I guess this is an old posting but here are a couple of thoughts: Low barriers like railings on the windward side will cut the wind down. I noticed it on my porch which just has a wide top railing. So add railings and clear glass panels to that side of the deck. Also, add low shrubbery out in the yard like a low border or fence so the wind will go up and over it and maybe over your patio. The wind also hits the flat side of your house and 1/2 goes into the patio area. So add shrubbery on this side and maybe even a post or short wall sticking out 6" or a foot on the corner of the house to direct the wind away from the patio.

I've done that with an old old weatherboard...very small house. Did a semi enclosed elevated deck...as the house is on piers..slatted a-la-old Queenslander and partially enclosed with transparent roofing against the wind. The roof is colourbond interspersed with transparent corrugated panels. Have vines growing in through the slats from a garden bed near the front entry....maked for a lovely indoor-outdoor space with many uses. The vine I have is a very old plant calle Podranea...twice a year produces lilac blooms and is evergreen. Requires maintenance as is very vigourous. the rooms along the northern side of the house all open out on to this lovely indoor/outdoor space. Have a lovely fountain as well as hanging baskets. This space has opened up the whole house and protects both in summera and winter. It has made a difference to the whole ambience...so good idea....most probably your venture will involve a more modern aopproach,,,I tried to keep the "old house" image. An indoor.outdoor room is the best improvement in my opinion. Could not do without mine.

Also, if you are interested in how to use cooling breezes, it's a good idea to look at the Bureau of Meteorology site. There's lots of information here on wind directions & strengths through the seasons. Again, your local conditions may vary somewhat from the BOM site used (MACKAY M.O.), so if you're a local you may have a better idea. The BOM (most commonly) records wind data for its sites at both 9am & 3pm. The data is presented as a wind rose. A description of wind roses, & how to use them, can be found here, http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/wind/wind_rose.shtml The 9am wind rose is shown here, http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/climate/cgi_bin_scripts/windrose_selector.cgi?period=Annual&type=9&location=33119 The most common wind at 9am appears to be from the SSE, & of moderate strength. The 3pm wind rose can be found here, http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/climate/cgi_bin_scripts/windrose_selector.cgi?period=Annual&type=3&location=33119 The wind is a now SE to ESE, of moderate strength. Unfortunately, these are yearly wind roses, so won't show seasonal variations. If you'd like to investigate seasonal differences, monthly wind roses, for both 9am & 3pm, can be found in pdf format on the following BOM page, http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_033119.shtml

"As long as there is sufficient air flow for your unit it will function well", And there in lies the problem. According to that photo the OP does not have enough clearance on the porch to make an enclosure large enough to allow sufficient air flow. Even if they did enclosing the unit allows for re circulation of air that has already had it's temperature raised to cool the condenser coil. If the coils are not cooled properly the unit can't dissipate heat trapped in the refrigerant. This lowers efficiency and can damage components "it protects the unit, adds easy access for maintenance" Protects the unit from what? It is designed to be outside. Sun, wind rain snow bugs etc were all taken into consideration when these machines are designed. I never said operating costs would be unreasonable, I said efficiency would be lowered. Unless you are out there with a set of manifold gauges and are measuring performance, you have no clue how that unit is performing. Reasonable operating costs can only be quantified by the person paying the invoice. If you earn a six figure salary $1000 a month for electricity may seem "reasonable" If you earn $30k a year, not so much. . At the end of the day it's not my equipment they can do what ever they like. They can let the system breathe like it was designed to do, be cool when they want/need to be and live with the ugly box on their porch. Or they can take bad advice, risk damaging their unit, have expensive repair or replacement costs just so it can be cute. Choice is theirs.