Passive Cooling: 3 of the Best Design Strategies (How to Stay Cool with No AC!)

[@truesouthdesigns4304]

These are all free. It's incredible how many modern-day designers and builders do not consider passive solar design and build principles. Thank you for spreading the word.

[@christinaransbury]

Thanks, it's really about getting back to basics.

[@DavidLockett-x4b]

I designed and build a solar efficient home almost forty years ago using many of the techniques discussed in this video and they work just fine. I am in Perth, Western Australia where it can get very hot in the summer (40+ degrees C, 104 F), but even without any mechanical air conditioning the house remains cool in the summer and warm in the winter, with very little in the way of mechanical heating or cooling. The thing to consider carefully is adequate insulation all around, and avoiding thermal bridging that will allow heat to pass from the exterior to the interior of the building, or the other way around. I did at first have some issues with this which once identified needed to be retrofitted. Also, if you use thermal mass in the building such as clay bricks, understand that it will take some time (possibly years) for all of the residual heat stored within the fired bricks to escape and the bricks to cool completely, but once this has happened then the thermal mass works just fine. I have observed that over the years we have saved significant amounts of money by not needing to install, operate, maintain, and eventually replace mechanical heating or cooling systems.

[@jennyhoman195]

This is fantastic! I am building in East Africa and this is wonderful information. Thank you

[@christinaransbury]

Glad to be of help - best of luck on your build!

[@renxoggs2867]

This is a great start for people who would want to dabble around with the mentioned techniques, thanks for the pointers! p.s. I'm not sure why people in the comments are criticizing the camera position as well as voice overs, I think they are well-done and well-edited, keep it up!

[@christinaransbury]

Thanks, I appreciate the encouragement!

[@vdawgbirdman]

Fantastic brief and informative video providing a good jump off point for passive design methods 😊

[@stiaininbeglan3844]

Nevermind the naysayers and those who seem to think their criticism is warranted. This video was very well put together, and diagrams and design sketches usually give much more detail than actual pictures of existing structure. If your viewers call for real life examples, you can always put together a video or series of videos featuring that, but those examples don't HAVE to be included in an instructional video like this. As for criticism regarding your filming and framing, let your video editor worry about that, if you have one, and if you do it yourself, don't take just random advice from random internet strangers. Your video editing looks great.

[@false-zd5uj]

good luck editing having the camera position too low

[@false-zd5uj]

Blindly criticizing someone makes you a jerk, but blatantly lying and brushing off clear faults is equally bad. Pretending everything is perfect helps no one, least of all the creator, who might genuinely want to improve. Constructive feedback, even when critical, is far more valuable than empty praise. Dismissing valid observations as 'random advice from strangers' not only disrespects those who take time to offer input but also undermines the creator's growth. Encouragement is great, but it should never come at the expense of honesty and meaningful improvement.

[@christinaransbury]

Thanks for the encouraging words - I appreciate your support!

[@chelin7023]

This is the first video I come across that explain the dynamics of passive cooling of a structure. Thank you! Many videos address the A/C systems and “close envelope” of the structure, but the content of your video is very interesting!

[@christinaransbury]

Thanks! Its a bummer there isnt more information out there on the topic -- happy to be spreading the word!

[@RamarMsuya]

Very helpful.

[@roger236]

Hot topic, 🔥 cool video 🌬❣

[@debscamera2572]

This is the best summary I've heard yet. Thanks!

[@christinaransbury]

Aw thanks!!

[@leonlowenstadter9223]

I like your content, but I like to point at the sun having the highest power at noon (the sun's highest point) which in the northern hemisphere is south. When hitting glas, the light is "converted" to heat. Preventing the most powerful light to fall through glass will have the highest impact. The highest temperatures though are in late afternoon as it takes time for everything to heat up. When you are not in a region with heavy or frequent rain, it makes more sense to have outside window blinds like the ones you see in Spain or Italy than any kind of roof. You have a light and bright room when you want it (winter) and can keep the sun outside when you need to.

[@christinaransbury]

Agreed!

[@danoneill2846]

Cool !

[@sameddleman4991]

Love this content.

[@gccgcc8426]

You make fantastic KZbin videos keep it up!!!

