Cooling and heating use more energy than any other system in your home.

Air conditioners can use up to 1/6th of U.S. electricity and, on hot summer days, consume 43% of the U.S. peak power load. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heating and cooling systems in the U.S. emit over a half billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year, adding to global warming. They also generate about 24% of the nations' sulfur dioxide, a chief ingredient in acid rain.

Much of the cost of cooling your home can be saved by passive cooling techniques which don't require expensive retrofits or professional installations.

Insulation: Insulating, caulking and weatherstripping are essential to keeping your home warm in cold climates, but they also help keep your home cool in hot weather. The attics of most homes absorb heat through the roof, and insulating the attic floor will keep this heat from radiating down into the house. Fiberglass insulation, at least R-30, is easy to install. The cost will be recouped quickly in lower energy bills throughout the year.
Caulking and weatherstripping doors and windows will also prevent warmer outside air from seeping into your home. The cost of these materials is very low and application is simple.

Reflective Barriers: An important consideration in passive cooling is house color. Dark-colored home exteriors absorb 70% to 90% of the radiant energy from the sun that strikes the home's surfaces. Some of this absorbed energy is transferred into your home by way of conduction, resulting in heat gain. In contrast, light-colored surfaces effectively reflect most of the heat away from your home.
Another method for reflecting incoming heat is to install a radiant barrier. This foil-faced paper can be stapled to the roof rafters on the underside of your roof. To install, start by placing a few planks over the ceiling joists, which are the 'floor' of the attic; these serve as foot-boards to stand on while stapling the foil to the rafters above. You'll have to move the foot-boards as you progress. Be careful not to step between the ceiling joists or you may fall through the ceiling; also be careful to not step near the ends of the foot boards or they'll flip up. When stapling the foil to the rafters, space the staples about 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) apart to prevent air circulation from loosening or detaching the radiant barrier.

Shading: Shading is the simplest, most effective way to cool your home and reduce energy consumption. Up to 40% of the costs of cooling can be saved by shading techniques such as landscaping, and working the drapes and blinds.

Trees: The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that just three trees, properly placed around the house, can save an average household between $100 and $250 in energy costs annually. To be most effective, trees should be strategically located on the south and west sides of your home. Deciduous trees are best, because they shade in summer and allow light and radiant heat to pass through in the winter. When choosing deciduous trees, ask your local nursery to recommend varieties which are native to your environment, fast growing and tall enough to be effective.

Vines provide shading and cooling, and are quick to grow. Trellises should be placed on the hottest side of the house, and blocked out at least 6" from the wall to protect the wall and provide a buffer of cool air. Certain vines, such as deciduous clematis and wisteria, grow well in containers where open ground is unavailable. Ask your local nursery which vines are best suited to your climate and needs.

Ridge Vent: For even more effective attic ventilation, a continuous ventilation system, Coolvent, can be installed along the ridge, beneath the ridge shingles.

Coolvent is lightweight and durable, and it eliminates the need for turbines or louvered vents. It's also designed to keep out bugs and wind-driven rain.

Ceiling Fans: Ceiling fans are efficient and use little electricity, less than 1/10th the wattage of air conditioners. Cost to run is approximately $1.50 per month vs. $20 per month for air conditioners. Ceiling fans can also be used with the air conditioner. The thermostat can be set 9 degrees F higher, for the same resulting temperature. This represents a savings of 30% of air conditioning costs and energy consumption.
Make sure your ceiling fan is turned for summer -- you should feel the air blown downward.

Turn off incandescent lights. Only 5% of the energy that goes into a typical incandescent bulb comes out as light. The remaining 95% comes out as heat! Switch to compact fluorescents - they give off 90% less heat, as well as using 75% less energy. Initially more expensive, they are actually less expensive than incandescent bulbs in the long run because they use less energy and last up to 10 times longer.

Don't place lamps or TVs near your air conditioning thermostat. The heat from these appliances will cause the air conditioner to run longer.

Cook with microwave, barbeque or pressure cooker. The microwave generates almost no heat, and is much more energy-efficient than the stove or oven. The pressure cooker generates less interior heat with relatively low energy consumption. The barbeque, of course, keeps the heat outside.

Reduce sources of humidity. Reducing humidity in your home results in less condensation on your air conditioner coils, saving electricity and lowering this hidden source of heat. To reduce humidity:
     - vent clothes dryer to the outside
     - use exhaust fans in kitchen and bathroom
     - cover pots when cooking
     - If you have a crawl space, cover any bare dirt with a plastic ground-moisture barrier

Seal off laundry room; line-dry clothes. Washers and dryers generate large amounts of heat and humidity. When possible, use them in the morning or late evening when you can better tolerate the extra heat. Seal off the laundry room when in use, and duct or vent the air to the outside of the house.
Use a clothes line to dry clothes. Dryers release a substantial amount of heat during operation; they also consume a lot of electricity. Toss your clothes in the dryer on fluff for a few minutes if line-dried clothes are too stiff.

Air dry dishes. This will reduce the heat generated by the drying cycle of your dishwasher. Wash only full loads to reduce machine use.

Insulate water heater. Water heaters radiate heat which can be easily contained by insulation. You can purchase a water heater 'blanket' for about $20 at hardware stores, or insulate the water heater yourself using faced fiberglass insulation and tuck tape. Be sure not to cover any vents. This simple technique will also greatly increase the efficiency of your water heater, resulting in lower energy bills.

Turn off hot water circulating pump in summer. If you have a hot water circulating pump for instant hot water at all faucets consider turning off for the summer.  Most homes don't have insulated water lines and you pay  both heating the water and removing the heat from your home with your air conditioning, the small inconvenience is worth it for energy conservation.

Seal ducts and close basement doors. Many homes with central heating have ducts which run through the attic and crawl space. If the seams in these ducts are leaky, especially in the attic, they can draw in hot summer air which flows into the house, creating more of a load for air conditioners. Minor duct repairs are easy to accomplish, and usually involve folding or crimping the tin edges with a pliers. Ducts in unconditioned spaces, however, should be sealed and insulated by qualified professionals using the appropriate sealing materials.
Air ducts which lead to your basement should also be shut off, as this part of your house usually cools itself naturally. Keep the door to the basement closed, as cool air will settle down to the basement where it isn't needed.

Ventilate with a window fan. If outside temperature is below 77°, a window fan can be used to replace hot indoor air. Locate fan on the downwind side with fan blades directing the air outwards. To enhance air flow, open a window in each room and be sure all interior doors are open.

Shut gas supply to fireplace and heaters. The pilot light generates a considerable amount of heat, and should be off during warm months. Re-lighting the pilot light in the fall is as easy as pushing a button on most units. Fireplace dampers should also be closed during the hot months of the year; this minimizes the loss of cooler air from inside the home.


Related:
Energy Efficient Appliances - tips on maintaining your air conditioner to maximize energy efficiency and performance.

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