[ike77]

You're right of the goal is to lower the temperature of the structure lower than the ambient temperature.

If the goal is simply to lower the temperature of the building to that of the wind, simple radiators such as those is perfectly fine.

Knowing that cities temperature is often a few degrees higher than that of the surrounding air, that would work in contemporary settings as well. But trees could play the same role more efficiently and with additional health and environmental benefits.