[@christinaransbury]

Thank you! I appreciate the encouragement!

[@affie3279]

Great! ❤🎉 now we need a video on passive heating

[@christinaransbury]

Thanks! Totally, on it! Also, coming out with a passive solar course soon! stay tuned :)

[@johnquarles3305]

great stuff

[@saranbhatia8809]

Good presentation!

[@christinaransbury]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@arcusmc]

I'm designing for a tight house but also for passive ventilation with my fans, window types and placements. For those nice sping and fall days where I don't need to run my hvac and dehum.

[@christinaransbury]

Very smart!

[@ashishpatel350]

hwo did they do it? magic.

[@TomiasM911]

Awesome.

[@zainalgailea8460]

Thank you. 😊

[@christinaransbury]

Glad this video was helpful!

[@johnb5478]

This is really good. I'm going to be building a house in the philippines, could you please do a video on how to reduce energy consumption in a hot and humid climate? Thank you.

[@christinaransbury]

Thanks! That is a good suggestion! Humidity can certainly get tricky, so will have to

[@leonlowenstadter9223]

Usually people think insulation is for cold climat only. But it actually works in hot climate, too. It reduces heat (or cool) "travel" in both directions. You would need less ernergy to keep a room or building cool. However, solar panels may reduce your costs on the mid-term run, too. After 20 years they usually still have 80% of their initial performance.

[@johnb5478]

@leonlowenstadter9223 to anyone who knows this better than I do, my question is this. If we're in the Philippines for the ambient temperature during the summer is 90, and I'm comfortable with my house at 80 with ceiling fans, that's only 10° difference. If I'm in the north where it's 0 outside, and I want my house at 68°, that's 68° that I have to keep out. With only a 10° difference between outside and inside temperature, the insulation requirements have to be a lot different. I'm wondering if I should spend money on solar panels and air conditioning versus insulating the walls and ceiling and getting double or triple pane glass?

[@leonlowenstadter9223]

@johnb5478 Honestly, I am not an expert but I taught myself a lot about it. However, the insulation would make most sense on walls to the south so that less heat passes the wall. Insulation on the ceiling or the floor are more for cold climates as you like to keep the heat from exiting upwards or the cold "draining" heat from below the building. Replacing the windows is far more expensive than insulation, so this is usually a bit further down the road. However, insulation needs to be thought in combination with your high humidity (mold). On the other hand, compared to solar panels and A/C it's no maintenance. As you probably have many sunny days A/C with solar panels probably makes most sense as A/C reduces humidity, too.

[@johnb5478]

@leonlowenstadter9223 thank you for the reply. I had considered getting a whole house dehumidifier, but I don't know why I wasn't remembering that AC also removes humidity. I appreciate you reminding me of that and we will stick as much money as we can into keeping the sun off the walls and windows and get some panels and mini splits where we need them. Thanks again.

[@edi9892]

I wonder what you have to say for heating. I live in Europe and we don't usually have AC despite temperatures may go from -20°C to +42°C. Thus, it can get unbearable in summer, especially because of heat getting trapped inside. On the other hand, we still need to heat a lot in winter and the energy goes literally straight out of the window the moment we want fresh air! Plus, we have simultaneously too dry indoor air in most places (irritated noses and eyes) and still a mold problem in bath, kitchen and basement, and any place where cold and warm rooms share a wall...

[@christinaransbury]

Hey! Yes I will be doing a video on heating here soon. It sounds like there is not enough insulation and lack of balanced ventilation. Its still important to have mechanical ventilation in cold climates to filter incoming air on days you don't want to use passive ventilation / open a window. This will also evenly distribute internal humidity throughout the spaces. I would insulate between warm and cold rooms, as there where be condensation on any surface if the delta between the temperature is too much. Hope that helps!

[@edi9892]

@christinaransbury Thanks. Two of three apartments I've been to have no window in the bathroom and both bath and kitchen have electric ventilation, but in many cases, it seems woefully inadequate.

[@christinaransbury]

@@edi9892 exactly, they did not size it correctly. Also, whole house ventilation would be ideal, not just kitchens and baths!

