Ancient windcatchers in Iran give architects cooling inspiration

Tall chimney catches breeze, channelling it into house, displacing warm air that is then expelled through windcatcherElectricity consumption rises with the temperature as people turn on air conditioners in the summer. But many homes in Iran are still built with a simple but effective cooling device known as a windcatcher, which requires no electricity and dates back centuries.A windcatcher looks like a tall, decorative chimney, usually with two or more open sides. It catches the breeze that blows well above ground level and channels it down into the house below. This displaces warm air that is expelled through the opposite face of the windcatcher. In some designs the incoming air blows over water, providing further cooling. Studies show that this simple design can reduce the temperature inside a building by 8C to 12C. Continue reading...