Technological transitions in climate control: lessons from the House of Lords

Abstract

Mechanical air-conditioning is only a relatively recent development in countries with moderate temperate climates. It was preceded by earlier, less energy-intensive methods of climate control. These methods were deployed in British public buildings from the 1830s until the mid-20th century, when heritage buildings began to be adapted for air-conditioning. The 19th-century methods for providing thermal comfort are examined within the debating chamber of the House of Lords (part the Houses of Parliament in London, UK). This was equipped with facilities for ventilation, cooling, heating, humidification and air purification. These facilities, introduced in 1854, were in use for 112 years. This example shows the idea that thermal comfort is a cultural practice, which was not independent from the particular technologies or social contexts, but substantively shaped by them. This long operational history provides a basis for critical insights into their performance and operation, and also illuminates the cultural and technical factors leading to their substitution with air-conditioning in 1966. <em><strong>Practice relevance</strong></em> In light of the climate crisis, the architectural profession is required to reappraise the 20th-century practices and reconsider the utility of the historical methods for providing thermal comfort. Revitalising such methods could provide alternatives to air-conditioning in heritage buildings. To address this fundamental question, however, a deep understanding is needed of these past methods. A reconstruction and critical examination of the design, operation and performance of the House of Lords’ original 19th-century system reveals the history of its adaptation and provides a basis for understanding and employing original approaches to thermal comfort which can be useful when renovating historical buildings as well as informing new designs This example provides a useful alternative facilities management model of agency and control, based on occupant experience.