The inside of a termite mound stays at near-constant temperature and humidity, no matter how wet, dry, scorching or freezing it might be outside. To do this, termites open and close a series of heating and cooling vents throughout the day.
When planning the Eastgate Shopping Center and office block in Harare, Zimbabwe, architect Mike Pearce studied the structure of termite mounds. Today, Eastgate uses 10 percent of the energy required by similar conventional buildings. Eastgate’s energy savings also allow its rental rates to be lower.