10 suggestions for building a home in a hot environment Incorporating a few basic strategies into your plans throughout the build will save money on energy bills. Here’s how to get it correctly. Jan 30, 2019 6:00am Summer is coming, and along with those long leisurely days at the beach, we have hefty electricity bills to look forward to.
After all, three out of four Aussie families use some type of air-conditioning to beat the heat – and are paying the price for the privilege. But if you get your home’s architecture right, you may lessen the need for artificial cooling, explains architect Andrew Benn from, “A bit more thinking has to go into it,” he adds, “but you can substantially lower the temperature of your home with proper architecture.” If your property is in a warmer environment nevertheless, a cooling system is worth the investment and there are methods you can do to limit running expenses.
Architecture: | Styling: Claire Delmar | Photography: Prue Ruscoe, When rebuilding or building, if you’re able to – how the angles of the sun impact your home – that may be a significant role in keeping your home cool, says Andrew. “You want know precisely what the angles of the sun are at what time of year,” he explains.
- The northern sun in mid-summer is directly overhead and easier to escape.
- The western sun needs considerably more attention as it’s coming in at a lower angle and is really entering the glass line mid-afternoon, when the warmth is at its height.
- That may be a killer in terms of making a house overheated.” Regarding cooling, blinds and similar items may not meet all requirements.
Andrew asserts that inside blinds are ineffective since the sun has already passed through the window. “At that moment, the pressure is on. Similar to blinds, when the sun strikes a curtain or blind, it heats up and then heats the rest of the room.” He advises that external solutions, such as, be chosen instead.
If the sun strikes these, they will heat up, but the heat will not penetrate. Moreover, because they are adjustable, you may take advantage of the sun’s warmth even in the dead of winter.” Chris Warnes / bauersyndication.com.au took the photographs. It’s 40 degrees, you’re stuck on the sofa, and you’d do anything for a breeze.
Yes, everyone has been there. Andrew describes the two types of airflow that should be utilized in the home: horizontal cross ventilation and vertical airflow, sometimes known as the “stack effect.” “If you open a window on one side of the building, you must open a window of roughly the same size on the opposite side of the property.
Thus, air is pulled in and out, causing evaporation on the body, which has a cooling effect. A large window on one side and a tiny one on the other will not provide adequate ventilation: ventilation is dependent on the smaller aperture.” How to construct it: When remodeling or constructing, consider the window locations and sizes carefully in order to establish an airflow channel.
Andrew explains that this occurs as heated air rises through a structure and is vented through the roof, pulling cooler air from the home’s foundation. “This air often rises through the subfloor and floors into the place you need to cool. Hot air rises and cool air is sucked in to replace it in a sort of cyclical manner.
How to construct it: Place high-level windows beneath the ceiling line or build internal atriums or voids that are taller than the space’s total height. Chris Warnes / bauersyndication.com.au took the photographs. Restricted by design flow? There are solutions that may be incorporated during construction or retrofitted once the remodeling has been completed.
Andrew comments, “Fans may be amazing; they have cheaper operating expenses than an air conditioner.” However, they do not truly chill the air; rather, they recirculate it. John Dwyer, director of sales, asserts that it is possible to obtain that additional cool hit quickly.
- Our reverse-cycle air conditioning includes heating and cooling in a single unit and employs inverter technology – so the compressor or engine of the outside unit accelerates up and slows down to deliver the appropriate amount of electricity,” he explains.
- This is when the product has a significant energy efficiency advantage.
Consider both air conditioning and fans; the air conditioner will deliver a burst of cold air, and after the ambient temperature has dropped, the air conditioner can be turned off and the fans turned on. You may be able to acquire refrigerated “add-on” cooling or evaporative cooling if you have ducted gas heating.
Andrew explains, “This is where water goes via pipes in the building’s construction, namely the concrete slab.” It is good for heating and cooling, but it must be installed during construction.” Maree Homer / bauersyndication.com.au Use thermal mass to your advantage. A structure constructed with heavy, thick materials, such as a concrete slab, would remain quite cold.” Insulate, insulate, insulate,
” “It’s incredible how many homes lack roof insulation, yet proper insulation is essential for cooling.” Install roof ventilation. Whirlybirds are a classic, although there are other alternatives available. To cool the house, it is sufficient to provide a means for rising hot air to escape.
- Opt for a lighter roof.
- Or, you might paint it, like the Greeks have done for millennia.” The more reflecting the material, the cooler your home will remain.
- If you live in a hot region, you would be insane to pick a dark roof surface.
- Create an outside space.
