Passive cooling is the least expensive means of cooling a home. It has the lowest environmental impact of all temperature control techniques and fits all Australian climates.
Passive cooling maximises building efficiency by minimising natural heat gain from the external environment and also by promoting heat loss.
There are a number of natural sources of cooling, including:
- Air movement
- Cooling breezes
- Evaporation
- Earth coupling
- Envelope design
Envelope design is the integrated design of building form and materials as a total system to achieve optimum comfort and energy savings.
For example, the thermal mass qualities of bricks, in conjunction with passive design, can help to level out internal building temperatures even in extreme climates.
Austral Bricks points out that, where clay bricks are used, the sun’s heat takes longer to heat up home interiors than other materials because bricks absorb, retain and release heat energy.
Another key factor in passive cooling and envelope design is, of course, insulation. Styrofoam extruded polystyrene insulation by Dow Building Solutions offers performance, high strength and excellent moisture resistance, making it ideal for below-ground and exposed roof-top insulation demands.
Dynamic Composite Technologies is the authorised Australian distributor of Dow Building Solutions products including Styrofoam.
