Passive Cooling with Terracotta
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Provided by: The Kid Should See This|Published on: August 15, 2026
Articles/WebsitesScientist Reviewed
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Scientist Reviewed This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This short article and 4-minute video feature architect Monish Siripurapu and his team, who redesign ancient terracotta cooling techniques into modern low-energy structures to help cities cope with extreme heat.
- It explains how water poured over terracotta cools the surrounding air through evaporation, drawing an analogy to how trees cool their surroundings, and notes that the designs are inspired by beehives, traditional clay water pots, and carved screens.
Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences, Engineering
Authors: The Kid Should See This
Region: Asia
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Classroom Implementation:
- Use the resource to teach evaporative cooling and connect it to the biology concept of evapotranspiration.
- Have students discuss how traditional or Indigenous knowledge, such as the use of matkas and jalis, is being adapted to address modern climate challenges, and identify similar examples from other cultures.
Extensions:
- Have students design a simple experiment demonstrating cooling through evaporation.
- Ask students to weigh the trade-offs between passive cooling and conventional air conditioning, considering energy use and the urban heat island effect.
- Discuss the idea of positive feedback loops with the example of extreme heat and air conditioning use.
Related Resources:
- Use this 9-minute video as a case of another Indigenous technology, in this case the Navajo hogan, that is optimized for cooling properties.
- Explore this article about heat pumps as another technology that can replace air conditioners and compare this strategy to terracotta passive cooling, noting tradeoffs.
This resource explores passive cooling techniques in Delhi, India. The text is clear, with a wealth of external sources linked. The included video explores how traditional knowledge is used to address the climate challenges of today. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
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Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider
The Kid Should See This
The Kid Should See This is a Webby award-winning collection of over 7,000 kid-friendly videos, curated for teachers and parents who want to share smarter, more meaningful media in the classroom and at home. Selections are grown-up-friendly, too. And thanks to TKSST members, it’s free and ad-free for everyone. Start conversations, spark questions, and inspire offline exploration for all ages.
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