- I frequently advocate for a high degree of garden design, incorporating shade, utilities, and built-in seats.
If properly shaded, it may be the coolest spot on the property.” Consider pavers over a deck. “Embedding pavers into the cool earth can assist lower temperatures as opposed to having a timber deck lifted above the ground.” Turn to vegetation.” A well-shaded exterior ground line may make external space cooler, which in turn keeps the inside cool.
How do you construct a home without air conditioning?
Place windows strategically – When it comes to ventilation and cooling your home, windows may be your most significant tool. Specifically, cross-ventilation is based on the idea that by installing windows of comparable dimensions opposite one another, air is pulled into the home, cools the body by assisting in the evaporation of body heat, and then escapes out the opposite windows.
This results in a pleasant natural wind. The key to achieving effective cross-ventilation is determining the direction of the wind. Vivan Loftness, a professor of architecture and former dean of the department of architecture at Carnegie Mellon, advises, “Make sure you open windows on the west and south where you can pick up those breezes, and then you need to get the wind back out.” “The more windows that can be opened, the greater the airflow throughout the home.
If you wish to increase the speed of the wind, however, you should have less open on the windward side and more open on the leeward side.” Loftness is alluding to the Venturi effect, a fluid dynamics theory that states that the wind speed will rise if it is forced through a tight hole, such as wind tunnels between tall buildings.
Keeping Cool Indoors – The Amish, like you and I, rely on summer’s cold nights for delicious reprieve from the heat. Several Amish homes are constructed with numerous windows to aid in air circulation and bring in lower nighttime temperatures. They open the windows on the upper floors to allow the heat to escape, while the family seeks warmth on the lower levels of their homes.
- In certain Amish households, the basement serves as a dining and gaming room.
- Also uncommon among the Amish is the usage of battery-powered fans to keep cool.
- Additionally, the Amish construct and design their dwellings for maximum thermal comfort.
- For instance, concrete flooring are occasionally installed to dwellings, or the site may be chosen so as to minimize prolonged afternoon sun exposure.
As you travel the backroads of Lancaster County, you will also see landscaping and trees that have been intentionally placed to offer shade for the residences. Numerous Amish homes also have an outside kitchen. A summer kitchen is an attached or neighboring facility meant for summertime cooking, smoking, pickling, and preserving.
How do dwellings in hot countries maintain their coolness?
1. Keep the building open and allow air circulation – Jeddah, Saudi Arabia vernacular © Caroline Jager-Klein et al Bauphysik 2015 This is the customary method in many places. Buildings are maintained open so that large quantities of air may circulate throughout.
- Through the act of evaporative cooling on the skin, these breezes assist to keep your body cooler.
- Stack ventilation might produce even greater outcomes.
- Often, this is a well-considered method of providing tolerable interior circumstances.
- However, it is still greatly reliant on the external temperature, humidity, and wind speed.
In some areas, temperatures can surpass 40 degrees Celsius and the humidity ratio can reach 25 grams per kilogram. Many citizens are unable to accept these levels of comfort, most likely because they are accustomed to air-conditioned automobiles, stores, and indoor public venues.
Reduce Heat and Moisture – In hot areas, it is essential to reduce heat and moisture gains. Use high-performance windows, ceiling insulation, LED lighting, and energy-efficient appliances to limit heat gain. Air and moisture barriers and excellent flashing are essential for slowing heat convection, reducing air leakage, and preventing mold and mildew-causing moisture in walls.
- To reduce the absorption of radiant heat, materials must have low emissivity.
- Insulation made of heat-reflective foil and radiant barrier roof sheathing can aid.
- The conductivity and R-value of a wall should be low.
- Look for windows with low SHGC scores and tight seals.
- Double-paned, low-E windows (perhaps tinted) are an excellent alternative.
Windows with a north or south orientation are optimal. Skylights give less heat gain than light tubes. The thermal mass of concrete, brick, and tile absorbs heat during the day and releases it at night. Ceramic floor tiles are cooler than carpet. Choose a roof with a light hue, high solar reflectance, and high emissivity.
Ensure that appropriate roof overhangs will provide window shading (or plan on landscaping that will do this). A hipped roof with substantial overhangs functions well. Is the ceiling well insulated? Does the design include continuous insulation? Applying rigid foam board to the exterior walls is effective.
Will the edge of the slab be insulated? Under the slab, is there a continuous layer of foam board insulation? Are can lights on the ceiling insulated? Are A/C ducts sealed and located in conditioned space? In warmer climates, compact home designs are preferable over expansive, multi-wing layouts.
What is the most effective method of cooling?
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