Active and passive cooling methods for dwellings: A review

Abstract In this document a review of three active as well as ten passive cooling methods suitable for residential buildings is carried out. The review firstly addresses how the various technologies cool the space according to the terms of the building heat balance, under what technical conditions they might be applied, and what their energy needs are. Secondly, what scientific analysis has been carried out and what the major findings are. Thirdly, what their economic and technical feasibility of use at the stage of implementation and operation within a dwelling are. Then, either with the reviewed studies or with a simulation modelling, an assessment of temperature drop of each cooling method within a standard-size dwelling is carried out. Also, a comparison of initial investment, energy consumption, maintenance, retrofitting and required space is done. Thereafter, with this information, a decision-making program is developed in order to find out the most suitable cooling method of this dwelling in each case study according to the climate, status (new or existing), and the affordability. With that, and taking the Mexican housing sector as case study, it is found that building color, shading system, night ventilation, controlled ventilation, roof coating and eco-evaporative cooling are the most suitable passive methods for an extensive use in this country.