Most efficient house to keep cool?

**nigelandjan** · 26-08-2015, 12:28 AM

Originally Posted by FatOne

good heavy curtains should serve a similar purpose.

If that don't work they will come in very useful for wiping up all the ghekco shit on the window sills

**SiLeakHunt** · 26-08-2015, 01:04 AM

Originally Posted by gerry53

The flat roof with a certain level of soil, grass and plants works great at insulating but I don't think is practical on residential houses due to higher cost and engineering.

Flat roofs are forever leaking and need resealing, they're OK in arid countries but a nightmare anywhere there's rain

**gerry53** · 26-08-2015, 06:58 AM

Originally Posted by SiLeakHunt

Originally Posted by gerry53

The flat roof with a certain level of soil, grass and plants works great at insulating but I don't think is practical on residential houses due to higher cost and engineering.

Flat roofs are forever leaking and need resealing, they're OK in arid countries but a nightmare anywhere there's rain

Can you imagine digging up 60cm or 2 feet of soggy soil and grass in a monsoon to stop the water pouring in? Trying to seal that under those conditions would be impossible. Not for me.

**VocalNeal** · 26-08-2015, 08:02 AM

OP I am curious you ask for the opinion of others then pick apart the suggestions.

Was this simple a troll all along or do you have a pet theory about the subject.

**bobo746** · 26-08-2015, 08:03 AM

Fill the place with air con units job done.

**Norton** · 26-08-2015, 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by gerry53

I built one house and used the single row of Q-Con blocks and was pretty happy with them and their insulation qualities. The positioning of that house was ideal with the smallest exterior wall having southern exposure supplemented with trees and a sala to shade that wall. All rooms have A/C but I used the smallest sizes I could get away with so they worked a bit longer but used less power

Sounds like you pretty much have it right.

Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) blocks. Qcon but one of several brands available in Thailand in varying thicknesses.

20 X 60 X 7.5
20 X 60 X 10.0
20 X 60 X 12.5
20 X 60 X 15.0
20 X 60 X 20.0

Use the 15 or 20 cm for exterior walls. No need for double wall with air gap. 10 cm for interior walls. These blocks are used extensively these days so finding experienced builder is easy.

Single story with floor raised about 50cm above ground with ventilated crawl way under floor would be better choice than a slab. Stays cool and raises floor to prevent water reaching the floor. Also allows access to sewage pipes and room for tubing to inject insect killer under the house.

Reflective sheet under roof tiles is worth the cost. Coolroof is one brand but others available. Well ventilated attic with above ceiling insulation is a must.

Double glazed and/or low E windows are expensive. Certainly good as insulator but I opted not to use. Plenty of shade trees and plants around the house and window coverings keep things cool. Double glazed windows do however dampen sound. Something to consider if you build in a noisey area.

Plenty of air con size calculators on line. Use to calculate size you need and off ya go to purchase. Recommend inverter type.

Do all above and your house will be cool enough to hang meat in.

**gerry53** · 26-08-2015, 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

OP I am curious you ask for the opinion of others then pick apart the suggestions.

Was this simple a troll all along or do you have a pet theory about the subject.

Not at all. A friend is building a house and he was trying to build a reasonable priced one that wasn't too expensive to keep cool.
Nothing was picked apart, some ideas are sensible but some are impractical or not cost effective.

**pominasia** · 26-08-2015, 10:57 AM

This is what we did:
- downstairs walls constructed with those nasty little red bricks
- upstairs timber walls
- 1 m roof overhangs plus a skirt roof at the brick/timber level, plus tree shade
- tinted glass plus lace curtails
- the most exposed Southwest wall is the upstairs bathroom
- the house is on a ground slab about 0.5 m high
- high ceilings with large remote control fans in the living area and the bedrooms
- A/C for the downstairs living area and each upstairs bedroom

This is what we get. Here are the temperatures over a hot day during April - with no breeze:

time 6:00 9:00 12:00 15:00 18:00
indoors deg C 29 28 29 30 31
shaded porch 26 33 38 39 34

So downstairs indoors is around 29 deg C all day. Incidentally the koi pond temperature is 32. I guess represents the ambient temperature of the area. The wind chill from ceiling fans cool the inside, making A/C unnecessary for general living. (We used it when the monks came). On hot days at night we use A/C in the bedrooms, with the fans.

This works for us.

The picture was taken at about 9:00 am. That green shade netting is over the koi pond - but that's another story

**Norton** · 26-08-2015, 02:14 PM

Very nice. Many ways to skin a cat when it comes to a cool house.

**SiLeakHunt** · 26-08-2015, 03:16 PM

just seen the answer to the stilts issue, stilts are to avoid flooding but hot air rising is an issue, build on mound with structural piles, its elevated from floods and not getting hot air

**cdnski12** · 26-08-2015, 11:02 PM

DOH ... why didn't I think of that? Solar Power in sunny Thailand. Electricity very expensive in Thailand. Bad dam building in LOS. Go figure ... Eh?

**Pragmatic** · 27-08-2015, 06:37 AM

Originally Posted by SiLeakHunt

stilts are to avoid flooding

It doesn't flood where I live and there's no chance of that changing. So why do they still build upwards. I think it's for show in making the house look bigger that what it is. Prestige for the family?

**boloa** · 27-08-2015, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

Originally Posted by SiLeakHunt

stilts are to avoid flooding

It doesn't flood where I live and there's no chance of that changing. So why do they still build upwards. I think it's for show in making the house look bigger that what it is. Prestige for the family?

