Article: The Front Porch

The University of Dayton has built new housing for students using the front porch philosophy. Many of the older homes in the area have front porches, and the university has built new homes in the same style. As part of their annual reunion weekend they even have a gigantic porch party. The front porch is a major part of the UD student culture.

This article was interesting, providing a look at the history of socialization in relation to the porch, but I would liked to have seen something regarding the value of porches, such as allowing the home owner or renter to put fans in windows during cool rainy days to save electricity, or even to save energy at night by circulating cooler air, thereby giving the A/C a break, and saving energy. You can't really use fans if you don't have a porch because the rain gets in the windows. Also, porches keep the beating sun off of entry ways, which makes the area around houses cooler.....also great places for animals to stay out of the heat......
Thanks....