This is the sixth article in our special series to commemorate a century of innovation in the HVAC&R arts and sciences.

Houses built prior to the 1950s often were constructed to take advantage of natural cooling as much as possible. Architectural features such as shaded porches, high ceilings, and the liberal use of windows with moveable sashes were used to make occupancy as comfortable as possible during warm weather. The advent of air conditioning brought about architectural changes in home construction that necessitated its use to keep the occupants comfortable even on moderate days.