Last summer, Seville, a city in southern Spain, experienced scorching temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), leading to the emergence of a heatwave named Yago. This marked the second named event in two years for the city, which, like many others in Europe and around the world, is struggling to cope with unprecedented heat. Extreme temperatures have caused havoc in unexpected places, such as the melting of railway lines and airport tarmac in London in 2022 and Germans contemplating midday siestas to escape the heat in 2023.
As cities grapple with adapting to this new normal without relying heavily on energy-intensive solutions like air conditioning, a small research group in Seville is turning to ancient Middle Eastern technologies for inspiration. Led by expert Majid Labbaf Khaneiki, the group is reviving the 3,000-year-old underground aqueduct system known as qanats, which were originally developed in Persia and later spread to arid regions worldwide.
Khaneiki, a professor in archaeohydrology, has dedicated his career to studying these ancient water channels, which not only provided irrigation in desert environments but also fostered community cooperation and sustainable water management. He believes that qanats are not just a thing of the past, but also hold the key to addressing modern-day challenges like climate change.
Meanwhile, in Seville, scientists Jose Sanchez Ramos and Servando Alvarez are implementing the concept of qanats in the city to combat rising temperatures. Their project, CartujaQanat, aims to cool the ground temperature of a neglected area by utilizing an underground water channel inspired by the Persian qanat system. This innovative approach, partially funded by the European Union, involves using the natural cooling properties of water to create a more comfortable outdoor environment without relying on energy-intensive technologies.
As cities worldwide look for sustainable solutions to combat the effects of climate change, the revival of ancient technologies like qanats offers a glimpse into how the wisdom of the past can help shape a more sustainable future.