[@tukek88]

thanks Christina

[@plinble]

1:10 appreciate the disclaimer. Hot and humid is difficult. Stay slim, do, eat, and wear little?

[@christinaransbury]

hahaha! yes!! I am working with a mechanical designer on some passive solutions for this but still knocking our heads for that one!!

[@Babarmeer18855]

Well done, girl. 🎉This is exactly what we need to resort to - nature. Nature has treasures of comfort and solutions to our excesses. All we need is wake up to it. Let me congratulate you for showcasing a noble novelty we have distanced from over the years in search of comfort and returning to it for the same. Christina you are marketting gifts of nature and I love the very idea. I love countryside living and have been enjoying many of the nature's gifts most of my life. I am planning to build a granpa house using gifts of nature, no electric lighting during day. Cooling without ac, potable water from humid air, a slide with each stair, worm holes between floors for kid adventure, a diy family workshop. A rugged but safe lift between floors (when my knees back out on me)😂, and so on it goes. Imagination, imagination, imagination!!! Christina, I am 70. Will you help me design my house. You will be my guest in Pakistan when complete and I will take you around to Gilgit, Kashmir & to stunning beauty of further north. So, what do you say, nature lover? I am a mechanical engineer with hydropower as lifetime profession. Your presentation was substantial with simple science, I have subscribed your channel to remain in touch.

[@christinaransbury]

replied to your email!

[@pg5684]

I'm totally into all this! I live by an experimental house from back in the 70's that used a pool of water on the roof!

[@clove9293]

Was it still? Sounds like a mosquito breeding factory

[@christinaransbury]

Yes! That is another method that can also be used for passive heating and storing heat since water is such a great thermal battery. Im hesitant to put water on roofs in my projects (just from a water proofing standpoint). How is it currently performing after all these years?

[@christinaransbury]

Hahaha! Im assuming it was enclosed.

[@harrisedgar]

The ceiling cooling tubes as a radiant cooling system is a fantastic idea..!!! I've never thought of it. (or heard of it) Thank you..!!! I'm suscribing.!!

[@christinaransbury]

Thanks for subscribing! Im glad it was helpful!

[@user-ep3ck5re4o]

Your medals are in the mail

[@coastofkonkan]

Visit Kerala India to see some amazing work on climate ready homes

[@xeedsenterprise505]

Can you make videos on that?

[@christinaransbury]

Thanks for the tip! I'll have to check it out!

[@christinaransbury]

On climate ready homes? or on Kerala India?

[@jitu-nf4dd]

❤❤❤

[@fairyprincess2084]

In our region the air is too hot outside. So I think passive cooling rolls can't work here. Am l right?

[@christinaransbury]

it depends on the humidity levels. Passive Cooling techniques are like "preventative" care... they should be implemented prior to mechanical means. Some climates require mechanical cooling, but should be minimized as much as possible with passive techniques before hand.

[@fairyprincess2084]

@christinaransbury ❤️

[@soujirou86]

washita

[@MushtaqAhmed-c8l]

You are showing design not real picture it could be fantastic if you could show real picture how could cool

[@MarkSmith-Uzor]

Exactly!!!!!👍🏾👍🏾

[@christinaransbury]

Thanks for the feedback! I'm planning on creating a video with more real-world examples in the future, stay tuned!

[@emmanuelgutierrez8616]

Put the camera 6" higher, remove glasses to remove glare. Use animation to show low and high pressure zones, easy with ai

[@stiaininbeglan3844]

Is this supposed to be criticism or unsolicited constructive criticism?

[@christinaransbury]

Thanks for the feedback. I am generally new to KZbin!

[@annashealthylifeeverything8583]

And switch off the background noise!

[@false-zd5uj]

suggestions: camera position is too low, move it up and stop moving your chin up. Plus it might be a good idea to do some vocal warm ups prior, you're voice is a bit too nasal sounding.

[@christinaransbury]

Thanks for the feedback! I'll work on the camera angles and voice work for the next one!

[@user-ep3ck5re4o]

What - and you are perfect, wanker comment

[@DempoDempo-mj1ps]

to looong to expose your face

[@christinaransbury]

As in you would like to see more graphics?