Hydronic slab heating is fairly straightforward to install and not that expensive compared with other forms of central heating. If you try to cool the slab, it becomes a lot more complicated. First up, cooling the slab does nothing to remove humidity from the air, which is a large part of what makes you feel hot. Second, you need some way of controlling the heat pump between heating and cooling mode. Usually we use mechanical thermostats which switch on when the house gets below the set temperature, but when you change to cooling mode it needs turn on when the indoor temperature is above the set temperature, so instead of a standard central heating thermostat you instead need an electronic temperature sensor. Anything is possible, but the short answer is that having a chilled slab will be more complicated and more expensive than an air conditioner, and less effective. You'll also need to find a contractor to design the system, and because it will be a custom design if you have any issues in the future you'll need to get the same person who installed it to come and fix it, which is a problem if they move, go on holiday, or close their business.

We all know that fire pits are great for the colder months - the warmth they provide means you can use your outdoor space almost all year round. However, I am interested to know what people think about fire pits in the summer months. Do you loath the space your fire pit takes up in summer and wish it was a drinks cooler instead. Or do do even hide your fire pit away in the shed until the weather cools down again? Or, are you a die-hard fire-gazer and light the fire on summer evenings to give your space ambiance and keep the bugs away. Is gas, ethanol or timber better for a summer fire pit?

Keeping the heat out as much as possible is important, before it passes through the glass. Renshade can be installed temporarily and removed in autumn. https://www.goingsolar.com.au/what-we-do/brands-and-products/renshade-australian Or install external blinds if you’re allowed to. While closing internal window coverings helps, keeping the heat out before it passes through the glass is much better. Do you own the apartment? If so, you could consider installing multi split aircon units in the bedrooms. That way you will only need one extra outdoor unit. Or, if it’s not possible to add an extra outdoor unit, could you swap the current outdoor unit for one that would power three indoor units? One for each bedroom and one for the living area. As well as cooling they also provide the most energy efficient form of heating. If that’s not possible, ceiling fans might help. If you are renting your options are more limited. Portable air conditioners for very hot days. They’re noisy and expensive to run but they do the job in a small room like a bedroom. There are also some heat shifting systems that could also shift cold air, but they need a roof cavity, which probably won’t suit your situation. Best if luck.

The private firepit is my favourite. I'm not one for pools but a cosy nook away from the hubbub....yep.