123-Year-Old Air-Con Secrets to Beating Today's Heatwaves

The Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, Northern Ireland, is home to a remarkable piece of history: a 123-year-old air conditioning system. Built in 1903, this system was designed to help patients recover by keeping the hospital cool and clean. The main part of the system is a huge red fan set into a brick wall. When it was first installed, the fan would pull air over ropes made from coconut fiber that were kept wet with water. This cooled the air and also helped remove dust and soot from the city’s polluted air. The cool, clean air would then travel through a long corridor and up into the hospital wards, helping patients feel better and recover more quickly.

As the world gets hotter due to climate change, air conditioning is becoming more important for public health. High temperatures can be dangerous, especially for older people, young children, and those who are already sick. Many cities are now creating public cooling spaces where people can escape the heat. In Jodhpur, India, for example, there is a cooling station made with walls of dried grass that are kept wet. Solar-powered fans blow air over the grass, making the inside much cooler than the outside. In Spain, the government is setting up air-conditioned shelters where people can rest, drink water, and stay safe during heatwaves. Even in London, officials are making maps to help people find cool places like libraries, museums, and churches.

However, air conditioning also has a downside. It uses a lot of energy, and if that energy comes from fossil fuels, it can make climate change worse. Some of the chemicals used in air conditioners can also harm the environment. Experts suggest using other methods to stay cool, like shading buildings, painting roofs white, or using insulation. But in many places, especially hospitals, air conditioning is still necessary to protect people’s health. The old system at the Royal Victoria Hospital is a reminder of how important it is to find ways to stay cool as the world gets hotter. It also shows that we need to balance the benefits of air conditioning with its impact on the environment.