<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/sep/25/didnt-need-air-conditioning-airport-cooled-natural-ventilation-reunion>
"At the arrivals terminal at Roland Garros airport on Réunion island, visitors
are greeted by floor-to-ceiling windows framing the lush green mountains of the
French Indian Ocean territory.
What they may have also expected was the icy chill of air conditioning; this
island just off Madagascar sits in the tropical zone to the south of the
equator. But instead, the terminal is cooled by a light tropical breeze, the
result of natural ventilation built into its unique design.
The genesis of the project was in 2016, as part of a wider effort by airport
management to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions. Marc Delanoë, who was then
leading the airport’s environmental and energy team, was determined from the
beginning that the new arrivals terminal, which was being built completely from
scratch, would not use air conditioning.
“I took on the responsibility to prove to my management that not using air
conditioning was feasible,” said Delanoë, now the airport’s sustainable
development director. “So, from the start, we never thought of this building
having air conditioning being an option. It was a risky bet, but the further we
went with our studies, the more we realised that we were right.”
The roof of the terminal, which opened in 2024, curves upwards from each of the
rectangular building’s long sides in gentle waves. But, instead of meeting in
the middle, the roofs end abruptly to form a “canyon”. The creation of an area
of low pressure funnels wind into the building through vents on each side that
are adjusted depending on the weather conditions.
Ceiling fans with a 7.5-metre (24.6ft) diameter help to circulate the air. In
the 30C (86F) humid heat of Réunion’s wet summers, which last from around
November to April, the resulting breeze reduces the perceived temperature by
four to five degrees, to almost the same level usually set for air
conditioning.
Less air is allowed to flow in during the island’s dry winters, when the
coastal daytime temperature falls to 25C and below. During a cyclone, the
entire building is closed up."
Via Susan ****
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
