Art pieces double as carbon-free air conditioning, inspired by ancient civilizations

Art pieces double as carbon-free air conditioning, inspired by ancient civilizations

Art pieces double as carbon-free air conditioning, inspired by ancient civilizations As heat waves sweep the country, most of us are desperate to do anything for a little reprieve from the high temperatures.  Although cranking the air conditioning is potentially life-saving, it also increases energy use (and raises your electricity bill, too), making access to cool air a privilege not all can afford. So, architects and engineers are looking back to ancient civilizations to cool buildings without the use of electricity or chemicals.  The columns are made using ceramic 3D printing technologies. Photo by Luke Hayes for Virginia Tech Researchers at Virginia Tech have developed a 3D-printed evaporative cooling system made of hollow clay columns that can cool the surrounding air by up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.  The columns are filled with water and sand, and when warm air passes through the porous clay exterior, water stored in the sand columns evaporates, which in turn, cools the air that passes…