In the subtropical climate of Buenos Aires, the sun is particularly strong during the summer months, which can add a large amount of heat to any interior space. The winter garden at its core helps to deal with the cold of the winter but requires special attention for the summer. Shading adequately all glazed surfaces is crucial to deal with solar heat and reduce to the bare minimum the need for air conditioning. In this case, it was controlled through the adequate positioning of vegetation, adding horizontal shading in the winter garden, and adding vertical outdoor blinds that would also serve for the winter. The strategy also incorporated the adequate amount and positioning of openings to encourage natural ventilation in all spaces. Overall, the project adjustments helped to reduce space cooling by 4/5, while keeping the heating load very low. The client reported not needing the heating in winter, even during the coldest days and that the good management of the breeze allows to delay significantly turning on the AC.

House Cepé is located in the suburbs of Buenos Aires, in a recently developed neighbourhood. It faces a large body of water, and is organised around a winter garden.

The climate of Buenos Aires is Temperate, Humid Subtropical (Cfa) in the category of Koppen Geiger, with the well-defined four seasons. Summers are hot and rainy, with a very high proportion of direct solar radiation, which creates an important need for solar control. During a large portion of the summer temperature is nice, which would allow to function only with solar protection and natural ventilation. The daily range is around 6-8ºC, which points to the use of thermal inertia and night cooling to optimise the summer performance. Winters are mild, with temperatures rarely falling below 5ºC. The mild temperatures and generous sun can drastically reduce the need for heating, allowing for the buildings to work passively during a large part of the winter. The climate calls for special attention of bioclimatic strategies as even if it offers great potential due to the strength of the sun, this can become a major constraint during summer as buildings can overheat very rapidly, and during winter, buildings can be needing heating unnecessarily. In 2050, temperature is expected to increase by at least 2.3ºC in summer.