DESIGN BY DAEDAL. The problem with Victorian-era homes is that, in today's design perspective, they lack contrast in variations between various parts and surfaces, causing all of the pieces to blend together, producing a dismal environment. As a result, these old buildings tend to be very dark inside. One reason why old houses can be dark is because there were no energy codes back then. Building owners had freedom in what materials they used as long as it was "solid" and had been "hewn" (cut). This means that even if a house was built using glass, wood, or metal, it would still be dark since they were just layers of wood, glass, or metal on top of the other. In fact, many early houses were completely windowless except for small openings for doors and windows. During World War II, when gas prices rose, more and more people started using coal instead. Since coal burns hot, it gives off a large amount of heat which needs to be released otherwise the room will be too warm. So architects came up with another solution: air conditioning. In 1950, an engineer named Willis Haviland Carrier invented a machine that could produce refrigeration gases like nitrogen trifluoride and hydrocarbon fluorides. These chemicals destroy harmful bacteria and viruses without damaging any other kind of organism.