In his monthly column, MICHAEL DRAGE, founder of Reimagined Habitat, says thermal stability in our homes/offices is a key ingredient in helping our health.

It’s all about thermal comfort. Our bodies work best between 20-25C and when we get outside of this we go into stress. 

The further away from this range, the greater the stress, both physically and mentally. So thermal stability in our homes/offices is a key ingredient in helping our health.

Believe it or not, more Australians die of cold than heat, and more die of cold than in Sweden. And it is mostly because of our homes. 

I met with some people who grew up in Europe at Showroom Canberra recently and they all talked about how cold and uncomfortable they felt in their Australian homes. But it doesn’t have to be like that.

One lady I spoke to had built a Passive House and it has transformed her life. 

The only requirement she had for the design was to be “warm and comfortable”. After growing up in poverty and never being warm she couldn’t stop talking about how she wears shorts and T-shirts in winter and how happy her family was. It was beautiful to hear her story.

Governments around the world are incorporating energy standards for renters to deal with health issues. For Australia, have a look at healthyhomes.org.au for more information.

There are so many tips and tricks to talk about, but this is just on shading:

TIPS

• Find ways to get more sun into the home in winter, and then close it in through good drapes once the sun goes down.

• For summer, make sure you have horizontal shading options to the north and vertical shading options to the east and west. Don’t let the heat come inside at all, not even on the curtains – it’s the best way to keep cool.

• Deciduous trees and vines are fantastic options.

• Check our website for the “reimagined balcony” for alternatives using simple reed panels.

TRAPS

• Make sure your shading is flexible to get sun in winter and keep it out in summer. 

• Al frescos with solid roofs to the north are great in summer, but you will freeze in winter.

Another topic for the future is how biophilic design can also improve mental health. 

More detailed information on this can be found on the blog page of our website.

Thank you to all the readers who contacted me regarding last month’s topic on airtightness. Keep the questions coming in, we love helping people upgrade or build better homes!

For any questions, comments or queries, please email us at info@reimaginedhabitat.com.au or call me on 0419 391282.

www.reimaginedhabitat.com.au

Reimagined Habitat are Passive House and energy efficient home designers.