The City of Yazd sits within one of the hottest and most arid parts of Iran but has also been at the forefront of “cooling technology” for centuries.
Home to several technological wonders — such as an underground refrigeration structure called yakhchal, an underground water system called qanats, and an ancient postal service called pirradaziš — Yazd’s century-old creations are finally getting a second look after nearly 2000 years.
Among these ancient innovations is a wind catcher (or bâdgir), a towering rectangular pinnacle that collects and funnels wind to cool structures below it.
And in bone-dry Yazd, it’s cooled the city for millennia.
However, as a large number of the city’s breeze catchers are no longer utilized and have been replaced by modern air conditioning, scholars, planners, and designers are pumping the brakes and looking back in time to see how and if these ancient structures can keep us cool in a world that is quickly warming.
As these ancient wind catchers require no power for operation, it’s not only an affordable and effective option, but it’s a green option — one of the only viable alternatives to mechanical cooling.
Some researchers, such as Kheirkhah Sangdeh with Ilam University in Iran, says that it may be time to start incorporating these ancient wind catchers back into modern design. He argues that it’s not only an infrastructure fix but a cultural one — one that must be taken seriously.
“There needs to be some changes in cultural perspectives to use these technologies. People need to keep an eye on the past and understand why energy conservation is important,” Kheirkhah Sangdeh says. “It starts with recognising cultural history and the importance of energy conservation.”
“While researchers such as Kheirkhah Sangdeh argue that the wind catcher has much more to give in cooling homes without fossil fuels, this ingenious technology has already migrated further around the world than you might think. Next time you see a tall vented tower on top of a supermarket, high-rise or school, look carefully – you might just be looking at the legacy of the magnificent wind catchers of Iran.”
Full Story: The ancient Persian way to keep cool by Kimiya Shokoohi; published on BBC.com on 10th August 2021.