I live in a concrete block wall bungalow built about 40 years ago. The house follows the typical style bungalow you see across Barbados and other parts of the Caribbean. It has the bedrooms and bathroom on the east to catch the breezes and the living, dining and kitchen on the west. The house offers almost all the typical comforts you need in a home, except one. This house is hot.
For most of the year, my home reaches indoor temperatures that make it near impossible to exist without a fan and barely tolerable with a fan. In fact, I use two fans in my room, which are grossly overworked. It can become so hot at night that falling asleep is a challenge in the hotter months.
My ordinary mattress becomes a heat pack, and I am constantly shifting from lying on my back (my preferred position) to lying on either side, just to give my back a moment to cool down.
It is not my house, so I do not plan on investing the required money to do any work for it. However, I did give some thought to what I would do, if I were to do minor renovations to this house. I consider the major issues, that would not be too costly, to make it more comfortable, especially during the summer months, which is practically all year. Did I mention I live in the tropics?
Here are some of the renovations I would consider doing to the house to make it more thermally comfortable.
1. Type Of Windows
We currently have awning or top-hung windows that do not open nearly wide enough to let enough wind in. It has its advantage: it keeps out most of the rain without having to close them.
Sash windows, which are the most common windows on the island, would probably let in more wind but not enough, plus they would also let in rain, which would not be ideal.
I would change all the windows to jalousies or louvres. Jalousie windows have several benefits. They allow air to pass through near to 100% of their opening and they can also be angled so that rain, unless it is driving rain, does not come in while allowing some breeze through.
Also, I would extend the window openings to the underside of the ceiling to let hot air at the top of the rooms to escape more readily.
2. Type of Doors
The doors to the exterior are generally wood panelled or solid core. They are the common doors across the country and offer good security and protection when closed, as they should.
While I would be willing to leave the front door as it is, I would want to find some way to let the other doors permit wind in, while offering some security and protection. I would either select a door that has louvres built into it, or a door that has a separate open at the top.
This is similar to a Dutch door and was common in homes on the island many years ago. These are considered somewhat antiquated and perhaps even primitive since they were most common in small timber homes but were very effective for our climate.
Approximately two-thirds of the door is at the bottom and swings like a typical door. The top third is essentially a top-hung timber window that can remain open when the bottom part is closed. This way, I can get additional air coming into the house when the door is closed to keep out pesky lizards or other unwanted guest. The top-hung window also offers some protection from the sun or rain, depending on its location.
For the internal doors, I would introduce vents above them that go up to the ceiling. This will allow hot air at the top of the rooms to flow through and eventually escape at high-level windows.
3. Ceiling Heights And Venting
I am 5’-11” and can touch the ceiling with little effort. At first, I was thinking I could raise this, but I am not sure if that would be possible since there is not a lot of room between the ceiling and the roof.
I considered introducing vents in the ceiling and installing an exhaust wall fan above the ceiling level, to the exterior. However, this feels like overkill, and I am sure extending the proposed louvre windows to the ceiling will improve the situation significantly.
4. Add Solar Shading
The east side of the property is already properly shaded with trees but not the west. I could extend the patio currently to the south over to the west and add some shades or shutters, but again, this seemed like overkill. A few shady trees should be sufficient.
Conclusion
With the few alterations to the existing house, I think it could create a more comfortable thermal environment indoors. Changing the windows and doors will increase airflow, and by carrying the windows up to the ceiling and adding some trees, we could reduce the heat gain and build-up in the house. I think more thought and attention can be given to how we could design a house in the tropics that not only provides shelter to its dwellers but also create a comfortable environment all throughout the day.
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