CHINA’S ROOFTOP RAIN SYSTEM WENT VIRAL FOR 5°C–8°C COOLING
A Chinese housing complex’s rooftop rain cooling system went viral for its mist, which staff said drops air temperatures by 5°C to 8°C.
The system releases a fine water mist from high-pressure rooftop nozzles at a residential complex in Yuncheng, Shanxi Province. China Daily identified the filmed site as the Xijian Tianmao Guobinfu residential compound in Yuncheng’s Yanhu district. China.com reported the system was activated there on July 3, 2026.
Li Yuan, a worker at the compound, described what residents get after each spray.
“After each ‘artificial rainfall,’ the compound’s air temperature falls by an average of 5 to 8 degrees Celsius, and ground temperatures can drop by up to 12 degrees Celsius.”
China.com attributed the same figures to property manager Jia Wen. CGTN reported air temperature falling by up to 8°C and ground temperature by 12°C in minutes.
Operators adjust the water volume and spraying time to match the temperature, and the system runs routinely starting in June each year.
How the mist works
The droplets evaporate and soak up heat from the surrounding air, a process known as evaporative cooling. Times Now compared it to sweat evaporating off the body.
The mist evaporates almost instantly, so it doesn’t leave people soaked or roads slippery, Times Now reported. The system also uses less electricity than conventional air conditioning because it relies on water pumps and high-pressure nozzles instead of compressors.
Similar misting systems are already used in parks, pedestrian streets, public squares and bus stops in several Chinese cities.
From a 2024 rollout to a viral video
China National Radio reported the system began operating in August 2024, long before the videos took off. It cost more than 10 million yuan, about $1.48 million, China Daily reported.
During an extreme heatwave, French media posted a video of the complex and called it an “efficient, ultra-thin outdoor cooling mist device,” China.com reported. The post drew plenty of likes and questions from overseas viewers.
Mao Ning then shared a video of the system on overseas social media, saying it “drops surface temperatures by 5-8 degrees in minutes.” Wang Wenbin also shared the video, China.com reported.
Total views on the clips topped 5 million, China.com reported.
Where it stands
On September 9, 2026, China Daily reported that the system serves more than 1,000 households and that ground temperatures can fall by up to 12°C after a spray cycle.
