Hot weather can be very challenging, particularly when it comes to your homes. In summer, Sydney’s weather can reach up to the mid-40s. This is why it’s important that you factor in the hot climate when you’re putting together the custom home of your dreams. Factors such as ventilation, artificial cooling, window coverings and insulation are crucial in the long term.

 

Here are 8 tips for building luxury custom homes in a hot climate.

1. Angles of the sun

Changing the location or the layout you’ve planned for your custom home can be challenging once decided. This is why tracking the sun, or rather, understanding how the different angles of the sun affects your household can go a long way in keeping your home cool. You should pay attention to where the sun rises and sets. The last thing you want is to have your living room or bedroom facing direct sunlight.

2. Window treatment

Well thought out window coverings is another effective way of curbing the heat. Although blinds and curtains alone might not do the job, they may offer some level of insulation and light control. Consider adding awnings and shutters to your window settings. This will ensure that even when the sun hits, the heat won’t transfer inside the house. 

3. Ventilation

When planning your quality custom home, factor in how cross ventilation will work across the household. Simply put, if you open a window on one side of the house, an equally sized window should ideally be open on the other side of the house too. This way, a constant stream of air flow is maintained, giving your house a natural cooling effect.

4. Stack effect

A stack effect is created when hot air rises up inside a building and exhausts through the roof. This can be made by setting up high-level windows under the ceiling line or via internal atriums.

5. Insulation

Good insulation throughout your house, particularly roof insulation, is key to effective cooling as it will help you all year around. This means your house will be cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. 

6. Outdoor room

Consider including an outdoor room in your custom home plan. An outdoor room with the right kind of shading like awnings or roller blinds can make for one of the coolest areas in your property.

7. Greenery

You can also consider planting greenery to keep your outdoor well shaded. For example, having deciduous plants in the garden provides effective sun relief, which can extend to your interior and keep it cool.

8. Artificial cooling

There are a variety of methods you can incorporate into your home’s design to help battle the heat. Ceiling fans are a low-cost method of cooling a particular area. Air-conditioning is the next obvious choice for specific areas in your luxury custom home. Having an air conditioning unit is a must-have, especially considering the summer heat.

 

Another possible option is hydrophobic cooling. This is where water runs through pipes placed all across the structure of the building. This would need to be accounted for when the house is being built.  

Talk to the experts

We understand that building the house of your dreams is no easy feat. Making long term considerations for a hot climate can be particularly challenging. Let us help. At Provincial Homes, we specialise in building high-quality custom homes and have served Australians for decades.

 

For more information, reach out to us via our contact page. You could also visit one of our display homes closest to you.