Emissions from buildings hit their highest ever level since 2019, accounting for 38% of global CO2 emissions. Cooling can be especially energy intensive–and the number of air conditioning units is expected to more than triple worldwide by 2050, consuming as much electricity as all India and China today. Architects are taking inspiration from past solutions, including traditional jaali design which cuts the direct heat entering in a building by breaking down the total square meters of a typical window into small holes that are exactly the same size as the thickness of the marble or sandstone. This thickness reduces the direct glare of sunlight while allowing diffused illumination. When air passes through holes, it picks up velocity and penetrates afar. Due to the small apertures, air gets compressed and when released it gets cooler. The term jaali, meaning net, is used in Central and South Asia. Cut from marble or red sandstone in ornamental patterns, jaali was a distinct architectural feature in India between the 16th and 18th century.
www.bbc.com/future/article/20220920-how-indias-lattice-buildings-cool-without-air-con