Urban COOL

there are eight distinct climate zones in Australia. Most of the population is located within warm, mild or cool temperate zones, with the Queensland coastal fringe to the mid-north coast of NSW experiencing warm, humid summers and mild winters. But regardless of where you live, Aussie summers can be scorchers, especially these days with temperatures nudging 40 degrees.

According to Your Home, the government’s guide to sustainable homes, it’s important to create a snug indoor environment as humans are comfortable only within a very narrow range of temperature conditions. Our body temperature is about 37°C, and variables such as humidity, air movement and exposure to cool surfaces, as well as radiated and convection heat, all impact on body temperatures and levels of comfort.

Architect Alex Porebski says when designing and building a home, a climate-responsive design strategy is a lasting