ᐅ Does it make sense to install an air conditioning system?

Created on: 17 Jun 2019 23:51
I
Illya-Berlin
Hello,

we are soon building an urban villa with two full floors in Brandenburg (Barnim).
Construction method: double-layer masonry (15 cm (6 inches) lightweight clay wall elements + 14 cm (6 inches) mineral wool insulation + 11 cm (4 inches) facing bricks, so a wall thickness of 40 cm (16 inches)).
Now we need to decide whether we require air conditioning so that the construction company can plan the necessary openings and electrical installation accordingly. For us, only a split system for one or two rooms is an option (kitchen, because it gets hot when cooking / living room or bedroom).

Unfortunately, we cannot assess whether it is really necessary, whether the rooms become uncomfortably warm during hot days like the last two weeks, or if they stay cool due to the construction style of a detached house.

Does anyone have any experience?

We appreciate any advice.

Best regards
Mycraft19 Jun 2019 16:16
No, all were honestly acquired. Partly for testing purposes, the 9kW system is now in operation at my company.

The pipes are always simply copper tubes with different diameters. Usually, the devices can be swapped with each other, or with minimal adjustments, everything is possible. However, there are of course many things to consider, and you should not approach this without professional knowledge and a qualification certificate.

Yes, I installed the systems myself.
Y
ypg
20 Jun 2019 10:07
We don't have air conditioning, but we have windows with roller shutters. They stay closed during the day when it's as warm as it is right now. However, sleeping in the south (and it will also affect the west-facing rooms) becomes unbearable. I’m now considering a ceiling fan. So, it’s a good idea to upgrade your bedrooms. In living areas or the kitchen, I don’t think it’s necessary.
B
Benutzer19
20 Jun 2019 11:08
Next week there will be days with temperatures over 40°C (104°F)... I urgently need air conditioning...
I
Illya-Berlin
22 Jun 2019 18:26
Many thanks to everyone. There were a lot of great suggestions. For now, we do not plan to install an air conditioning system. If necessary, it can be added later when the need truly arises. Wishing everyone a pleasant rest of the weekend!
S
Snowy36
23 Jun 2019 09:39
One more note: It’s best not to plan bedrooms facing south, that makes quite a difference!

We specifically chose the northeast side, and it is really very comfortable...
S
Snowy36
23 Jun 2019 09:42
Steffen80 schrieb:

Totally agree. We installed air conditioning right from the start and are very happy with it every day. Electricity consumption during the hot summer of 2018 was absurdly low at only 700 kWh (the system ran 24/7 on the hottest days/weeks).

If you have photovoltaics, that’s fine, but without them, it increasingly contradicts the concept of low-energy living. Building a KfW 40 (energy efficiency standard) house with extremely high insulation to prevent heat loss in winter, and then using air conditioning to remove heat in summer, seems inconsistent to me.