AMSTERDAM—A hotel that can cool itself without the use of electricity, electric fans or other standard power sources is planned for Amsterdam. Called the “first (nearly) zero-energy hotel” by its developer, the building’s design is the brainchild of Ben Bronsema, an 80-year-old recent Ph.D. graduate of the Delft University of Technology. For Bronsema’s “Earth, Wind & Fire” system, the cooling system circulates cooled air in an endless loop. Wind turbines push air into a chute that runs throughout the building, aided by streams of water. The bottom of the chute is effectively cooled and distributes itself throughout the building. In the end, the air filters through a solar chimney, which heats the air again and forces it out of the building. The “Breeze” hotel is scheduled to open in 2017.
