HOME DESIGN FOR COOLING

Air conditioning is expensive to run and install, and environmentally unfriendly. A good home design can reduce its use or even eliminate it, in most climates.

Climate, AC and cooling

Cooling design, and the use of air conditioning, depends largely on climate.

Home Design for Cooling

Though with details and specificities associated with the climate, home design for cooling involves some basic features. We list most of them below:

Home Orientation: homes should be properly oriented to get breezes and sun protection (or solar heat gains in the winter, in cold and temperate climates).

Natural ventilation: (cross) ventilation is a main cooling element in some hot climates. In hotter climates it’s advantageous to elevate the home structures (raised floors) to get ventilation...

Landscape & Shading & Breeze funneling: trees and shrubs, pergolas, trellises, patios with vegetation, overhangs, trombe walls and greenhouses are elements to consider in various shading strategies, to avoid heat gains.

Hot air ventilation at the ceiling level: in hotter climates, the removal of inside hot air is crucial...

Overhangs: properly sized overhangs are important in all climates.

Insulation: roof and ceiling reflective insulation can be extremely important in most climates. High levels of wall insulation are also important in temperate or cold climates...

Floor plan: in hotter climates, single room depth and narrow buildings are advantageous for ventilation goals.

Evaporate cooling: methods based in the cooling effects of water (evaporate cooling) can be important in dry climates.

Windows and louvers: windows should be properly sized and shaded for cooling goals. Wing walls and casement windows are excellent for breeze deflection and cross ventilation.

Fans: ceiling fans, whole-house fans and window fans are important, in many cooling strategies.

Air conditioning vs. natural cooling

Natural cooling can replace or minimize the use of air conditioning.

High levels of insulation is crucial to reduce or eliminate the use of air conditioning in cold and temperate climates. Similarly in some hot climates where natural ventilation is difficult to implement, insulation is a key element to reduce the use of air-conditioning…