Construction
Passive Ventilation: Comfort Before Air Conditioning
Arjun Shetty · 18 March 2026 · 7 min read
Orientation, cross-flow and stack effect can drop indoor temperature several degrees.
Openings in pairs
Air needs an entry and an exit. A single window ventilates almost nothing.
Use height
High-level vents let hot air escape and pull cooler air in below — the stack effect, for free.
Shade the glass, not the room
External shading stops heat before it enters; internal blinds only trap it.
Mass where it helps
Thermal mass on shaded walls flattens the daily temperature swing.
Written by Arjun Shetty at ArShe Design Studio. Questions about your own project? Talk to the studio.
