Hi Fred,
Air conditioning or active cooling should be seen as an absolute last resort if you are experiencing overheating issues. A well designed and well insulated building shouldn’t need it. The problems that cause overheating are often the same as those that cause cold internal temperatures in winter: lack of thermal insulation and the continuity of that insulation. Loft conversions are the classic example – in order to maintain headroom, thin insulation is used. The result is that in winter it is freezing and in summer it is boiling as the heat radiated through. Similar issues occur with bay windows (thinner construction) or dormers. Overheating is also causes by too much solar gain entering through windows or rooflights that lack shading devices. This can be tackled by physically changing the glass to one that rejects the sun’s heat, adding shading devices externally or internally. Finally, ensuring adequate background ventilation should help maintain stable internal temperatures. I’m certain they’d be many things to explore in your home before thinking about active mechanical cooling.
Alex Bell – Chapter 2 Architects
