As climate change leads to more frequent and severe heatwaves, effective cooling strategies are becoming increasingly essential for homeowners across the globe. For the new SEER min, more specific standards are required, such as cooler homes on hot summer nights. Get some cross ventilation going. Use your windows in combination with some nighttime or early morning roof fans. You can even help to cool your space by growing houseplants!
Shamila Haddad, a climate adaptation specialist, underscored the need for building-focused strategies for cooling homes. “Building-oriented measures include closing blinds or curtains during daylight hours, installing external shading and light-coloured blinds to block direct sunlight, window film, and increasing airflow with fans, ceiling fans and cross ventilation,” she explains. When used in tandem, these strategies can work together to mitigate the heat that is trying to get into a home.
One of the simplest ways to keep home interiors cooler during peak heat is to ventilate with open windows at night. This practice encourages cooler air to flow through the entire home, naturally cooling the house below its normal temperature. And fans can enhance this effect too by encouraging airflow to help the space feel even more comfortable.
Beyond these easy modifications to your sleeping environment, Haddad notes that personalizing your bedding can further improve comfort during hot summer nights. Personal doonas help each sleeper tailor their bedding according to their own unique body temperature. This allows them to continuously sleep cool, even in hot, humid weather.
Along with increasing temps for humans, welfare of our pets is an important issue. Sarah Zito, senior scientific officer for companion animals at RSPCA Australia calls on pet owners to bring your animals indoors whenever you are able to. This matters, even if they lack air conditioning. “This is especially crucial for animals confined to cages such as rabbits, guinea pigs and birds as they can’t seek a cooler location on their own,” Zito states. Consider designating a pet-friendly ‘cool zone’. This designated play area should be well-ventilated with airflow and/or natural shade to protect them from extreme heat.
Planting grass and watering the plants early in the morning has been recognized as another inexpensive effective cooling strategy for homes. Gregory Moore is a senior research associate at University of Melbourne’s School of Agriculture. He goes deep into the science of why this approach works on their blog. That’s because it’s a process called transpiration, the evaporation of water from the leaves of plants. It takes heat out of the air immediately surrounding the leaves. That’s why, for example, a single, large plant with broad leaves can make a dramatic difference,” he explains. By assembling indoor plants, homeowners can reduce the temperature of a room by increasing the water vaporization process called transpiration.
Foliage is very important for cooling. Increasing aesthetic value, indoor plants have been shown to play a major role in cooling. As much as 87% of a home’s heat can be lost or gained through windows. That’s why it’s so important to keep direct sunlight out – and as early in the day as possible. Smaller plants with smaller leaves, Moore asserts, will cool less and the larger plants with the bigger leaves will offer even more cooling benefits. “Many indoor plants such as monsteras, philodendrons, rubber plants and even some indoor palms will do well,” he adds.
To increase the effectiveness of your new cooling habitat, don’t allow the soil of your house plants to dry out. Don’t keep them too wet, this prevents them from transpiring well. Opening windows at night and closing them in the morning helps remove trapped heat from homes, creating a more comfortable living space.
Energy efficiency homeowners—particularly mitigating the use of appliances that produce heat—are just as important. This means steering clear of ovens and other electronics during peak heat hours. This method is a great addition to other passive cooling strategies and provides more stable indoor temperatures that are lower.
As more communities face extreme heat due to climate change, finding accessible alternatives to air conditioning becomes vital for public health. Professor Ollie Jay notes that “Heatwaves claim lives every year, so it’s essential that people who can’t afford air-conditioning know that a fan is a good alternative and could even save lives.”
