Wind catchers are an ancient Persian technology still in existence. Often rectangular towers, they may appear in other ornate shapes too. Two main forces drive air through and down into the structures: the incoming wind and the change in buoyancy of air depending on temperature–with warmer air tending to rise above cooler, denser air. As air is caught by the opening of a wind catcher, it’s funneled down to the dwelling below, depositing any sand or debris at the tower’s foot. Then the air flows throughout the interior of the building, sometimes over subterranean pools of water for further cooling. Eventually, warmed air will rise and leave the building through another tower or opening, aided by the pressure within the building.
Since wind catchers don’t require power from fossil fuels, they could prove helpful today. In the UK, some 7,000 catchers variations were installed in public buildings between 1979 and 1994. The US has also adopted wind-catcher-inspired designs.
bbc.com/future/article/20210810-the-ancient-persian-way-to-keep-cool