My home is brick, with much of it on the south side. It’s nice in the winter, but in the summer the brick is a heat sink and it radiates through the interior walls. Thus the high AC bills.
I’ve thought about spraying foam insulation behind the brick, but air flow is also very important. The other consideration is a sealant on the brick that reflects the sun.
My home is about 10,000 sq ft, for two of us. I joke that my wife can live in one wing and me in another and we will always get along well.
I’m approaching the age of downsizing, but dread the job of emptying the house. My wife has stated several times that she wants to die first so the job is all mine.
“in the summer the brick is a heat sink and it radiates through the interior walls”
I planted a tree on the west side of my house to shield it some.
Trees on a property can lower the temperature of the surrounding air by a few degrees.
My neighborhood is a few degrees warmer because hurricanes, affluent new homeowners and tree death have taken out a high percentage of the trees. The houses on my streets are helped by only half the number of big trees of 30 years ago.
Trees can also help mitigate the force of hurricanes. Better the trees get broken than the houses.
“10,000 sq ft”
I suspect the majority of your AC cost problem comes through your roof.
I suggest having the underside of your roof sheathing foam insulated (provided your roof is in good shape).
I would then have a solar power ventilating fan installed and have large soffit vents installed in tree-shaded areas.