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> The new houses are designed with zero consideration about ventilation, designers seem to take for granted that you are going to buy an AC system. These are t

> The new houses are designed with zero consideration about ventilation, designers seem to take for granted that you are going to buy an AC system. These are two separate problems. In the ideal situation, you generally want the house to be fairly air tight and condition the air for (a) temperature and (b) humidity. Each of (a) and (b) are taken care of by different mechanical units: one is monitored by a thermometer and the other by an hygrometer. The latter triggers a stand alone dehumidifier: * https://www.aprilaire.com/whole-house-products/dehumidifiers https://www.aprilaire.com/whole-house-products/dehumidifiers For fresh air you have an HRV/ERV, which brings outside air (through a filter) into the house (usually to bedrooms), while at the same time blowing out stale inside air (usually taken from bathrooms and the kitchen), with the two moving through the unit so that the outgoing air tempers the incoming air: * https://www.ecohome.net/guides/2276/choosing-between-an-hrv-and-an-erv/ https://www.ecohome.net/guides/2276/choosing-between-an-hrv-... You still have opening windows, as they're mandated for emergency fire exits.

kccqzy 5y ago
This is exactly the problem with newer design and construction philosophy. Its premise is that we will use mechanical systems, and then try to make these mechanical systems more efficient such as improving insulation, using multi-stage condensers for the AC, etc. This is epitomized in the passive house concept. In contrast the older philosophy is that natural ventilation is good enough, so we design houses to improve that, such as strategic placement of windows to allow cross ventilation, use high ceilings to allow heat to rise, etc. The original article is squarely in the second camp.
- myth2018 5y ago
  Indeed. Speaking about hot and sunny cities like mine, besides strategic placement of windows I would also mention barriers to direct sunlight over the walls. Simple barriers can improve inner temperatures sensibily and costs no energy, but most projects don't take that in consideration. Jesus, here there are even buildings importing those "glass wall" concepts, which makes total sense in climates like European's and north American's, but makes absolutely no sense in sunny cities -- you just end up aggravating the greenhouse effect and having to rely more heavily on AC. Everything because of façade aesthetics.
  - lazide 5y ago
    It doesn’t even make sense in North America - the glass walls make it very unpleasant in summer, even in heavily air conditioned buildings, even in moderate climates (California). It’s like working out next to a space heater, with an AC unit blowing on your neck.
- throw0101a 5y ago
  > In contrast the older philosophy is that natural ventilation is good enough, so we design houses to improve that, such as strategic placement of windows to allow cross ventilation, use high ceilings to allow heat to rise, etc. Yeah, and all those open windows bring in pollen and dust. Yay! Hope you have a good bug screen as well. Of course if there's high humidity then all than ventilation may not help because the air is already saturated so your sweat doesn't evaporate so you're not cooled. Natural ventilation could be great if the conditions outside are exactly what you want them inside as well. But if the outside is too hot or too cold or too humid then what are you going to do then? Build Tight, Ventilate Right: * https://www.energy.gov/indianenergy/articles/build-tight-ventilate-right https://www.energy.gov/indianenergy/articles/build-tight-ven... A 5000 sq. ft. / 500 sq. m. house can be conditioned with as little as 2000W (a hair dryer): * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vul4vMFdkA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vul4vMFdkA
  - coryrc 5y ago
    People lived before 1902 and the invention of compressor-based air conditioning.
    - giantrobot 5y ago
      Not in all the places and densities that they do today.
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]
    - kalleboo 5y ago
      People also died a lot back then. Even today heatwaves in Europe kill a lot of elderly as air conditioning in homes isn't common
    - throw0101a 5y ago
      People lived before 1945 and the wide availability of penicillin/antibiotics. A lot more folks died from infection as well.
  - 5y ago
- gkop 5y ago
  My personal preference is deeply in the natural ventilation camp, and the typically delicious air we have in the Bay Area is a boon to my wellness. I leave the windows mostly open 24/7 three seasons, and in the winter I partially open them during significant portions of the day. It’s wonderful. But during the worsening wildfires seasons, I must tightly seal and air purify my apartment for weeks straight, and had to buy an air conditioner that I run during the day. The stale air is unpleasant, but unavoidable. How idiosyncratic are my preferences and environmental circumstances? Are any architects working on house designs for me?
  - twblalock 5y ago
    > How idiosyncratic are my preferences and environmental circumstances? Are any architects working on house designs for me? You must have quiet neighbors if you can stand leaving the windows open all the time.
    - gkop 5y ago
      I live in a mid density city with a nice ambient hum. Indeed the neighbors in my building are respectful, as are the neighbors on either side. But I think the ambient hum is key to the peaceful atmosphere, when living in a city. The biggest threat we’ve experienced in terms of noise is blue jays that I finally staved off after months, by occasionally assaulting them with a super soaker. Other birdsong is pleasant, I hear some right now and open the window wider. I say this as somebody fairly particular about my comfort. I can’t stand interior transformer hums for example.
      - hollerith 5y ago
        Respectful neighbors in the Bay Area? Which city?
        gkop 5y ago
        The best neighborhood in Oakland (which I will not name).
  - 5y ago
myth2018 5y ago
> These are two separate problems I've learned a lot about US climates and their notion of ventilation, here at the comments I got. I hope you guys also have found interesting that, in some other parts of the globe, ventilation and air cooling are two very interconnected concepts. And also that, in climates like ours, relying solely on AC while not taking advantage of the cooling properties of moving air masses means waste of energy.
- bluGill 5y ago
  Most of western Europe (the part most in Europe reading this are from ) have mild climates compared to the US. Of course the US is a large country, and so there are more climates in discussion. What works well in Europe often doesn't in the US. Of course one size fits all codes don't help. What works well in Europe will work someplace in the US, just not everywhere
- throw0101a 5y ago
  'Traditional' ways may break down in more extreme situations: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_European_heat_wave https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_European_heat_wave * https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-49628275 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-49628275

