Sustainable Solutions to Building A Home that Beats the Summer Heat

As temperatures rise and climate change impacts our world, keeping your home cool and energy-efficient is more important than ever. 

Especially on the Mornington Peninsula, where the summer weather has us sweltering and heading to the beach for a surf, swim or SUP adventure.

We all want to be able to stay cool at home. And when you’re building or renovating your dream home, implementing sustainable cooling strategies can help you to reduce your carbon footprint, lower energy costs, and create a comfortable living environment for you and your family. 

Cool, icy watermelon and lime spritzers with sprigs of mint

Here’s my top four sustainable strategies for building a home that beats the summer heat in Australia.

#1. Harness Nature's Cooling Power

Nature has amazing cooling power that you can harness if you take into consideration the natural environment of your home location.

Ways that you can use nature to cool your home in summer include - 

Strategic Landscaping


What you plant in your garden and where you plant it can have a huge impact. 

By planting native deciduous trees around your home, you’ll get shade during summer and allow sunlight in during winter. 

You can also consider including native climbing vines to cover walls both in your garden and on your home exterior, which helps to reduce heat absorption.

Ventilation


Including windows in the right position in your home design will help you maximise natural ventilation. You can then take advantage of the cool change by opening windows and doors during cooler parts of the day. And if you’ve got your planning right, cross-ventilation will help circulate the air and draw heat out of your home.

Nighttime Cooling


Open windows at night to let cool air in and close them during the day to trap the coolness.

#2. Optimise Your Home's Design

When you work with your architect to optimise the design of your home, you’ll be able to implement design choices that help to keep your home cool in summer (and warm in winter).

Speak to your architect about making sure you include - 

Shading Devices & Heat Gain Reduction


Think about installing elements like glazing films, awnings, blinds, or curtains to block direct sunlight and reduce heat gain. Remember - the better your window glaze, the better they’ll perform at keeping out the heat.

Insulation


Proper insulation helps maintain a consistent temperature, keeping your home cool in summer and warm in winter.

Draught Proofing


Draughts are one of the biggest culprits of letting in the summer heat. Work with your architect to choose windows and doors that are high quality and suitable for the Australian summer to block cool (or warm) air from escaping.

#3. Choose Efficient Cooling Systems

When you invest in efficient cooling systems from the start, not only will you beat the heat, you’ll improve the cost efficiency of running your home day-to-day in the Australian heat.

When you’re choosing efficient cooling systems for your new home or renovation, make sure you think about - 

High-Efficiency Air Conditioners


Choose energy-efficient air conditioning units with high SEER ratings.

Programmable Thermostats


Programmable thermostats allow you to automatically adjust temperatures when you're away or asleep, so you’re not using energy when you don’t need to.

Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans are a great way to help circulate air throughout your home and create a cool breeze.

Ventilation Systems


It’s not something that’s thought about enough. But installing proper ventilation in your home can help remove hot, stale air and improve indoor air quality.

#4. Making Sustainable Lifestyle Choices

Keeping cool isn’t just about the big choices like air-conditioning, ventilation and insulation. My fourth sustainable strategy is about making smaller, everyday, sustainable choices that can help your home beat the summer heat.

We’re talking - 

Energy-Efficient Appliances


Choosing energy-efficient appliances will help to reduce heat generation within your home.

Low-Energy Lighting


Using LED or CFL bulbs will also help you minimise heat output.

Cook Smart


Avoid using the oven on hot days and opt for cooler cooking methods like grilling or even outdoor BBQing, and think ahead about these options when you’re in the design phase.

Mindful Consumption


We’re all responsible for slowing down climate change. When you make the choice to reduce your energy consumption by being mindful of your habits, such as turning off lights and electronics when not in use, you’ll be helping the planet to beat the heat.

Staying cool in summer starts with your home design

When you take the time to think about the performance of your home in the design phase, you’ll set yourself on a path to home harmony all year round, through the heat of summer and the cold of winter.

By incorporating elements of my four sustainable cooling strategies into your home, you can create a comfortable and eco-friendly living space. 

Remember, small changes can make a big difference when it comes to keeping your house cool, while also reducing your environmental impact and saving energy.