Coolth
The word ‘coolth’ has the opposite meaning of heat/warmth, referring to the condition of having a moderately low temperature – that is the condition of being cool. It can also be used to describe a net loss of heat to a cool body, or the sensation of feeling coolness, ie ‘the fridge gave off coolth’. It can be used as a pairing with "Heat" i.e. you transfer heat into a system or coolth into a system.
The word ‘warmth’ refers to the condition of having a moderately high temperature - that is the condition of being warm. It can also be used to describe the emission of heat by a warm body, or the sensation of feeling that heat ie ‘the fire gave off warmth’.
It is reported that the word ‘coolth’ has been in use since the 1500s, when a Welsh-English dictionary translated ‘oerfel’ meaning cold as ‘coulthe’ in English. It also appears in Seamus Heaney’s poem ‘Bodies and Souls’ from the 2001 ‘Electric Light’ collection in the line: “The older I get, the quicker and the closer / I hear those laboring breaths and feel the coolth”
It is as useful a word in thermodynamics as the word warmth.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Deputy editor of AT, Tim Fraser, discusses the newly formed society with its current chair, Chris Halligan MCIAT.
Barratt Lo-E passivhaus standard homes planned enmasse
With an initial 728 Lo-E homes across two sites and many more planned for the future.
Government urged to uphold Warm Homes commitment
ECA and industry bodies write to Government concerning its 13.2 billion Warm Homes manifesto commitment.
Places of Worship in Britain and Ireland, 1929-1990. Book review.
The emancipation of women in art.
CIOB Construction Manager of the Year 2025
Just one of the winners at the CIOB Awards 2025.
Call for independent National Grenfell oversight mechanism
MHCLG share findings of Building Safety Inquiry in letter to Secretary of State and Minister for Building Safety.
The Architectural Technology Awards
AT Awards now open for this the sixth decade of CIAT.
50th Golden anniversary ECA Edmundson awards
Deadline for submissions Friday 30 May 2025.
The benefits of precast, off-site foundation systems
Top ten benefits of this notable innovation.
Encouraging individuals to take action saving water at home, work, and in their communities.
Takes a community to support mental health and wellbeing
The why of becoming a Mental Health Instructor explained.
Mental health awareness week 13-18 May
The theme is communities, they can provide a sense of belonging, safety, support in hard times, and a sense purpose.
Mental health support on the rise but workers still struggling
CIOB Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025 shows.
Design and construction material libraries
Material, sample, product or detail libraries a key component of any architectural design practice.
Construction Products Reform Green Paper and Consultation
Still time to respond as consultation closes on 21 May 2025.
Resilient façade systems for smog reduction in Shanghai
A technical approach using computer simulation and analysis of solar radiation, wind patterns, and ventilation.