A few other reasons .....reduced mosquito's ,keeping out vermin ,somewhere cool in the day to sit and a safe storage area.

**bindog** · 27-08-2015, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by gerry53

When I get up in the morning on hot days I don't throw open the doors and windows but make sure I keep the coolness inside.

Most important. Here in Australia it can get quite warm, and after 20+ years here my (Thai) wife still cannot resist the urge to throw those doors and windows open on hot days. But when I'm up early enough to stop her, I can keep the house cool into mid-afternoon without air-con, even on 40 degree days. Once the heat penetrates the insulation though, it's air-con or nothing.

Big problem we have is the house is made of clay brick and the roof of cement tiles. You can feel the heat radiating off them both well into the night. Our Thailand build will have the QCon blocks and a well-insulated / ventilated metal roof. On a slab.

**bindog** · 27-08-2015, 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

I have also seem double roofs but only on flat roof houses where there is a lightweight steel aluminum "shade' above the roof proper.

You know, walking past a warehouse or something near Buriram one day I spotted their roofed, open-sided truck parking area. Steel frame and girders. (?) Huge area underneath, almost enough for a house...

So my wife thinks I'm mad and wouldn't it be ugly, but build your house under one of those and you'll be in permanent shade.

**SiLeakHunt** · 28-08-2015, 01:04 AM

If you've got a teenage son connect his right hand to a large fan with string, that should keep the house cool until he gets a girlfriend

**bindog** · 15-09-2015, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by SiLeakHunt

If you've got a teenage son connect his right hand to a large fan with string, that should keep the house cool until he gets a girlfriend

Oooohhh, I've just 'got' your moniker. You silly cvnt! Haha, my ebay username is 'ahsol'. Not as subtle as yours.

Revisiting the thread to post a couple of links I have come across in the last week.

Oz govt website about sustainable housing, passive cooling etc.

And a case study on that site that seems to be right up the OP's alley: Case Study: Darwin river NT

Cheers.

**Stumpy** · 16-09-2015, 12:19 AM

There are a myriad of ways to build and keep your house thermally efficient. IMHO the first consideration is where you are building.

Few examples;
Say you were building a house on a big flatland area, no shade and virtually no breeze. Building a 2 story house would not be wise choice as the sun would beat down on the walls all day and Qcon or not heat saturation is going to be a problem. You would have long walls that large eaves cannot cover. Be far wiser to build a single story with long eaves and a much steeper roof angle Maybe 18 versus 14 degrees with good insulation. Avoid using dark tiles, light color helps dramatically. Roof vents are a must.

If you live in a mountain area where large trees are present or where there is always a nice consistent breeze building the house on pillars(stilts) is a very good way as the airflow underneath will dissipate heat more readily. Again long eaves and steep roof angle, proper insulation, large windows to take advantage of the daily breeze would help as well.

In the end a lot depends on the individual and what their personal expectations or needs are. Our house is on pillars. We have a very nice breeze virtually all the time. The underneath of our place stays incredibly cool and we love being outside. We had over-sized windows installed through out the house to take advantage of it. We also have a ventilated roof system and solar powered fans. What I really like is it gives me a covered work area and a place to kick it in a hammock. Additional perks are it keeps traffic in and out of the house down along with no uninvited guests. My wife and I also do not have an issue with heat so its not a problem for us. We do not need a 75-78 degree living environment and I personally do not care much for AC as I do not like walking in and out of it.

**david44** · 16-09-2015, 01:27 AM

I built 232 m2 2 levels

Alllexterior wals 20cm autoclave Superbloc
hey will send a team to train your builder free
I visted the factory at nr Sophanburi by appt
Very good aftersales support Q-Con is sae product/price

I sudied Queensland Uni and trad big Eaves

Some suggestions
NO S facong apertures
2 Build 6 degrees N of NW for optiaml thermal transfer at 20 fegrees North

Roof crucial it's a double pyramid
I used refective insulation
The roof overhangs 1.5 meter all round
The overap is screened to prevent birds/insects

Avoid cavity wall in moist climes most of Siam
I have only 1 20cm x 20cm window

All other egresses are 2m x 1.5 double doors you can choose how to open/screen/luver
Trees and plants provide a lot of shade
As I live in the coolest province at low level vbar Loei Nan or M Hong Soong but only 500m over sealevel manage too only need odd fan and air cone in ne closed area during Spring afternoons 2-5pm
I knew from living in Thai Homes and nr Withnall in central funace Id be sucking ale in aircon dens without a cool home

Side benefits far fewr creepy crawlies
The blocks allow you to pour columns rero
Can chase electrics and wiring flush into the blocks woth their special tool basically a special chise around 400 baht
You dont need special trowels saws or whisk tho the ones supplied are cheap and A! quality

Im planning a new unit and woudn't fream f using any othe material.

PM if you like to visit or can email some pix,Ive forgotte jw to spend hours loading them here where my ppix are deleted pr forums where I cannot reply

Good luck

All in all the extra speed and coolenees has repaid the extra 30k outlay and has been amortised ,I may move but never plan to leave the coolest house in our province

**bindog** · 16-09-2015, 10:21 AM

^^^^^^
Hi David,

Your post sounds like good advice, experience being shared. Like you I hope to avoid aircon as much as possible - don't want to spend my days inside a "refrigerator".

My build will be near Buriram (15 N), so some aspects won't relate to yours. And I only have experience in the Southern Hemisphere, so I'm going to sound a bit thick. But I'd like to clarify a couple of things if I may. Hopefully the OP will get some use from it too.