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As a step well enthusiast I v. much look forward to getting this book. These structures are extremely informative today because they very cleverly also provide natural air conditioning, as Yasmin refers. Cool air falls and is held in the depths of the step wells, where due to evaporative cooling the water sump and structural shading reduces the temperature further. This produces significant temperature inversion giving whole communities some respite from intense heat, and sustaining, like an oasis, the possibility of other vegetation. As well as being a source of water, the scale, form and shape of some of the best step wells reflects this community function. This simple air-con was worked out over 1,500 years ago – extraordinary! The more that can be done to draw attention to the brilliance of this civil infrastructure the better.