A Building That Cools Itself

The Problem:

How do you design a building that cools itself?

The architect Mick Pearce was hired to design the largest retail and office building in Harare, Zimbabwe but there was no budget for expensive air conditioning.

The Insight:

How is this problem solved in nature? Termite mounds are nature’s sky-scrapers and they have to be kept at a constant temperature of 87 degrees in order to grow an essential fungus. Not an easy task since temperatures on the African plains can range from over 100 degrees during the day to below 40 at night. 

The Idea:

Termite inspired climate control. Just like a termite mound, which is covered in many small vents, the building has several small windows that reduce heat gain during the day and heat loss at night. As with our termite friends, there is also a system that pulls in cool air at the base of the building and disperses it through all floors. This system ensures the building uses 35% less energy than similar structures in Zimbabwe.

Source: National Geographic

Watch a short video here