Cooling a container home: shade, ventilation and air conditioning

Steel gets hot in the sun, and a container home can become an oven in summer if it is not designed for heat. Cooling starts with the building, then the system.

Shade first

Shade the windows and the walls facing the sun. Overhangs, pergolas and trees all reduce heat gain.

Ventilation

Cross ventilation, with openings on opposite sides, moves hot air out. Night ventilation can cool the house before the next day.

Insulation and colour

Good insulation and a light roof colour reduce the heat that enters. The hot climate guide explains the options in detail.

Air conditioning

A heat pump or a split system is the most common cooling. Size it for the house after insulation, since a poorly insulated box needs a much larger unit.

Test window and roof options in the UnedPod configurator and see the difference before you build.