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RedR TSS

There have been a number of responses to this enquiry of which some are very technical and would take a lot of time and effort to put into place. I would like to mention a couple of very simple options.

Double skin roofs which have ventilation at the top to allow the hot air to escape will help to prevent heating due to solar gain but the ambient temp. is still too high so something has to be done to lower it. A simple form of cooling is evaporation.

Many Moorish buildings in southern Spain, and throughout the Arab world I suspect, have a central courtyard with a fountain. The water spray cooled the air which was then circulated through corridors leading off the courtyard to cool the adjoining rooms. This is ok if there is electricity for a pump, there is plentiful, pressurised water supply or there is a handy artesian bore hole in the back garden.

When I worked in Afghanistan I was introduced to 'Afghan air conditioning' A vaguely domed shaped roof had been formed with rough cut branches that still had plenty of smaller branches attached. Onto this was placed what I can best describe as tumble-weed. Scraggy little bushes with very small leaves. At first I wasn't impressed with this 'inadequate' sunshade but when a young lad was given the nod and he threw a few mugs of water on the tumble-weed the drop in temp was amazing.

Finally: Whenever I go camping my milk is left under the car, stood in a billy-can of water and covered with a wet tea towel which is draped into the water. Evaporation keeps it cool.

I hope that some of the above is useful and can be adapted to your situation. Be aware that mossies breed in water and vessels should be emptied periodically to break the cycle of egg laying/hatching. The French didn't know that when they started to build the Panama canal and died in droves.

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There have been a number of responses to this enquiry of which some are very technical and would take a lot of time and effort to put into place. I would like to mention a couple of very simple options.

Double skin roofs which have ventilation at the top to allow the hot air to escape will help to prevent heating due to solar gain but the ambient temp. is still too high so something has to be done to lower it. A simple form of cooling is evaporation.

Many Moorish buildings in southern Spain, and throughout the Arab world I suspect, have a central courtyard with a fountain. The water spray cooled the air which was then circulated through corridors leading off the courtyard to cool the adjoining rooms. This is ok if there is electricity for a pump, there is plentiful, pressurised water supply or there is a handy artesian bore hole in the back garden.

When I worked in Afghanistan I was introduced to 'Afghan air conditioning' A vaguely domed shaped roof had been formed with rough cut branches that still had plenty of smaller branches attached. Onto this was placed what I can best describe as tumble-weed. Scraggy little bushes with very small leaves. At first I wasn't impressed with this 'inadequate' sunshade but when a young lad was given the nod and he threw a few mugs of water on the tumble-weed the drop in temp was amazing.

Finally: Whenever I go camping my milk is left under the car, stood in a billy-can of water and covered with a wet tea towel which is draped into the water. Evaporation keeps it cool.

I hope that some of the above is useful and can be adapted to your situation. Be aware that mossies breed in water and vessels should be emptied periodically to break the cycle of egg laying/hatching. The French didn't know that when they started to build the Panama canal and died in droves.

Regards, Alan Jenkinson