The immediate attention-grabber upon entering Manhattan's year-old Hearst Tower is the world's largest "air conditioner"—a two-story, stepped waterfall, sliced in two by escalators that transport occupants to a third-level lobby, its 70-ft-high ceiling rimmed by windows. Unlike most lobby fountains that simply recirculate water, the water-covered steps are engaged in cooling and dehumidifying the space. Their practical function may be unusual, but the more significant innovation in terms of cooling and heating is underfoot.
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