Passive cooling is the least expensive means of cooling your home both financially and environmentally. A home that has passive cooling principles utilise non-mechanical means such as orientation, insulation, ventilation, shading, and windows to cool both people and the home.
Some passive cooling examples are:
- shading windows from direct sun radiation
- using lighter coloured roofs to reflect heat
- using insulation to minimise conducted and radiated heat gain
- designing the home to improve air movement, allowing cool breeze to enter the home, and hot air to escape
To maximise heat loss, natural sources of cooling such as air movement, evening breezes, evaporation, and reflection of radiation should be considered.
For additional resources about passive cooling, visit YourHome website.