Traditional building solutions tend to work well in their respective contexts, as they have withstood hundreds of years of testing and improvements, and use techniques and materials available locally. Although globalization and the democratization of access to technology have brought more comfort and new opportunities to humanity, it has also led to the homogenization of solutions in the construction sector and a dependence on global supply chains for construction materials and components. This has also caused a rupture in how knowledge is passed on to new generations and, eventually, the disappearance of traditions.
In particular, the topic of passive cooling solutions for buildings is currently having a resurgence, with an effort to recover ancient techniques used throughout history in locations that have always had to deal with hot climates. This is even more evident due to the high energy costs imposed by artificial cooling, the global warming scenario, and mainly because, among the projections of population growth, a significant portion of megacities will be located in the predominantly hot climates of Africa and Asia. When we think about the future, is it possible to be inspired by the past and apply ancient cooling techniques to contemporary buildings?
Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), says that "Growing demand for air conditioners is one of the most critical blind spots in today's energy debate." According to the IEA, the use of air conditioning and electric fans is responsible for nearly 20% of the total electricity used in buildings worldwide. Furthermore, the same source points out that by 2050, the number of air conditioning units will be more than three times what it is today, requiring as much electricity as the entire current energy consumption of India and China. At the same time, heat waves are becoming longer and more intense around the world, which could further exacerbate these figures.
