Let’s face it, Brisbane doesn’t offer the coolest climate in Australia. It has a Zone 2 Climate, which means warm, humid summers and mild winters.
This makes building an efficient home even more complex. Not only do you want to keep the home cool in summer and warm in winter but you need to meet a minimum 6-star home energy rating. This gets tricky in a climate where air conditioners are used for most of the year to cool the home. So how do you ensure a comfortable and cool home without the strain on energy? We’ve got some tips on how you can build a more efficient and comfortable home.
Make sure the ceiling is well insulated
Insulating the roof will help control the amount of heat entering your home on those hot days. In Brisbane, this could mean using multiple layers of reflective foil in the ceiling which creates a one-way effect for that summer heat.
Ensure there is cross ventilation
Cross ventilation means that air can move from one side of the house to the other, cooling the rooms as it flows. Strategically placing windows and doors through entry and exit points gives access to the wind and creates cross ventilation throughout the house.
Include plenty of ceiling fans
Ceiling fans in living areas and bedrooms is now a requirement for homes built today. Aside from being a requirement, ceiling fans provide an excellent way to distribute cooler air around the house while saving money.
Install efficient fittings
For those installing an air conditioner, we recommend taking the time to research what the best air conditioning system may be for you. It may be a ducted system, which provides cooling to every part of the house, or maybe the more conventional split system, which provides cooling to selected rooms. Check out ‘How Energy Ratings Work For Air Conditioners’ for more information.
Reduce exposure to the sun
Coming home to a near-boiling house during summer is a reality for any Queenslander. An easy way to minimise the heat in your home is to install an exterior shade structure to block out the afternoon sun. Another option is to look into double glazing windows which act as an insulator keeping the heat in or out depending on the season.
If you’re a builder looking to install air conditioning in residential homes, then we would love to hear from you – Contact Star Air Conditioning today!
