During sunny and sweltering summer days, much relief comes from sweat.
During sunny and sweltering summer days, much relief comes from sweat. As beads of moisture evaporate on the skin, they pull heat away almost invisibly. It feels like a nuisance, but this is one of the most efficient cooling systems in the animal kingdom.
But not all animals have the ability to sweat. The African elephant is one example, enduring intense heat out on the African savanna with dark gray, inches-thick skin. How does it stay cool?
“Wrinkles,” says Dorit Aviv, an associate professor of architecture in the Weitzman School of Design. “Elephants have a network of cracks in their skin that trap water. When they spray themselves, that water stays put and evaporates slowly, cooling them over time.”
Read More at: Penn State University
Inspired by the cracked, water-retaining skin of African elephants, architect Dorit Aviv and materials scientist Shu Yang have designed a cement-based tile that captures and slowly evaporates water, lowering surface temperatures without air conditioning. The approach, pictured in this prototype by Weitzman PhD student Ji Yoon Bae, could help cities stay cooler while cutting the energy and emissions tied to conventional cooling systems. (Photo Credit: Ji Yoon Bae)
