As temperatures rise, households often try improvised fixes such as ice bowls and damp flannels. But a U.K. experiment suggests that two simpler measures may do more to keep indoor spaces livable, as the BBC reports.
What's happening?
Shading the outside of the home and keeping windows closed during the hottest daytime hours made a major difference, according to research from Loughborough University. In the study, a shaded house was about 10.8 degrees Fahrenheit (6 degrees Celsius) cooler than an unshaded one, according to the BBC.
For the test, the university used two matching semi-detached houses fitted with sensors and "heat boxes" meant to mimic indoor body heat. External shading was installed on one of them, while the other was left unshaded, the BBC said.
According to Dr. Ben Roberts, a senior lecturer in healthy buildings at Loughborough University, the shaded house had "considerable protection" from the heat and remained about 10.8 degrees Fahrenheit (6 degrees C) cooler than the standard home.
"This has been the hottest year we have ever conducted testing in," Roberts told the BBC. "We have seen temperatures well over 33C (91F) in the non-shaded house, and 29C (84F) in the shaded house."
The researchers also examined ventilation habits during extreme heat and found that a response many people assume will help can actually make it harder to cool a home, as the outlet noted.
TCD Picks » Good Store Spotlight
Get 10% off your next purchase with code TCD10
"These have shown during heatwaves you should keep your windows closed during the day," Roberts relayed to the BBC.
Why does it matter?
For many households, staying cool is no longer just a matter of comfort. Hotter summers can raise health risks, disrupt sleep, and make homes difficult to use during the day, especially for older adults, children, and people with medical conditions.
There is also a financial concern. If homes can stay cooler through shading and smarter ventilation, residents may be less likely to rely on costly air conditioning or run multiple fans for long stretches.
Even if a home does not have AC today, better passive cooling could help families avoid future purchases, on top of the ongoing electricity bills that come with them.
Roberts also pointed to a broader infrastructure issue in comments to the BBC.
"Air conditioning is going to be a bit of a problem for us at the moment because the electricity grid is not able to cope with that amount of electricity demand," he explained to the outlet.
What's being done?
Roberts suggested to the BBC that builders may need to incorporate external shading more routinely in new housing as temperatures continue to rise.
"I think we will see [an] increasing amount of external shading on homes," he said, per the outlet.
He added to the BBC that air conditioning may still become more common over time in places where noise or pollution makes opening windows difficult.
The Loughborough experiments centered on strategies that can be tested directly, and implemented without AC. The research showed there are effective remedies to keep a house cooler, instead of waiting until a home is already overheated.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
