As millions in Britain grapple with soaring energy costs and poorly insulated homes, a surprising source of wisdom is emerging from one of the coldest cities on Earth. An academic who spent her childhood in Harbin, northeast China, argues that centuries-old East Asian heating principles could offer vital lessons for modern UK households.
The Harbin Childhood: Waking Up on a Warm Earth Bed
Yangang Xing, an associate professor at Nottingham Trent University, grew up in Harbin, where winter temperatures routinely plunge to a bone-chilling -30°C. With a population of around 6 million, it stands as the largest city in the world to endure such consistently extreme cold. Her earliest winter memories are not of radiators, but of the "kang" – a heated platform-bed made of earth bricks that has been used in northern China for over two millennia.
This was not merely furniture but an integral part of the home's architecture. The thick, raised slab connected directly to the family's kitchen stove. When cooking fires were lit, hot air would travel through flues beneath the kang's surface, warming the entire massive structure. "To a child, the kang felt magical," Xing recalls, "a warm, radiant surface that stayed hot all night long."
Engineering Efficiency: Heat the Person, Not the Space
Now an expert in architecture and construction, Xing appreciates the kang's remarkable engineering. Unlike modern central heating, which expends energy warming the air in entire rooms, the kang targets warmth precisely. The room itself could remain cold, while individuals gained comfort by sitting or sleeping on the thermally massive platform, often with thick blankets. The compacted earth, weighing hundreds of kilograms, would absorb heat and release it slowly over many hours.
"There are no radiators, no need for pumps, and no unnecessary heating of empty rooms," Xing explains. Crucially, much of the heat was a byproduct of the cooking fire, maximising fuel efficiency. Maintaining the system was a skilled family affair, requiring careful construction and overnight tending of the fire to ensure safety from carbon monoxide.
A Broader East Asian Philosophy and Europe's Forgotten Past
This approach was part of a wider regional philosophy focused on keeping heat close to the body and heating only essential spaces. In Korea, the 'ondol' system channels warm air under thick floors. In Japan, the 'kotatsu' – a low table with a heater and blanket – creates a cosy micro-climate for the lower body.
Interestingly, Europe once employed similar concepts. The Romans used hypocausts for underfloor heating, and medieval households hung tapestries to insulate draughty walls. However, the 20th-century spread of cheap energy and central heating led to the energy-intensive norm of uniformly warming entire buildings, a model now failing as costs rocket and climate change brings more volatile winters.
Xing concludes that while new technologies like heat pumps are part of the solution, they work best in efficient buildings. The core lesson from traditions like the kang is that comfort doesn't always require consuming more energy, but rather designing warmth more intelligently. As the UK seeks solutions to fuel poverty and high bills, these ancient, person-centric methods offer a compelling blueprint for a more sustainable and affordable future.
