08-24-2007, 04:25 AM
Don't forget to also take the tradewinds into consideration when designing a house in Puna. With the cost of our electricity and/or the size of the system required should one choose to run A/C on a photovoltaic system, it is a lot less expensive to have the tradewinds cool your house instead of electrical machinery.
Some old style houses were up on post and pier and had ventilation grids in the bottom of closets with louvered doors on the closets as well. High ceilings (min. 9' instead of the "standard" 8') help keep the hot air up away from folks and allow for a "cooler" house. A ten foot ceiling would be good, it also adds to the spaciousness feeling inside the house. You can build a smaller house (less expense and upkeep with more time to go to the beach) that "feels" big if the ceilings are high.
Putting a huge lanai all the way around the house shades the sides of the house as well as gives you a huge "outdoor" living space. A few sections of clear roofing or sola-tubes would allow lighting in without using additional electricity, too. Some sort of closeable louvers or drape would be good, though in case of too much sun.
Some old style houses were up on post and pier and had ventilation grids in the bottom of closets with louvered doors on the closets as well. High ceilings (min. 9' instead of the "standard" 8') help keep the hot air up away from folks and allow for a "cooler" house. A ten foot ceiling would be good, it also adds to the spaciousness feeling inside the house. You can build a smaller house (less expense and upkeep with more time to go to the beach) that "feels" big if the ceilings are high.
Putting a huge lanai all the way around the house shades the sides of the house as well as gives you a huge "outdoor" living space. A few sections of clear roofing or sola-tubes would allow lighting in without using additional electricity, too. Some sort of closeable louvers or drape would be good, though in case of too much sun.
Kurt Wilson