissions-free heat relief for many private and public buildings. As The World’s Durrie Bouscaren reports, while a lot of these towers are now defunct, architects have been studying them as a model for new, climate-friendly air conditioning.
This story originally aired on Sept. 14, 2022.
We want to hear your feedback so we can keep improving our website, theworld.org. Please fill out this quick survey and let us know your thoughts (your answers will be anonymous). Thanks for your time!