# Why couldn't A/C solve Qatar 2022's stadium heat problem? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 22, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250 "2014-09-22T16:33:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/21 "2014-09-23T01:26:59Z")
> [@Bert\_Nobbins](#): > > The stadiums **will** be air-conditioned, including the whole of the pitch, despite the fact that the top is open. The energy consumed will be enormous, something like 11 MW for 15 hours, as the stadium has to be pre-cooled overnight to make the idea even vaguely practical. Another issue; most of the stadiums won’t be needed after the World Cup. So what’s to happen to them after? Some will be partially dismantled and sent to other countries. But it’s still a lot more stadiums than Qatar needs. ---
**Author:** ![kurtisokc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kurtisokc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kurtisokc)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/22 "2014-09-23T02:08:21Z")
Did it not occur to anyone over there that if you are designing an air conditioned stadium, you maybe shouldn’t put a hole in the roof? ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/23 "2014-09-23T04:47:48Z")
They had to weigh their options very carefully when designing the worlds largest vagina. It had to have an opening. It had to not overheat after having thousands of men inside of it. Yet they couldn’t cool it too much because no one would want to be in an icy vagina. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/24 "2014-09-23T14:15:12Z")
> [@kurtisokc](#): > > Did it not occur to anyone over there that if you are designing an air conditioned stadium, you maybe shouldn’t put a hole in the roof? But hot air rises, does it not? The hole in the roof allows them to pump cool air in near the bottom, which will gently displace the hot air above. The density of the cool air will keep it in the stadium, and the open top will allow errant hot air (say, from a vendor’s stove or spectator toots) to easily escape. All they need to do is fill it once! You believe me, right? Let me fly you to one of Qatar’s luxury hotels to help think it over. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/25 "2014-09-23T14:22:55Z")
That’s the same principle in use for the open coffin-style freezers in the supermarket. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/26 "2014-09-23T16:12:00Z")
While a big air-conditioned chamber open at the top 24/7 is certainly more efficient than one open at the bottom or the side, none of them is really all that efficient. If you don’t have any choice but to open it, like a freezer whose contents must be accessible, then it’s better to put the opening at the top, but better yet is to just not have the opening at all, if that’s possible. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/27 "2014-09-23T18:37:23Z")
Is there some kind of FIFA rule against indoor stadiums? Seems like that’s the easy, obvious and well-trodden solution. ---
**Author:** ![Bert\_Nobbins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@Bert\_Nobbins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bert_Nobbins)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/28 "2014-09-23T18:52:20Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Is there some kind of FIFA rule against indoor stadiums? How much are you prepared to pay for one? ---
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/29 "2014-09-23T18:53:30Z")
Again, the stadiums are only part of the problem, as I understand it. Huge numbers of people, many from Northern European climates, aren’t just being Star Trek Teleported in and out of the stadium. They’re going to be traveling to and from the stadiums, probably including waiting in lines for security checks. They’re going to be hanging out with their friends before and after games, partying to the extent that local law allows (and whatever beyond the law they can get away with). A/C for the stadiums may help with one thing, but there’s still plenty of opportunity for heat stroke outside of the stadiums. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/30 "2014-09-23T19:07:11Z")
Another problem with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar; _hundreds_ of [workers have died](http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/over-900-workers-have-already-died-building-qatars-world-cup-facilities-180950088/?no-ist) in the process of building the facilities for this event. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/31 "2014-09-23T20:39:41Z")
Qatar has a terrible summer climate as far as [sport is concerned](https://weatherspark.com/averages/32878/7/Doha-Ad-Dawhah-Qatar): > [@](#): > > The month of July is characterized by essentially constant daily high temperatures, with daily highs around 41°C throughout the month, exceeding 44°C or dropping below 37°C only one day in ten. What sort of A/C system can cool 3,000,000 cubic metres of air (if the stadium is 300m_200m_50m) with an open top to a comfortable level when the ambient temperature is 41°C and with 80% odd humidity? What happens if the A/C breaks down with 100,000 people in the stadium? ---
**Author:** ![Bert\_Nobbins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@Bert\_Nobbins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bert_Nobbins)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/32 "2014-09-24T18:20:18Z")
> [@lisiate](#): > > Qatar has a terrible summer climate as far as [sport is concerned](https://weatherspark.com/averages/32878/7/Doha-Ad-Dawhah-Qatar): > > What sort of A/C system can cool 3,000,000 cubic metres of air (if the stadium is 300m_200m_50m) with an open top to a comfortable level when the ambient temperature is 41°C and with 80% odd humidity? What happens if the A/C breaks down with 100,000 people in the stadium? Not a lot. Much of the cooling is done over the night before- cooling not just the air but the mass and structure of the stadium, seats, etc, which act as a store of coolth. ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/33 "2014-09-24T20:49:50Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > They bribed FIFA delegates to award them the tournament. My exact first thought. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/34 "2014-09-24T21:05:22Z")
Admit it: You were just looking for an excuse to use the word “coolth”, weren’t you? ---
**Author:** ![kurtisokc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kurtisokc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kurtisokc)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/35 "2014-09-27T00:26:49Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Is there some kind of FIFA rule against indoor stadiums? Seems like that’s the easy, obvious and well-trodden solution. AFAIK, no, but I think they still require finals matches to be played on real grass, which is difficult, but not impossible, for an indoor stadium. The Pontiac Silverdome was used for the 1994 world cup, and some subsequent world cup stadiums have had retractable roofs. As I recall, the grass surface used at the Silverdome was grown outdoors on pallets which were individually moved onto the stadium floor. ---
**Author:** ![kurtisokc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kurtisokc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kurtisokc)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/36 "2014-09-27T00:31:49Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > But hot air rises, does it not? The hole in the roof allows them to pump cool air in near the bottom, which will gently displace the hot air above. The density of the cool air will keep it in the stadium, and the open top will allow errant hot air (say, from a vendor’s stove or spectator toots) to easily escape. All they need to do is fill it once! > > You believe me, right? Let me fly you to one of Qatar’s luxury hotels to help think it over. I’ve thought of that, but it still seems to me that an enclosed space would allow less heat to escape, even when compared to having an opening at the top. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250.md?page=1)