For most rental tenants in Indian cities, summer arrives with a familiar problem: uncomfortably hot indoor environments that force cooling appliances to run longer. While tenants may not be able to change fixed structural elements or have tight renovation budgets, the thermal comfort and overall experience of a rented home can be meaningfully improved through low-cost interventions that many overlook.
Understanding the Heat Problem
During peak summer in major Indian cities, many homes become uncomfortably hot. Even with fans on, the indoor air feels hot and oppressive. People often keep windows shut or shaded because opening them brings in more heat. This is common in apartments that receive direct sun throughout the day. Heat builds up slowly near the window first, then spreads across the entire home. By evening, the room starts holding that heat internally. Even with air conditioners and other cooling solutions, the impact is limited because the issue lies in how heat enters and stays inside.
Expert Tips for a Cooler Home
Rohana Sarah, Founder & CEO of Green World Design, shares practical tips on how paying attention to small details can lower indoor temperatures without major changes.
Pay Attention to Windows
In many rental homes, the strongest source of heat is the window. Rooms with direct sunlight exposure, especially west-facing windows, warm up first. An effective way to mitigate this heat is to invest in thick curtains, blinds, or even temporary fabric layers. These block solar radiation and reduce heat gain significantly.
Improve Air Movement
Air movement inside the home is crucial. Many homes have windows, but they are not always positioned to allow air to pass through. Designing for natural airflow can significantly reduce heat buildup. One way to enable cross-ventilation is to keep a north- or east-facing window slightly open while keeping another outlet open on the opposite side of the apartment to create a path for air to travel. Fans also behave differently depending on placement. A fan facing a wall often pushes air back into the room without improving circulation. When placed closer to an opening, it can help pull air through instead. These small adjustments improve how the room feels over time.
Choose Surface Materials Wisely
Surfaces and materials inside the home play a critical role, as some hold heat longer than others. Thick rugs, heavy upholstery or sofas, and layered fabrics can trap warmth throughout the day. By evening, they release that heat back into the room. Switching to lighter materials can make a difference. Cotton fabrics, thinner rugs, swapping a synthetic rug for a cotton dhurrie, or replacing a heavy sofa for the summer months changes the room's heat-release behavior.
Utilize Balconies Effectively
Balconies are among the most misused spaces in Indian apartments during summer, often treated as separate spaces. A west- or south-facing balcony receiving direct afternoon sun becomes a heat source for the adjacent room. The air entering from that side is already several degrees warmer than the internal ambient air. A simple bamboo-based blind, a fabric cover, or a row of medium-sized potted plants along the balcony edge can reduce the heat that reaches the interior. Balconies designed this way function as a microclimate buffer, enabling sustained usage of the balcony while keeping interior spaces comfortable. These interventions also optimize AC cooling effects, reducing energy consumption and improving cost savings.
Consider Ceilings and Artificial Lights
Beyond windows, balconies, and surfaces, other often overlooked factors are ceilings and artificial lighting. Heat rises and accumulates at the ceiling. In apartments with low or false ceilings, that warm layer radiates downward in the evening or night. A practical intervention is reversing the direction of the ceiling fan, which most fans allow through a small toggle on the motor housing. This ensures the blades push air downward rather than circulating it upward, improving how the room feels at night. In terms of artificial lighting, older incandescent and halogen bulbs generate significant heat. In smaller rooms, this contributes more to indoor warmth than people realize. Switching to LED lighting reduces both heat and electricity load.
Cumulative Effect of Small Changes
These small choices begin to compound, with the cumulative effect of modest adjustments leading to a noticeably cooler home. Most of these changes are practical and do not require major renovation or structural work. They require personal attention to finer details and a willingness to make small adjustments before the heat sets in. Done early in the season, these adjustments improve how a rental home experiences the summer months.
