Attention, heat build-up in the house!: This is how you cool all buildings

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In Switzerland, one heat record has been chasing the next since 2010. Temperatures above 30 and even 35 degrees are now common every summer, as are “tropical nights” where the temperature does not drop below 20 degrees.

This is not fruitless. Hot nights cause insomnia. Older people, in particular, have major problems with the heat generated inside buildings. However, in Switzerland and Europe only about ten percent of homes and apartments currently have air conditioning. As such, they are very poorly equipped for repeated periods of heat.

In this way, you can cool down in the short term.

Common methods of cooling your own four walls are now known. If you don’t have air conditioning, you should ventilate as much as possible and turn off as many electronic devices as possible during off-peak hours. Blick compiled the tips.

However, in most cases, only a few degrees can be achieved this way. Therefore, the demand for air conditioning systems is increasing. However, they are real power hunters. And the hot air is simply released outside. This leads to additional heat stress, especially in cities.

By definition, overheating in summer occurs when the perceived indoor temperature exceeds 27 degrees Celsius during the day and 25 degrees Celsius at night. The determining factor is the perceived temperature, not the actual air temperature.

In this way, all buildings can be kept cool

What should we do? It is up to architects to use modern construction methods to ensure that buildings are heated as little as possible. In return, they can lean into places that have been fiercely fought over for years. Houses on stilts or double roofs acting as parasols are common in southern France, Egypt, and elsewhere. Maybe soon in Switzerland? Likewise, more and more heat-repellent building materials are used. These include polished concrete slabs, terrazzo, ceramic tiles, solid brick or marble.

However, there are also measures that house or apartment owners or administrations can take foresight.

Green is great! That’s why you see many buildings with lush plants in the Mediterranean region.

Green facades and roofs have a positive effect on the microclimate around the building. Climbing plants such as ivy or vines on the facade provide shade and allow air circulation between them and the building’s surface. Trees near buildings also cool the air and provide ample shade, especially at the end of the day.

The combination of climbing plants and trees near the building can reduce the outside temperature of the walls by up to ten degrees.

Pool, canal or fountain: the water cools. Not only when drinking water and bathing, but also when used inside or on buildings. These create evaporative cooling: Water needs heat to evaporate. This heat is taken from the air.

The principle is known from Moroccan riads, that is, inner courtyards with fountains or pools. This cools the inner courtyard and surrounding buildings.

A high percentage of glass contributes greatly to overheating in the summer. However, apartments with lots of light are popular. The best solution is to use exterior blinds common in Mediterranean countries. If these are not available or the windows are too large, shutters and blinds offer the next best solution.

The trick is to keep all window coverings on the east facing closed in the morning and darken them as soon as the sun sets on the west side. This means that the light is still coming into the house from one side.

Source :Blick