The Mediterranean Secret to Keeping Your Home Cool in a Heatwave As Britain swelters in heatwaves that would have been unimaginable a few decades ago, it's time to look beyond high tech fixes and revisit ancient wisdom.
In the Mediterranean region, where I've lived and worked, simple yet effective techniques have long kept homes cool during the hottest months of the year. One such technique is painting buildings white.
This isn't just about aesthetics; it's a matter of physics. White surfaces reflect sunlight rather than absorb it, reducing internal temperatures by more than 1°C – sometimes as much as 4°C.