To make homes sustainable, they must be comfortable for inhabitants all year long. This can be tricky to do. However, an architect can help. There are several ways they can account for the climate as well as heating and cooling needs. As some of the best architects London has, we have experience here. In fact, we can design effective solutions for various properties.

What is comfortable?

The tricky thing with a home is that people will find different conditions to be ideal in different parts of the property. For example, you won’t want bedrooms that are so hot you can’t sleep. Similarly, you won’t want a bathroom that is freezing all year round. If you have a home office, library, or even a pool or gym, you’ll want other conditions.

On top of the fact that people will want different temperatures in different areas, the seasons will also have an impact. In the summer you’ll want to be able to enjoy the heat and light. However, in winter you’ll want to be snug and cosy.

Orientation

One of the key things to think about is how the orientation will impact the temperature. Here you need to plan for where the sun will be when it is out and what it means for different parts of the property. For example, you may not want to have bedrooms on the south facing side of the building because they could be too warm in summer. Bathrooms and kitchens however may be best here so they will be warmer.

Natural ventilation

Surprisingly, cooling a property down can be much harder than warming it up. Electric fans also tend to consume more energy than an efficient heating system. It is better to design the property so it has really good natural ventilation. This could include large windows you can open when you want to let more air in. It is also a good idea to think about things like cross breezes.

Smart thermostats and heating controls

There are lots of great options to help you control the temperature in different parts of the building. A great option is a thermostat that will let you break the property up into zones. That way you could changes temperatures to keep each area comfortable and adapt them as the seasons change.

Other things

There are a number of other things that can affect how comfortable a home is. For example, you may want to look at humidity. If rooms are very humid when it is warm, people will get very uncomfortable. A good solution is to choose a dehumidifier. Staying on top of maintenance is important too, especially with HVAC equipment.

Talk to expert architects in London

Coffey Architects understands how to make properties comfortable. We also appreciate that the UK has quite a unique climate to account for. It can go from periods of really warm weather to very long spells of cold with lots of wind and rain. As a result, it can be tricky to design a property that can adapt to such a changing environment. We can help though.

If you want to create a home that will be comfortable at every time of the year, speak to us. We are forward thinking architects London clients can trust. Every design we create is properly considered and planned so it benefits the inhabitants.