TheextraordinaryEastgateBuildinginHarareZimbabwe’scapitalcityissaidtobetheonlyoneintheworldtousethesamecoolingandheatingprinciplesasthetermitemound(白蚁堆).
ArchitectMickPearceusedpreciselythesamestrategywhendesigningtheEastgateBuildingwhichhasnoair-conditioningandalmostnoheating.Thebuilding—thecountry’slargestcommercialandshoppingcomplex—useslessthan10%oftheenergyofaconventionalbuildingofitssize.TheEastgate’sownerssaved$3.5millionona$36millionbuildingbecauseanair-conditioningequipmentdidn’thavetobeimported.
Thecomplexisactuallytwobuildingslinkedbybridgesacrossashadyglass-roofedatrium(天井)opentotheair.Fanssuckfreshairinfromtheatriumblowitupstairsthroughhollowspacesunderthefloorsandfromthereintoeachofficethroughbaseboardvents(通风口).Asitrisesandwarmsitisdrawnoutviaceilingventsandfinallyexiststhroughforty-eightbrickchimneys.
Duringsummer’scoolnightsbigfansblowairthroughthebuildingseventimesanhourtocooltheemptyfloors.Bydaysmallerfansblowtwochangesofairanhourthroughthebuildingtocirculatetheairwhichhasbeenincontactwiththecoolfloors.Forwinterdaystherearesmallheatersinthevents.
ThisisallpossibleonlybecauseHarareis1600feetabovesealevelhascloudlessskieslittledampnessandrapidtemperaturechanges—daysaswarmas31℃commonlydropto14℃atnight.“Youcouldn’tdothisinNewYorkwithitshotsummersandcoldwinters”Pearcesaid.
TheengineeringfirmofOveArup&Partnersmonitorsdailytemperatures.Itisfoundthatthetemperatureofthebuildinghasgenerallystayedbetween23℃and25℃withtheexceptionoftheannualhotperiodjustbeforethesummerrainsinOctoberandthreedaysinNovemberwhenadoorkeeperaccidentallyswitchedoffthefansatnight.Andtheairisfresh—farmoresothaninair-conditionedbuildingswhereupto30%oftheairisrecycled.
1.WhywasEastgatecheapertobebuiltthanaconventionalbuilding?
A.Noairconditionerswerefixedin.
B.Itwasdesignedinasmallersize.
C.Itsheatingsystemwaslessadvanced.
D.Itusedratherdifferentbuildingmaterials.
2.Whatdoes“it”ref
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