Many of us are fortunate enough to control the temperatures around us. In the car, in our homes, or at work, we generally find comfort in our environment via a convenient dial of some sort. But it’s not always easy for everyone. Nor is it typically economically- or eco-friendly.
In Bangladesh, the threat of flooding forces 70 percent of the population to live in corrugated tin huts with no electricity supply. During the scalding hot summer months, this can prove unbearable, with the houses feeling more like ovens than a place of comfort and safety.
But a project called Eco-Cooler is making things a bit cooler for the people of Bangladesh by spreading knowledge of a cheap and electricity-free method of protecting their tin huts from the uncomfortable temperatures they’re used to in the summer.
Created through a joint effort between advertising agency Grey Dhaka and Grameen Intel Social Business Ltd., the project needs only a few plastic bottles and a board to work.
To create this nifty cooling system, plastic bottles are cut in half and then mounted into a grid through bottleneck-sized holes. The grid can be situated over a window with the narrower top end of the bottle facing inwards. When the wind blows through the bottles, cool air funnels into the hut. According to Eco-Cooler, this technique can decrease temperatures in the home by up to 5°C.
Along with not requiring any electricity, this cooling system is also a great way to reuse plastic bottles. The project has been implemented in almost 25,000 households in villages across Nilphamari, Daulatdia, Paturia, Modonhati, and Khaleya.
“After initial tests, blueprints of the Eco-Cooler were put up online for everyone to download for free,” Syed Gousul Alam Shaon, chief creative officer at Grey Dhaka, explained in a statement. “Raw materials are easily available, therefore, making Eco-Coolers a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly solution.”
via Collective - Evolution