Comments on: Big Cities to Have COOLED Sidewalks http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/10/big-cities-to-have-cooled-sidewalks/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:49:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Absolute http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/10/big-cities-to-have-cooled-sidewalks/#comment-1052353 Absolute Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:23:43 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/10/big-cities-to-have-cooled-sidewalks/#comment-1052353 Suprisingly a part of this idea has suvived in another form. In in Doha, Qatar a central cooling system (QCool) pumps chilled water around to the Office Towers to run their Air Con. I guess a centralised system is more effecient than individual units. I would still like to see more use of Ice based coolers that make Ice during the night when air temperatures and electicity demands are down and blow the air over the blocks during the day. Suprisingly a part of this idea has suvived in another form. In in Doha, Qatar a central cooling system (QCool) pumps chilled water around to the Office Towers to run their Air Con. I guess a centralised system is more effecient than individual units. I would still like to see more use of Ice based coolers that make Ice during the night when air temperatures and electicity demands are down and blow the air over the blocks during the day.

]]> By: Rick Auricchio http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/10/big-cities-to-have-cooled-sidewalks/#comment-1048440 Rick Auricchio Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:56:48 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/10/big-cities-to-have-cooled-sidewalks/#comment-1048440 No, the hot air is pumped directly to Washington... No, the hot air is pumped directly to Washington…

]]> By: Stannous http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/10/big-cities-to-have-cooled-sidewalks/#comment-1048434 Stannous Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:34:53 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/10/big-cities-to-have-cooled-sidewalks/#comment-1048434 The hot air would be pumped into giant insulated balloons which would then be stored until winter and used to heat the sidewalks. The hot air would be pumped into giant insulated balloons which would then be stored until winter and used to heat the sidewalks.

]]> By: Richard C http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/10/big-cities-to-have-cooled-sidewalks/#comment-1048419 Richard C Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:21:47 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/10/big-cities-to-have-cooled-sidewalks/#comment-1048419 Air conditioning doesn't get rid of heat, it just moves it around. A conventional air conditioner always has a big unit outside that's putting a lot of heat out; likewise, a refrigerator exhausts hot air into the kitchen. So where do these systems dump their waste heat, if not back into the city canyons? Awnings or shade trees over the sidewalks can actually prevent some of the sun's heat from reaching the pavement. They'd at least increase the efficiency of this scheme, if not eliminate much of the need for it entirely. But those old low-tech solutions are completely absent in the drawing. Air conditioning doesn’t get rid of heat, it just moves it around. A conventional air conditioner always has a big unit outside that’s putting a lot of heat out; likewise, a refrigerator exhausts hot air into the kitchen. So where do these systems dump their waste heat, if not back into the city canyons?

Awnings or shade trees over the sidewalks can actually prevent some of the sun’s heat from reaching the pavement. They’d at least increase the efficiency of this scheme, if not eliminate much of the need for it entirely. But those old low-tech solutions are completely absent in the drawing.

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