I know that air-conditioning can suck up a lot of energy but is there anything I can do to keep our home cool without it?
Henry. Cremorne.
G'day Henry! There are plenty of design interventions and changes to behaviour and expectations that you can make before resorting to the dreaded air con which will add to long term global temperatures while it is cooling your home down for a couple of hours. Do your best to avoid switching it on!
As an easy starting point if you haven't taken advantage of the government rebates on insulation then look into it asap - make sure you go with a reputable and approved installer as it has been noted there are a few shonks making a quick buck. You could also explore your options to keep the sun's heat out of your home through the use of external shading devices like blinds or screens on the outside of your windows and walls and strategically placed trees, pergolas or vine covered trellises. The key is to keep the heat out of the house in the first place – once the light travels through the glass or the heat is absorbed through the walls it then becomes a problem when the weather is hot. Deciduous plants help that same sun warm up your home in winter when they drop their leaves (which can go straight into your compost or become deep litter for your chooks to scratch in. Ceiling or pedestal fans are an effective and lower energy alternative to the energy guzzling air con as is ensuring that you have a good cross ventilation to let any cooling breezes through so protect our climate while keeping some money in your pocket!
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