Staying Warm in Harbin
Friday, 2026/01/09284 words4 minutes1878 reads
Harbin, a metropolis in northeast China with approximately 6 million residents, stands as the world's largest city to consistently experience extreme cold, with winter temperatures regularly plummeting to -30°C. This harsh climate has necessitated innovative approaches to heating, many of which predate modern central heating systems.
The kang, a heated platform-bed constructed from earth bricks, exemplifies these traditional methods. This ingenious system, utilized for at least two millennia, integrates with the family's cooking stove. As meals are prepared, the stove's heat is channeled through a network of passages beneath the kang, warming its substantial mass. This stored thermal energy is then gradually released over many hours, providing sustained warmth without continuous fuel consumption.
Unlike contemporary central heating systems that indiscriminately warm entire buildings, the kang focuses heat where it's most needed – the sleeping and living areas. Occupants stay warm by direct contact with the heated surface, supplemented by thick blankets. This targeted approach to heating proves remarkably efficient, eliminating the need for energy-intensive warming of unoccupied spaces.
Similar principles underpin other East Asian heating traditions, such as Korea's ondol (heated floors) and Japan's kotatsu (heated tables). These methods all prioritize heating specific areas or objects rather than entire volumes of air, a strategy that modern energy-conscious designers are beginning to reexamine.
As Europe grapples with rising energy costs and the imperative to reduce fossil fuel consumption, these traditional heating methods offer valuable insights. They demonstrate that thermal comfort need not be synonymous with high energy consumption, but can instead be achieved through intelligent design and localized heating strategies. As we seek to address contemporary challenges of energy efficiency and climate change, these time-tested approaches may provide inspiration for developing more sustainable heating solutions.
