The plate in brief

The cheapest air conditioner is a building that doesn’t need much of one. So the order is fixed: shade first, then moving air, then stored coolth, and only then efficient machines. In Jerusalem that means seasonal shade screens, night flushing, and thick stone that holds the temperature. In Haifa it means deep shade, filtered fresh air, and humidity control. In Hebron it means a sheltered courtyard under a grape arbor, winter insulation, and a summer night purge.

When the machines do come in, they are a heat pump with heat-recovery ventilation, so the fresh air coming in is tempered by the stale air going out. Radiant cooling works well here, as long as the dew point is controlled so the ceilings don’t sweat.

Questions, corrections, or a site where this could be built? Write to me.