That's because Australian homes are closer to tents than insulated eco-buildings. As winter sets in, and temperatures plummet, it can sometimes feel as cold inside as it does outside. The reason for this is the poor thermal performance of houses in Australia.
I don't know where the term 'glorified tent' originated, but that is what many think of our Australian housing. Perhaps the poor insulation of our cooler climate homes is the result of being on a continent dominated by warm weather, where airflow and big windows make sense.
Ducted heating is one of Australia's most popular heating methods for controlling temperature within the whole house. Ducted heating is central heating which recycles the air inside your home through a return air grille which warms air using a heat exchanger on its return to the room.
Cold homes contribute to excess winter mortality and morbidity. Most of the health burden can be attributed to both respiratory and cardiovascular disease, especially for older people. In children, the excess winter health burden is mostly due to respiratory disease.
Australian houses do not have attics because our houses are designed to suit our climate. In most of Australia we don't need the high pitched roof because it doesn't snow and we're not trying to shed off our roof.
Pindan Homes Construction Manager Adrian Schneeberger said the main reason Australians had never built basements was they put a big hole in the budget. “Building a basement incurs greater costs as opposed to building on a flat concrete pad or on stilts,” he said.
Brick has been used in Australian architecture since the country's earliest days. And while it may not be the most glamorous of building materials, it does give our historical houses and villas a sense of heritage, strength and solidity.
18° is the recommended night time bedroom temperature. 19-21° is the recommended daytime temperature range for occupied rooms. 24-27º is too warm and can put babies and young children at risk.
It can sometimes make you feel blue if your home is just a bit shabby – let alone when it's physically hazardous. Many people we talk to who are experiencing debt problems note stress and anxiety, and those residing in a cold, damp home regularly experience depression and low moods.
“You can't get sick from being cold in general, whether you are outside or inside,” Fecher says.
Much of southeastern Australia is currently under a cold air mass that has come from the south. This is because a low pressure system that brought heavy rain, strong winds, and even a possible tornado to South Australia, has moved eastwards.
Go Outdoors Early And Don't Stay Too Long
During the hottest hours of the day from noon to about 5:00 PM, opt to stay inside in an air-conditioned or airy space. If you're doing a prolonged outdoor or physical activity, take plenty of short breaks to rest under a shade, drink water, and catch your breath.
CHOICE experts have found that reverse-cycle air conditioning is by far the cheapest way to keep your home warm. But it does come with a large upfront cost. Here is a rundown of the most common types of heating, from cheapest to most expensive.
Understanding homes and climate change
In Australia, the average life of a brick home is 88 years and a timber home is 58 years (Snow and Prasad 2011).
For centuries, Japanese houses have been built with the country's sweltering, steamy summers in mind. Airflow and ventilation have, we are told, been prioritised over any kind of comfort in the colder months to prevent both the building and its occupants perishing in the humid heat.
Australia is so dry because we sit under the subtropical high-pressure belt, which encourages the air to push down, preventing the lift required for rain. Being under the high-pressure belt is enough to make it dry, but there are other systems called climate drivers that can make things worse from one year to the next.
According to the World Health Organization, it is dangerous to live for a prolonged period of time in a home under 64 degrees. The uncomfortable truth is that cold indoor temperatures can have a significant impact on our health, and could lead to serious, if not fatal health complications over time.
Part of what the survey discovered is that sleeping cold increases REM sleep. This can burn as much as 140 extra calories per night while sleeping. That can be significant because over the course of a year it can lead to losing as much as 14 pounds.
Scientific research makes clear that cold homes are harmful for their occupants and sometimes even deadly, too. There's a higher risk of stroke and falls or other injuries due to people's reduced strength and dexterity in low temperatures.
What Is An Unhealthy Room Temperature? For babies, pets, and the elderly, or for those who suffer from respiratory, lung, or heart disease, anything below 68 degrees and anything above 74 degrees for a prolonged period of time can cause serious health concerns.
“Looking at the available research, most studies agree that a temperature between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit is optimal for sleeping, with temperatures above 75 degrees and below 54 degrees disruptive to sleep.
Recommended Temperature When You Are Home
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends setting your thermostat no lower than 64 degrees (F) in the Winter months while people are in the home. If there are infants or elderly individuals, they recommend keeping the temperature at 70 degrees at a minimum.
Summing up the report, CommSec's chief economist Craig James said the trend to larger homes and apartments was a response to COVID to accommodate people wanting space to work at home.
The shift away from structural brick began after World War II. Mid-century consumers wanted suburban homes that looked distinct from their urban counterparts and newer building codes no longer required brick. That, meant less demand for both the material and the masons needed to install it.
Choosing wood removes greenhouse gasses from the air. Approximately half the dry weight of wood is carbon, absorbed from the atmosphere by a growing tree. Using timber in buildings stores the carbon for as long as the building exists or the timber is reused or recycled.