Beat the heat with passive cooling

By Bianca Hall

Jan 8, 2023

Top tip: When using air-conditioner units, keep windows and doors closed and minimise the area to be cooled by closing doors to rooms that don’t require cooling. Photo by Rodney Braithwaite

Seymour and district residents are feeling the heat this summer and finding efficient ways to keep the house cool saves both money and resources.

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Experts at Sustainability Victoria recommend passive cooling before flicking the switch on fans, evaporative coolers and air-conditioners.

Passive cooling techniques include insulation, window design, orientation and coverings, draught-proofing, ventilation and landscaping.

If you do need extra help to cool things down, fans can be a cheap and effective way to stay comfortable and assist with natural ventilation, helping to move air through your home.

When things really heat up, air-conditioners can be used to extract heat from inside, cooling the air.

Reverse-cycle air-conditioners are the most efficient.

Sustainability Victoria’s interim chief executive officer Matt Genever said if you did need to switch on the air-conditioning, remember to set it between 24°C and 26°C.

Every degree lower will increase running costs by about 10 per cent.

“By cooling your home efficiently, you can keep the summer heat out, make your home cheaper to run and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Mr Genever said.