PHPP Summer Comfort Basics
Abstract
While it’s tempting to focus primarily on designing to meet heating demand and load, it’s equally crucial for designers to consider summer comfort early in the design process. Decisions made at the concept stage, such as building orientation, the placement and size of windows, and external shading devices, have a profound impact on summer performance. Addressing summer comfort as a central component of design evaluation during RIBA Stage 2 ensures that the building will perform effectively in warmer months, reducing the risk of overheating and avoiding costly, late-stage design changes.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Building Energy and Comfort Optimization
Building energy efficiency and sustainability
Solar Energy Systems and Technologies
Publication details
- Journal / source
- RIBA Publishing eBooks
- Pages
- 156–177
- Publication date
- 27 February 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Book chapter