How to keep an older house cool? Location: Africa

How all huts in Africa install air conditioning and be happy...

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but can you also just ventilate with an air conditioner? Or does the air conditioning compressor run constantly and consume electricity?

Consider what is more important to you regarding the budget: ventilation, heating, or air conditioning. I see that separately for you. The jack of all trades is rarely good. I would either keep the ventilation very simple and without heat recovery (central exhaust) or use a few good decentralized devices with heat recovery but without any ground heat exchangers. Ventilation does not cool and you also won’t get rid of heat at night with it. Ventilation is mainly comfort.

The combination of photovoltaics and air conditioning makes a lot of sense, and the hint from nordanney about heating with the (correct) air conditioning is good; with it, you heat more cheaply at least in the transitional period than with fossil heating. The money for the largest possible photovoltaics pays off on its own. With the electricity, you can, among other things, operate the air conditioning.

How economical is heating with heat pump technology compared to an air conditioner?

If it is not freezing cold outside, then more economical than oil/gas, if the technology is right. But not a complete replacement for the heating system. I would see it as a bonus and possibly take it into account when selecting the air conditioner.

About photovoltaics: Although the modules cast shadows, heat accumulates underneath. There is no effect inside. Photovoltaics is of course still a good idea, but it only fits the problem if it powers a cooling system.

Simple trick:

When it is very warm, hang a large wet bath towel on a clothes drying rack. Let the narrow side end in a large bucket of water. Blow a fan towards the towel. The evaporative cooling lowers the room temperature by a few degrees. The capillary action ensures a continuous supply of water and a constantly wet bath towel. Refill water from time to time. For the few really difficult days of the year and/or cooling down the bedroom on tropical nights, this works quite well.

Regarding photovoltaics: The modules do cast shadows, but heat accumulates underneath. Inside, there is no effect.

There are some reports on the internet that confirm this effect. It also makes sense to me because the modules need/should be ventilated at the back and the sun no longer shines fully on the tiles. In a few months I can report on this myself.

Hi,

so cooling is the most important thing to me. I gladly take heating via air conditioning as a side effect and don’t see it as a complete replacement. That’s how I understood it so far and I had thought the same.

Regarding photovoltaics. So we have a flat roof with a base area of almost 200 sqm. There can be no problems with the tightness of the roof during installation and afterward? What does such a photovoltaic system cost? I know, probably a very general question. Can you get funding for that? I would probably have to finance it through a loan. When does something like that pay off? Oh, and I read something about small business status starting from a certain photovoltaic size? Sorry for so many questions