Tomorrow’s Build (November 7, 2023) – The city of Seville in Spain is implementing measures to mitigate the scorching heat. Called the CartujaQanat, it is a €5 million pilot project that aims to reduce average temperatures by around 10°C in a region of the city.

These systems, developed over 1,000 years ago, consist of the construction of underground channels that transport water across a large area that needs to be cooled. Vertical shafts drilled along the channel bring underground air to the surface, lowering above-ground temperatures.

In summer, people don’t leave their house until 8pm and festivals usually start at 10pm. Built on the banks of the Guadalquivir River during the Middle Ages, the Spanish city regularly records temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) during July and August. And scientists expecting temperatures above 50°C in the near future.

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