Osaka Expo unveils cool solutions amid Japan's record heatwave
Japan , the World Exposition in Osaka has moved into full gear to beat the summer heat, with firms showcasing their latest cooling technologies while the organiser urges visitors to take measures to ward off heat exhaustion.
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Daikin Industries, a major Japanese air conditioner manufacturer, has built the Ice Cool Spot, a rest area inspired by the ancient Japanese icehouse.
It uses panels of ice on the walls to lower the temperature inside by 5 degrees Celsius (41 degrees Fahrenheit) compared with the outside.
Solar panels on the building's roof collect sunlight during the day and use the energy to freeze water at night. Its floor is 30cm (12 inches) below ground level, allowing cool air to flow down, according to the company.
Daikin's Ice Cool Spot uses panels of ice on the walls to lower the temperature inside by 5 degrees Celsius. Photo: Daikin Industries
'We want visitors to feel as if they were in an icehouse,' a Daikin official said.
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At the Forest of Tranquility, located at the centre of the venue, around 1,500 trees have been strategically arranged using computer modelling to maximise shade coverage.
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