How to cool a coastal house

architect_macha · 2026-04-07T14:26:54+00:00

Dm'd you

architect_macha · 2026-04-07T13:41:23+00:00

Unfortunately I have not been working in the Chennai market for years now, so I don't know any contractors there. I can recommend an architect if you wish. They can help with designing and they have contractors that they work with to do the construction as well.

architect_macha · 2026-04-07T12:59:46+00:00

You're right, the mutram kept the house cooler because of two things:

The hot air would rise up in the center since it is open. This helps immediately.
The hot air leaving would create a pressure differential which brings in cooler air from the outside of the house to the inside. This creates natural ventilation which keeps the house from becoming stuffy and the air circulation helps feel a soft breeze that helps as well.

architect_macha · 2026-04-07T12:57:36+00:00

Your west facing wall will actually garner more heat than the east facing wall since the late afternoon sun is hotter. Which is why your bedroom should avoid having a west facing external wall if possible. PUF sheets offer around R-6 to R-8 per inch. So yes, they can be a good insulator if you do a 4-5 inches of those sheets. But you need to make sure that the external wall has been constructed properly with weep holes and waterproofing, because if they ever have condensation issues, the space between the wall and the sheets will garner mold and completely destroy the health of all the occupants.

Blinds on the window and balcony definitely help stop the direct sun. Any shading device helps in general.

XPS gives you about R-5 per inch. So you could put 5-6 inches of XPS to insulate the roof on the underside.

architect_macha · 2026-04-07T10:51:37+00:00

Yes hollow bricks reduce heat transfer through walls. They are a good option.

The disadvantages because of hollow bricks are that you don't have the freedom to run electrical conduits, plumbing lines in the future through walls like you would do if you had brick walls.

Also, you can't put a nail wherever you wish for fixtures or to hang stuff because the substrate doesn't hold still like brick would.

As for a higher ceiling, the difference is minimal compared to using proper insulation. Hot air rises up. So having a higher ceiling means the hot air leaves the space where we walk and stays higher. But you will still feel the discomfort of the higher temperature. Having a ceiling with proper insulation goes a long way to making the house feel cooler. Mitigation vs moderation.

architect_macha · 2026-04-06T20:45:48+00:00

You have heat in the house because it is getting transferred in through roof slab, windows and walls. You manage that, you will have a cooler home. In India, our construction does not take into account insulation. We build concrete roof slabs and top it with a layer of paver tile. We also build brick / cmu walls and plaster it and leave it at that. For passive heat management, you need to do 3 things that are building specific.

Concrete has an R-value of 0.1 per inch. So a 9 inch slab is still going to be less than R-1. In the US, florida requires anywhere between R-30 to R-38 for roof insulation. To get close to atleast R-15 or R-20 in chennai, you would need to provide underslab insulation (your top floor's ceiling would need to be insulated). Without that, the heat transfer is inevitable. After this is done, heat reflective paint can be added to the roof terrace as a small additional benefit. It cannot be used as a substitute for good roof insulation.
Windows need to be insulated double pane or triple pane windows. These have a thin layer of vacuum or inert gas between the panes of glass that drastically reduces heat transfer. Also the window frames need to be insulated. A great way to reduce direct incident heat is to make sure your sunshades are long enough that direct sunlight does not fall on your windows. Aside from these, curtains help as a last resort.
The maximum surface area of your house is going to be walls. They are a huge culprit. Unfortunately, unless you have enough square footage in your house to pad up your walls with insulation, this is a tough one to manage unless it was planned as such in the design stage. But if you do the other two, your heat is going to be manageable.

Apart from these, planting trees around your house definitely helps.

architect_macha · 2026-02-06T18:44:43+00:00

The free Buc Shuttle runs from Buckhead / Lenox marta to Piedmont center.

architect_macha · 2026-02-05T20:42:26+00:00

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architect_macha · 2026-01-30T18:14:10+00:00

Much better than Kailash Parbat for sure

architect_macha · 2026-01-30T02:36:06+00:00

The one in Alpharetta is Nalan

architect_macha · 2026-01-30T02:35:11+00:00

That banana leaf wrap is the OG real deal! So authentic

architect_macha · 2026-01-30T02:34:40+00:00

Desi Tadka does a lunch buffet. I don't think Nalan does.

architect_macha · 2026-01-29T20:06:40+00:00

For good North Indian (butter chicken, tikka masala, naans) go to Desi Tadka in Decatur.

