District Cooling

Part of the technology series of articles.

District cooling in Vekllei is a centralised air conditioning system that distributes cold air directly to homes and buildings through underground ducts. Unlike traditional air conditioning units, which require individual compressors and refrigerants in each building, district cooling moves the machinery to municipal plants where it can be maintained professionally and operated efficiently at scale.

The system is standard in tropical and subtropical republics across the Antilles, Kalina, Verde and Lucaya commonwealths, where high temperatures and humidity make cooling essential for comfort. It exemplifies their preference for collective infrastructure serving individual needs, keeping homes quiet and free from bulky equipment while centralising maintenance at municipal facilities.

Municipal cooling plants use large industrial chillers to cool air to around 10-15°C before dehumidifying it and distributing it through heavily insulated underground ducts. The chilled air travels from the main plant to neighbourhoods, then to individual buildings. Cold air naturally sinks, so floor-level vents provide effective cooling without requiring fans or blowers. Warm air returns through ceiling vents or passive circulation, creating a natural convection cycle.

Individual homes contain only simple floor grates with sliding dampers, which residents open or close to control cooling. There are no compressors, no refrigerants, no electrical controls and no maintenance required at the household level. Residential units typically receive 2-4 floor vents depending on size, whilst houses have 4-6 vents distributed throughout living spaces. Large apartment buildings and commercial structures often operate their own cooling plants using the same principle.

District cooling faces several limitations. Infrastructure requirements mean the system must be designed into buildings from construction, making retrofitting impractical. Thermal losses occur during distribution despite insulation. Humidity control demands pre-conditioning of air at the plant to prevent condensation. Variable demand across the network requires pressure regulation through small booster stations at distribution points. In scattered rural communities or smaller islands where infrastructure costs outweigh benefits the insulated pipes often travel above ground.

Vekllei’s postwar reconstruction allowed district cooling to be incorporated into new housing developments across tropical republics. Major cities in Kairi, Karu and Barbados operate large municipal plants serving tens of thousands of homes, whilst smaller island republics may have neighbourhood-scale systems. Municipal cooling plants employ small teams of technicians who maintain the chillers, monitor the distribution network and respond to pressure or temperature issues as part of regular municipal infrastructure service.