7 tips and tricks to keep your building envelop cool this summer
May 15, 2017 Exteriors
Text: Onal Kothari
Photograph: Shutterstock
Photograph: Shutterstock
Architect Onal Kothari shares important details about the house, knowledge and equipment, which can help to keep your home chilled during the summer season.
1. Know your home: Every house gets hot depending on its position with respect to the sun. Before coming to any conclusion with regards to your summer purchase, make sure to understand your structure.
- a) Exterior: Concrete facade is a good conductor of heat. This is the reason it is important to know the materials in use for exteriors.
- b) House orientation with respect to sun direction: Sun plays an important role in directing heat to different directions. North occupies the low temperature while south absorbs heat.
2. Sun block
- a) Add awning - Awning are over hanging coverings that can be installed in the southern or western windows of the home. The south and west are the hottest direction to entertain sun and adding awning reduces the temperature about 70% says a survey.
- b) Applying window films: Sunlight crosses the exterior of the house first. Applying high reflective window films can cut UV exposure.
3. Check ventilations and air flow
- a) Design two way ventilation: Let the air in. If your home gets too hot indoors in comparison to your exteriors, it’s time to deduct the constructional errors.
- b) Furniture and electronic layout: Furniture creates hot air pockets. Improper furniture layout and wrong position of heat and cooling devices invites hot air circulation indoors.
4. Be smart with landscaping: Placement of plant is key to energy savings. Be selective with the plants and their positioning.
- a) Garden: Plant shady trees and shrubs on the east and west direction of the house to block the sun.
- b) Plants on window help humidify the dry air from circulating indoors.
5. Treating the terrace space
- a) Terrace garden: Cultivating plants on the terrace calm down the house temperature naturally. The mud used to grow plants acts as an insulator, absorbing direct heat from the sun, thereby keeping the slab cool.
- b) Use heat reflective coating - Paint the terrace floors with white lime or insulated paints.
6. Go traditional: Opt for age old tricks to beat the heat. Buy some Khus Khus curtains. This is budget friendly option and acts as a natural coolant when sprinkled with some water.
7. Colour coding: Select colours that block sunrays during the hottest part of the day.
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About the author
Onal Kothari
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