Natural Air Conditioning

Lunch today with friends who have built their own eco-house.
They have many modern features such as solar panels and an air heat exchange system, but also many features from the past that make their home unique.

The walls are made from a mix of hemp straw and lime. The roof is covered in cedar shingles and the loft insulation is 12" of sheep wool, but this image shows the most fascinating - that comes into its own in the summer.

There is an ornamental pond right outside the sitting room, in the summer the lower windows and the top fan-light windows are opened. The air is drawn over the pond, which cools it, and into the sitting room, while the warm air is pushed out of the fan light windows at the top of the room. Apparently there are examples of this method of air conditioning in big houses dating back to the middle ages.

The modern twist is at this time of year the triple glazing keeps the room cosy.

Here you can see the welcome blue sky and white clouds reflected in the pond.