Proper insulation and ventilation are crucial in preventing heat gain and promoting cooling. Insulating is not just about keeping the warmth in for winter, but also the heat out for summer. Achieving effective insulation isn’t just about adding more insulation but using the right type and ensuring continuous coverage – just as you would to ensure a warm home in winter.

Insulating is not just about keeping the warmth in for winter, but also the heat out for summer.

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Thermal mass is the ability of a material to absorb, store, and release heat energy. In homes, materials with high thermal mass, like concrete or brick, can reduce temperature variations by absorbing heat during the day and releasing it at night, thereby maintaining a more consistent indoor temperature. It is important that for thermal mass to be effective, it receives direct sunlight. Calculating the sun angle as it enters a home (by also knowing a home’s orientation) is crucial. Covering thermal mass with art, rugs or furniture eliminates its ability to perform.

Aeronautical engineering is brilliant.

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Aeronautical engineering is brilliant. So, it is no surprise that cross-ventilation is a wonderful can of worms dedicated to the science of physics, and that engineering of ‘air’. When it comes to cooling strategies in our homes, a rule of thumb is to create cross-ventilation by placing windows on opposites sides of the room/home. Ideally flowing from low to high. Changing air pressures from windward and leeward sweeps the home of its stale hot air and encourages the cooling flow of fresh air. A 2m/s breeze alone can drop the perceived temperature of air by 1 degree Celsius.

Shading is a home’s best friend. But it is external shading that is arguably the only effective strategy. With internal shades and blinds, once the heat has past our home’s external barrier or ‘windows’ it is now in our home for good – therefore we are burdened to take care of this newly introduced energy, or simply live with the discomfort of all this excess heat.

Shading is a home’s best friend.

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It is here where Pythagoras makes its debut from 8th grade math. The suns azimuth and altitude vary depending on time of day, time of year, and location. And so,Sin, Cos and Tan can calculate where in the sky the source of heat is coming from, and exactly what shadow effect is needed to keep harsh summer sun entering our homes. The wonderful thing is that winter sun crosses our skies much lower, and so we can calculate these shades to let that low sunshine penetrate deep (o behave) into our home and keep us warm during the months we need it most, while keeping the high summer sun aloof.

Nature often does Pythagoras’s work for us. Landscaping, such as using deciduous trees and shrubs around your home can provide natural shading. These plants offer shade in summer and allow sunlight in winter when they shed their leaves.

Glazing is critical to controlling our internal environment. Although it’s a glazing unit’s placement that has the biggest impact, a critical pillar is the unit’s composition – some glass is great to let heat in, but not escape. While some glass allows daylight to enter, but not heat. It’s a balancing act. Depending on façade orientation and your homes climate. Read more about how to select glazing units for your home here, we can get educated on your choices here together.

Glazing is critical to controlling our internal environment.

Green roofs and reflective materials play a crucial role in keeping indoor temperatures low and reducing overheating.

Green roofs, with their layers of vegetation, act as natural insulators by absorbing and dissipating heat, which prevents excessive heat buildup on the roof and lowers the temperature of the surrounding air. Reflective materials, such as cool roofs, bounce sunlight away from the building, significantly reducing heat absorption and minimising surface temperatures.

Both approaches help counteract the urban heat island effect, where urban areas become significantly warmer than their rural surroundings due to the prevalence of heat-absorbing surfaces like asphalt and concrete. By mitigating heat absorption and enhancing thermal comfort, green roofs and reflective materials contribute to more stable indoor temperatures and reduce the overall cooling demands of buildings.