Plan for summer heat when building your home

Many builders make the mistake that insulation is just a matter of heat preservation. There is nothing wrong with this, but the problem of heat development on hot summer days should not be ignored. When designing your house you can take one thing or another into account so that you can sit in a pleasantly cool house on hot August days.

Integrated air conditioning/ventilation systems

The most effective way is air conditioning. However, the mistake that is often made is to equate an air conditioning system with a ventilation system. The difference between the two systems is quickly explained. A ventilation system works with outside air. In principle, this can be equated to several open windows for the draft. The outside air is circulated through the ventilation system and is therefore perceived as refreshing.

Air conditioning systems regulate the air in the room

With air conditioning you can independently regulate the temperature of the room. This will be z. B. allows a constant room temperature of 25 degrees or cooler. Insulation is necessary to ensure that despite air conditioning you do not incur immense energy costs. The purpose of an air conditioning system is to maintain a certain temperature. Poorly insulated buildings heat up more quickly, causing air conditioning to run at maximum level for longer periods of time.

Window with sun protection

However, insulation is only effective if the windows meet all requirements to ensure that excessive heat does not develop. We recommend using windows with integrated sun protection. These windows have the property that the heat is reflected directly back. It becomes particularly interesting when permanently integrated external roller shutters are planned in the construction of a house. Instead of roller shutters, windows with integrated shutters can be used. This type of window is built according to the “sandwich principle”. The permanently integrated blind sits between two glass panes. When closed, it protects against heat development and, unlike traditional roller shutters, is protected from external environmental influences.

The cost of buildings with integrated air conditioning/ventilation systems and windows with integrated sun protection is difficult to calculate. It basically depends on the total surface area and the number of windows.

Upgradable options to “lock in” heat

In existing buildings there are also one or two ways to cope with the August heat, without structural measures.

Mobile air conditioning units

The price of mobile air conditioners has a relatively wide range. Economic models are available starting from €100. In expensive models it is not uncommon for the final price to be in the three-digit range.

The differences lie in functionality, effectiveness, quality, energy consumption and design.

A mobile air conditioner cools warm ambient air in a room. A direct comparison is often made with fans, although both types of cooling are completely different. While an air conditioner lowers the room temperature, the fan provides only isolated “sprays” of air to the room. The fan does not use any cooling, only ambient air is circulated. If the internal temperature is 30 degrees or higher, there is no point in using a fan. Because ultimately the warm air only spreads further.

Curtains and films for sun protection

On windows without integrated sun protection it is often advisable to keep the shutters closed. However, these are less effective because the heat still enters the rooms. This only accumulates between the window glass and the shutters and after a short time spreads throughout the room.

Sunscreen films are generally cheaper and more effective. By attaching it to the window, the heat does not have a chance to enter the room and is reflected back to the outside, similar to integrated sun protection.

Our advice: Make the most of your building design possibilities!

Air conditioners and windows with integrated sun protection can be optimally adapted to the surface area of the individual rooms. This has the advantage that cooling is possible in a faster period of time and, through the correct calculation, considerable energy costs can be saved. Adapted cooling sources are always based on a standard value and usually consume energy unnecessarily.