Our director Talina Edwards was interviewed for this “Climate Ready” article about keeping cool in heatwaves.

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Here’s a clear summary of best practices to help you and your home stay more comfortable this summer.

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The list below is an excerpt from the RENEW publication; download the PDF to read the full article. 

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Getting ready for heatwaves

Talina Edwards from Envirotecture says to focus on passive cooling first when preparing for heatwaves this summer.

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Passive cooling: Keeping yourself cool on a budget

• Exclude summer sun during the day with external blinds, pergolas and shade-mesh

• Keep out direct sun and hot air

• Use cross ventilation, stack ventilation and night purging for cooling

• Sleep in cooler parts of the house

• Take short cool showers or apply wet towels to face

• Sleep with a damp cloth

• Don't cook a roast!

• Drink water-stay hydrated!

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Passive cooling: keeping your home cool

• Upgrade insulation-not just for winter! Roof first, then walls, then floors

• Draught seal gaps

• Fit external blinds

• Shading on the north-horizontal eaves overhead

• Shading on the west/east-vertical screens/blinds

• Plan ahead and plant deciduous trees or vines

• Windows-follow Australian Glass & Window Association (AGWA) guidelines to choose the right glazing or reflective coatings for the right climate zone.

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Active cooling: for this summer and beyond

• Use portable fans and ceiling fans

• Install an efficient reverse-cycle air conditioner

• Install a solar PV system or buy GreenPower from the grid to run aircon

• Consider mechanical ventilation (MVHR) with both heat-recovery in winter and coolth-recovery in summer. MVHR can have dehumidification for hot-humid climates.

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Bigger picture: cooling the planet

• Make decisions to reduce your impact on the planet, and the effects of the climate emergency

• Reduce CO2 emissions and get off gas

• Avoid grid overload-find community places where you can keep cool

• Avoid power-hungry tasks during the day—no ovens!

• Avoid the heat island effect - plant more shade trees, avoid black roofs, add more permeable surfaces and less bitumen

‍This article was published in RENEW Issue 165 in Oct 2023. See more here and consider subscribing to Renew and/or Sanctuary magazine to support their great work.

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