BIBAI, Hokkaido (Kyodo) Community Home Bibai, a nursing facility for the elderly, uses snow instead of air conditioners in the summer to keep its residents cool and comfortable.
When a 4-meter-high storeroom door is opened, a giant mound of snow inside emits cool air. In the early spring, the insulated chamber took in 300 tons of snow for use in the summer.
The facility for about 80 elderly residents utilizes cold water from the thawing snow and sends cool air from it to the main dining hall, which stays cool throughout the summer.