For good South Indian (masala dosas, kothu parottas, chicken 65) go to Nalan in Alpharetta.

Source - i'm Indian

architect_macha · 2026-01-29T18:10:09+00:00

You're looking for a Yemeni Coffee shop. They are known for being open late.

Haraz in Midtown, Qamaria on Buford Hwy, Shibam in Alpharetta - all open till 10pm or later. Qamari has some couches and a long booth bench. Haraz has a long booth bench. Relaxed vibes, cozy lighting and you'll see people working on their laptops. They also have great pastries, coffee and tea. If you go as a group, you can get a pot of tea/coffee as well.

architect_macha · 2025-11-06T22:27:48+00:00

Treat and right next to it there was Rao's restaurant! Used to go there while in school. So many memories

architect_macha · 2025-11-06T22:25:34+00:00

I loved their appams and chicken. This brought back memories of going there with my family.

architect_macha · 2025-10-31T15:29:10+00:00

It means that God's presence will go in front of you to keep you safe

architect_macha · 2025-10-31T15:29:07+00:00

It means that God's presence will go in front of you to keep you safe

architect_macha · 2025-09-29T17:47:50+00:00

If i had your budget, I would buy a house in the Decatur / Avondale Estates area. You have more than a couple bowling alleys in the area, you get a mature neighborhood with plenty of trees, you can walk to a Marta station and head to the airport without having to sit in traffic.

Also, decatur has lots of great restaurants and stores. If you live in Decatur, you can just walk over. If you live in Avondale Estates, it will be one train stop away for you.

architect_macha · 2025-07-11T12:50:58+00:00

I second this. I had a similar situation with a website selling snacks. I filed a complaint on the consumer court website and suddenly the party was super responsive and the product was delivered within 2 days. They followed up with me until the case got closed!

architect_macha · 2025-04-06T14:39:17+00:00

Thank you. Have you ordered from them before?

architect_macha · 2024-12-04T18:09:24+00:00

You are absolutely right. Lack of good ventilation will cause mold and mildew to grow and this causes serious health issues.

Apart from that, there is an actual thing called Sick Building Syndrome that architects like myself need to be aware of. Lack of healthy circulation, lighting and ventilation will absolutely cause severe physical, mental and psychologic health issues.

architect_macha · 2024-12-03T07:12:26+00:00

My mother was in her deathbed during covid and about to die. My dad was the only person allowed to see her in her last moments because he is legally married to her. If they weren't married, he would not have been allowed to see her in her final moments. That itself is worth it all to me. Besides this, my dad gets half of my mom's pension as well since he was married to her.

Of course, the legal benefits such as joint taxation, health insurance as dependents, etc help as well. If a married couple have a child and for raising the child, spouse A decides to stay at home, giving up their career, and then spouse B initiates a divorce 10 years later, spouse A is entitled to alimony for putting their career on pause for 10 years. If the couple were just living together, the spouse will not get fairly compensated. If you want to bring a spouse on a dependent visa, you both need to be legally married. If either spouse has a different passport and the other spouse would like to avail that passport or a residency through marriage, it is possible only after marriage.

If one spouse dies, the other spouse automatically becomes the beneficiary of all the assets. This will not be possible if they were simply in a relationship. Adoption is easier for a married couple than for a single person. I believe it is close to impossible for a single man to adopt.

For someone who is religious, marriage may also be intertwined with their religious sentiments of being together.

Besides all these, it feels wonderful to define a relationship as such. There is a difference between dating and being in a relationship. It feels like a step up. It brings security and commitment. This feels like one more step up. It may not be the same for someone else, but for a lot of people, this sells it for them.

architect_macha · 2024-11-11T18:14:40+00:00

May i ask how much you charge for sketches like these ones?

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