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A 5,000- 6,000 Btu/hr air conditioner drawing about 500 watts can be installed in one window of a designated cool room (it is important that the installation is insulated and well-sealed

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The IR image on the right shows the sun is heating the southeast-facing wall of this concrete-block house to 36C (97F); this corner of the home would not be a good place for a cool room due to lack of shading and insulation

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Create a cool room to shelter from extreme heat by selecting a room in the basement or on the north or shaded side of the house, air sealing and insulating, providing low-wattage and battery-operated cooling, and reducing interior heat loads.

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Construction & Design Considerations in Warmer Climates

Reference

Guidance from Zero Energy Project on construction techniques for warmer climates, such as home orientation, and insulation requirements.

Designing Houses That Keep Their Cool

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Article from Green Building Advisor on strategies to take when building homes to reduce the need for air conditioning, including insulation, windows, site selection, and roofing.

How Many Hours-of-Safety Do Our Homes Have in Extreme Weather?

Reference

Article from RMI on how climate change is leading to an increase in critical extreme heat hours and what smart building strategies can be taken to mitigate some of these effects including paint color and insulation.

Design for Extreme Heat

Information Guide

Information guide describing ways to design and build a home to be resistant to periods of extreme heat.

Passive Cooling Designs to Improve Heat Resilience of Homes in Underserved and Vulnerable Communities

Reference

This study evaluated 11 measures for passive cooling using four heat resilience metrics with and without grid power in Fresno CA and found the two most effective measures were installing solar-control window films and adding roof insulation; natural ventilation also helped reduce overheating in...

Creating a Cool Room for Extreme Heat Events

Guide

Guide describing how to create a designated shelter-from-heat space in a home to help occupants successfully weather an extreme heat event.

Emergency Air Conditioning and Food Refrigeration

Guide

Guide describing methods for providing space cooling and refrigeration during extreme heat events and/or power outages.