As we increasingly experience summer weather during winter months, some locals are deciding to add air conditioning to their homes. Air conditioning draws significant electrical power, most of which is generated from fossil fuels, thus exacerbating the warming that this equipment is designed to counter, at least indoors. Even when powered by renewable energy, caution is advisable, since the production of any AC equipment uses a lot of resources.

If not air conditioning, what other options make sense? Adding exterior shading devices over windows that are bathed in the sun’s heat is one possibility. These can be trellises, with or without deciduous vines; canvas awnings that are fixed, manually adjustable or even motorized; fixed eyebrow extensions; vertical louvers or fins for east and west facing windows; or mesh solar shades that slide in vertical tracks on either side of the window which can cut out as much as 80% of the heat.

These exterior shading strategies are more effective at controlling solar gain than interior shading blinds or curtains. Well-designed sun control and shading devices can dramatically reduce building peak heat gain, while also improving visual comfort by controlling glare and reducing contrast ratios.

Another option is to change the glass in south facing windows to high-performance glazing that has a very low shading coefficient (SHGC-solar heat gain coefficient). Such glazing greatly reduces the need for exterior shading elements. To carry out this change, sometimes just the glass panels in old windows can be swapped out. At other times the entire window frame and sash need to be replaced to get optimal performance. This latter approach is expensive but does have advantages beyond just keeping unwanted heat out.

Top performing windows can also attenuate outside noise and keep the place warmer on cold winter days. Putting an operable window in a key location, where perhaps none existed before, can allow residents to open a house to cool early morning air on hot days, thereby implementing an effective natural cooling strategy.

Consider adding insulation to your existing walls and attic. In most cases this is less expensive than installing air conditioning equipment and helps not just to keep the house cool but also quiet and, when desired, warm as well. It definitely saves on heating and cooling bills. There are at least five materials and approaches to insulating existing houses: loose-fill cellulose, dense-packed cellulose, loose-fill fiberglass, dense-packed fiberglass and injection foam. Application skill is important for achieving a complete, high-performance thermal barrier, so getting the help of a professional is advisable.

A final, low-cost cooling option is to install Casablanca ceiling fans in the main rooms of a house. These don’t lower temperatures but they move air, thus making us feel cooler. If a room has a central ceiling light, a combined fan-light fixture can easily replace it.

Consider exploring these options before automatically turning to air conditioning.