Notes the spread in Scandinavia and West Europe of ventilation by heat sources combined with cold ceilings. Asserts that even if many designers and architects are still sceptical about this system, the international advance of the technology seems assured. Presents the mode of operation of a cold ceiling combined with a system of heat source ventilation and then surveys the state of the art of the technology. Presents some application examples which demonstrate the manifold possibilities of the system and also its limitations and drawbacks.

KEYWORDS: Air conditioning, ceiling cooling, displacement ventilation, air flow, ventilation, ceilings, thermal comforT.