A building should always be designed to integrate with the
local climatic conditions.
Cold climates
In general, a building in the northern
hemisphere should have the main living spaces oriented to the south
to optimise natural lighting and passive solar gain.
In colder northern climates such as the UK, a
key objective is keeping heat inside and preventing heat loss from
the building. Heat loss in this type of climate occurs mainly
through conduction and convection for which mineral wool is
ideal.
Warm climates
However, a building built in a warmer climate will benefit from
a design to keep heat out and maximise natural ventilation in
summer. In this type of climate, preventing heat gain from
‘external’ radiant heat is important, making mineral wool used in
conjunction with a reflective foil an effective solution.