It's getting hot these days and if the climate predictions are correct it's something many of us will need to get used to.
I've been spending some work time in Kelowna this summer and was astounded the other evening when my car thermometer read 40 C at 6:30 p.m. Hot temperatures make for uncomfortable living in homes not properly designed for them.
But this is nothing new. Human beings have been dealing successfully with hot temperatures long before the advent of the cure-all solution of air conditioning.
Here are a few simple strategies and techniques that are tried and true and can be incorporated into the design of a home to help alleviate heat.
1. Shade
Providing a shading effect over a window in summer is one of the best ways to ease heat gain. The sunshade should be big enough to block out the hot rays of summer while still being small enough to allow winter rays to flood in. A roof overhang can work too if adequately sized and will do double duty of keeping the rain off too.
2. Cross ventilation
Pretty obvious stuff here folks but cracking windows at the opposite ends of a home and letting nature do its thing is a great way to cool a home. Think about predominant wind directions and strategically locate operable windows to maximize this effect.
3. Create a chimney effect
Along the same lines as the air flow created by cross ventilation, the chimney effect is even more powerful if designed correctly. Air rises as it warms. Creating a tall open space that rises through the home is the perfect place to create your chimney. Providing an operable skylight at the top of it will naturally draw the warm air up and out of the home.
A stairwell is an obvious choice and with an operable skylight above, not only do you get maximum air flow and comfort but also a splash of light as well.
4. Pick the right glazing
Admittedly not a choice for the ancients but glazing selection is a simple and effective choice for us moderns. The skylight mentioned above would be the perfect candidate for a low-e coating on the glazing to help cut UV rays and diminish heat gain. Adding low-e glass to a window that gets lots of sun is a step in the right direction in temperature comfort.
5. Building mass
Building with concrete and stone is a simple and easy way to moderate temperature. A heavy construction mass is slow to react to temperature fluctuations and remains cool for much of the day but absorbs enough heat by the end of it that it radiates warmth at night.
6. Courtyard
Building a home around an internal courtyard is a wonderful way to capture intimate exterior space while allowing maximum airflow when needed. Historically, courtyards have always played important roles for building layouts in hot climates.
Understanding the simple tricks to keeping spaces cooler is the first step to a more comfortable home.
Kevin Vallely is a residential designer in North Vancouver. vallely.ca