kccqzy 5y ago

This is exactly the problem with newer design and construction philosophy. Its premise is that we will use mechanical systems, and then try to make these mechanical systems more efficient such as improving insulation, using multi-stage condensers for the AC, etc. This is epitomized in the passive house concept. In contrast the older philosophy is that natural ventilation is good enough, so we design houses to improve that, such as strategic placement of windows to allow cross ventilation, use high ceilings to allow heat to rise, etc. The original article is squarely in the second camp.

myth2018 5y ago
Indeed. Speaking about hot and sunny cities like mine, besides strategic placement of windows I would also mention barriers to direct sunlight over the walls. Simple barriers can improve inner temperatures sensibily and costs no energy, but most projects don't take that in consideration. Jesus, here there are even buildings importing those "glass wall" concepts, which makes total sense in climates like European's and north American's, but makes absolutely no sense in sunny cities -- you just end up aggravating the greenhouse effect and having to rely more heavily on AC. Everything because of façade aesthetics.
- lazide 5y ago
  It doesn’t even make sense in North America - the glass walls make it very unpleasant in summer, even in heavily air conditioned buildings, even in moderate climates (California). It’s like working out next to a space heater, with an AC unit blowing on your neck.
throw0101a 5y ago
> In contrast the older philosophy is that natural ventilation is good enough, so we design houses to improve that, such as strategic placement of windows to allow cross ventilation, use high ceilings to allow heat to rise, etc. Yeah, and all those open windows bring in pollen and dust. Yay! Hope you have a good bug screen as well. Of course if there's high humidity then all than ventilation may not help because the air is already saturated so your sweat doesn't evaporate so you're not cooled. Natural ventilation could be great if the conditions outside are exactly what you want them inside as well. But if the outside is too hot or too cold or too humid then what are you going to do then? Build Tight, Ventilate Right: * https://www.energy.gov/indianenergy/articles/build-tight-ventilate-right https://www.energy.gov/indianenergy/articles/build-tight-ven... A 5000 sq. ft. / 500 sq. m. house can be conditioned with as little as 2000W (a hair dryer): * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vul4vMFdkA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vul4vMFdkA
- coryrc 5y ago
  People lived before 1902 and the invention of compressor-based air conditioning.
  - giantrobot 5y ago
    Not in all the places and densities that they do today.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - kalleboo 5y ago
    People also died a lot back then. Even today heatwaves in Europe kill a lot of elderly as air conditioning in homes isn't common
  - throw0101a 5y ago
    People lived before 1945 and the wide availability of penicillin/antibiotics. A lot more folks died from infection as well.
- 5y ago
gkop 5y ago
My personal preference is deeply in the natural ventilation camp, and the typically delicious air we have in the Bay Area is a boon to my wellness. I leave the windows mostly open 24/7 three seasons, and in the winter I partially open them during significant portions of the day. It’s wonderful. But during the worsening wildfires seasons, I must tightly seal and air purify my apartment for weeks straight, and had to buy an air conditioner that I run during the day. The stale air is unpleasant, but unavoidable. How idiosyncratic are my preferences and environmental circumstances? Are any architects working on house designs for me?
- twblalock 5y ago
  > How idiosyncratic are my preferences and environmental circumstances? Are any architects working on house designs for me? You must have quiet neighbors if you can stand leaving the windows open all the time.
  - gkop 5y ago
    I live in a mid density city with a nice ambient hum. Indeed the neighbors in my building are respectful, as are the neighbors on either side. But I think the ambient hum is key to the peaceful atmosphere, when living in a city. The biggest threat we’ve experienced in terms of noise is blue jays that I finally staved off after months, by occasionally assaulting them with a super soaker. Other birdsong is pleasant, I hear some right now and open the window wider. I say this as somebody fairly particular about my comfort. I can’t stand interior transformer hums for example.
    - hollerith 5y ago
      Respectful neighbors in the Bay Area? Which city?
      - gkop 5y ago
        The best neighborhood in Oakland (which I will not name).
- 5y ago

myth2018 5y ago

> These are two separate problems I've learned a lot about US climates and their notion of ventilation, here at the comments I got. I hope you guys also have found interesting that, in some other parts of the globe, ventilation and air cooling are two very interconnected concepts. And also that, in climates like ours, relying solely on AC while not taking advantage of the cooling properties of moving air masses means waste of energy.

bluGill 5y ago
Most of western Europe (the part most in Europe reading this are from ) have mild climates compared to the US. Of course the US is a large country, and so there are more climates in discussion. What works well in Europe often doesn't in the US. Of course one size fits all codes don't help. What works well in Europe will work someplace in the US, just not everywhere
throw0101a 5y ago
'Traditional' ways may break down in more extreme situations: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_European_heat_wave https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_European_heat_wave * https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-49628275 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-49628275