A practical checklist to help homeowners assess how comfortably and safely their home may perform during hot weather, bushfire conditions and temporary power interruptions.
Use this scan when planning a renovation or new home—and before major floor-plan, glazing and landscape decisions are locked in.
Homeowner Checklist
☀️ Sun
Where does summer afternoon sun enter?
Which rooms are most exposed to eastern or western sun?
Could the floor plan or window placement reduce unwanted heat gain?
💨 Breeze
Can air move across the floor plan?
Where are useful cooling breezes likely to come from?
Do those breezes have a clear path into and out of the home?
🌤️ Shade
Which windows have external protection?
Are eaves, awnings, screens, blinds or verandahs appropriate for each orientation?
Is low-angle eastern and western sun adequately controlled?
🪟 Glazing
Where are the largest areas of glass?
Are their size, orientation, opening type and performance appropriate?
Can key windows be opened safely for ventilation?
🌿 Landscape
Which existing trees provide useful shade?
Could planting help shade walls, windows or outdoor areas?
Has the landscape strategy been coordinated with bushfire requirements?
🔥 Bushfire
Is the property mapped as bushfire-prone?
Is a Bushfire Attack Level assessment required?
Do bushfire conditions need to inform materials, openings, detailing or landscaping?
🌙 Night
Can the house safely release accumulated heat overnight?
Can bedroom windows remain open while addressing security, insects, noise and weather?
Are there high-level openings or other ways for warm air to escape?
⚡ Outage
Which room is likely to remain most comfortable without mechanical cooling?
Does it have limited direct summer sun, effective shading and useful ventilation?
Could this room function as the home’s resilience room during a power interruption?
Notes and Opportunities
The three strongest opportunities for this home:
Questions to discuss with your architect or designer:
Good architecture should do some of the cooling work. The earlier these questions are considered, the more options the design team has to improve comfort and resilience.