Osaka expo moves into full gear to fight heat exhaustion

The Mainichi

2 days ago

OSAKA (Kyodo) -- As the mercury soars in 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 organizer urges visitors to take measures to ward off heat exhaustion.
Daikin Industries Ltd., 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 C 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 30 centimeters below ground level, allowing cool air to flow down, according to the company.
"We want visitors to feel as if they were in an icehouse," a Daikin official said.
At the Forest of Tranquility, located at the center of the venue, approximately 1,500 trees have been strategically arranged using computer modeling to maximize shade coverage.
Its designer, Nikken Sekkei Ltd., collected data on each tree, such as height and species, to form the best placement.
Carrot Company Co., a fashion items manufacturer and retailer, lends parasols made of a 100-percent blackout fabric free of charge to visitors of the NTT Pavilion. The parasols can reduce the perceived temperature by up to 19 C, according to the company.
The expo organizer has also set up a total of 60 portable air conditioners outside the east and west gates to cool down queues while urging visitors to take precautions against heat exhaustion, for their part.
"Visitors are advised to bring their own umbrella and hat, and to stay hydrated and take salt," said an expo official.