Being Cool with CoolAnt!

July 31, 2024
By: Editorial Team
SUCCESS STORIES

CoolAnt developed an innovative system that reversed the concept of active-direct evaporative cooling

Humans are absolutely prone to air conditioners! Air conditioners in buildings consume approximately 40% of the electricity generated. In India, it is expected to reach 76% by 2040. Rising real estate demand and infrastructure development in all major sectors is causing a significant increase in energy demand, from refrigeration to air conditioning systems.

With urbanization taking a toll on the world, we also need to think of solutions which require collaboration in order to adapt and plan for them. Addressing this issue, New Delhi Architect & Designer Monish Siripurapu, CEO of CoolAnt, is on a sincere mission to bring back vernacular and bioclimatic architecture in India.

But what’s CoolAnt? This firm as a whole came up with the idea of using the principles of evaporative cooling in design, an ancient technique that uses water and local materials to lower temperatures. Earthen pots have been used to cool water in India and many other countries for centuries and continue to do so. The porous nature of baked terracotta allows the water inside the pots to cool down. However, CoolAnt developed an innovative system that reversed the concept of active-direct evaporative cooling. The air passing through the water-soaked earthenware automatically lowers the temperature, acting as a natural air coolant.

Team BMR loved to have tete-a-tete with Mr. Monish on knowing more about the ant philosophy! Here’s all what you need to know-

1. What was your underlying instinct before starting CoolAnt?

We started off as an art installation variant but the name and everything came later. So, the underlying instinct behind starting CoolAnt was to redefine how passive cooling and building envelopes work in today’s date and to create a product for making building materials more climate responsive. So if I have to explain this in detail, if you look at any of the modern buildings right now, they are not designed according to the climate. Traditionally, the buildings were not like that. They were designed keeping in mind the environment, climate and everything, and also the materials locally available. So, the idea behind the CoolAnt was to again bring in those things and design building envelopes that can be climate responsive.

The firm believes in redefining how passive cooling and building envelopes work in today’s date

2. The team must have faced challenges. What were they and how did you cope up?

In the beginning, we definitely faced a lot of challenges. It's not always necessary that success is there. So you will notice that when we started bringing the whole thing into the market, the very first challenge we had was the supply chain because right from the beginning our product got tremendous response. We were very grateful that the kind of response which we got was amazing. So the only struggle from the beginning till now is to create a supply chain that can handle the kind of feedback and everything that we were getting. So, having a stock, creating a supply chain, making it available for people outside and synchronizing the components- these were the kind of challenges that we faced in the beginning.

Now, it's a good challenge that we have right now. I wouldn’t complain about it but definitely it’s a good challenge. Recently, we got tremendous response and the number of projects that we are getting are good. There are not such competitive challenges. We have about recently in last one month 1500+ enquiries and it is only rising. Also, we are a very small team. So, we are now struggling to cope up with that kind of reach. People really get pissed off that we are not responding. But that’s because we have too many inquiries at the moment.

3. Which is your best project done till date? We would like to know the experience.

Best is a very subjective thing. I would say that definitely the first installation and the last installation that we did- these will always remain special. First because that’s what gave us the right kind of platform for us to showcase. Also, the ones which we are recently doing, I would say that’s also special because in between there are a lot of learnings- a lot in every stage. Some things work, some things don’t work, some issues with logistics & packaging- it’s a huge list. Obviously the last one is an amalgamation of a lot of learning and everything, and we always try to put the best foot forward. But the first and the last- they are always special.

4. What are your future endeavors?

The future endeavor is very simple. We want to become a platform for climate responsive buildings and solutions and by having CoolAnt, the cooling aspect is one of them. The idea is that people should know more about buildings that are climate responsive.

The ethics lies in making people aware about buildings that are climate responsive

5. What is the material craftsmanship involved in the building process? We would love to know the working philosophy behind it.

If you look at the kind of work which we in general do, not with respect to CoolAnt, we promote and try to push buildings with local and Indian materials that are available, by adding value with the local craft. I think that’s what has been our focus in a slightly contemporary manner. So if you look at the architecture and the parametric designs that we do- in everything that we guys have done so far the focus has always been that how do we use the probably the most advanced tools that are available and combine it with local craft.

6. What’s new which is coming up with CoolAnt?

There are a lot! Lot of things are happening. Recently we got a lot of enquiries for apartments and flats for which unfortunately we don’t have a solution right now. We are working on something to do with some kind of screens that can be done indoors so I hope to see it materialized by next year.

CoolAnt believes in bringing back vernacular and bioclimatic architecture in India

7. Any message for the readers?

As a country and as a nation we have some amazing traditional techniques that have existed since many centuries. I think it's probably time that we seize all the fantastic solutions that we have and use local artisans and craftsmen, focus on everything that is more Indian than what is just available online. We have a lot of rich cultural heritage. So we should start looking at that and bring it back into practice.

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