I'm trying to figure out if there's one profession and/or one kind of
expert to call in to tell me if my converted attic can ever be made
cool enough to live and work in during the summer. it's listed by the
town as part of the offical living space, so i'm paying taxes on it,
and yet it's totally unliveable at least 6 months of the year. We're
talking 100 degree plus.

It's all my fault, of course, for buying the place in the winter and
taking the owner's word for its year-round liveability. but i'd like
to do something about it, without spending a total fortune, just so i
can get some use out of it since i'm already paying taxes on it.

i won't belabor you all with the specifics of the attic, only to ask if
there's a single individual profession that deals with these things in
all its many facets? for instance, i had an energy specialist for the
local utility come have a look; he recommended stripping out all the
old substandard cotton insulation and putting in new insulation.
would that make it liveable? i says.
yeah, maybe, he says.
maybe? i says.
yeah, he says, shrugging.
i asked him about a/c units and ridge vents and various fans and
other stuff and he really didn't have any impressive thoughts.
i need someone who can look at the thing holistically, bringing to
bear knowledge of insulation materials, a/c, fans, and vents, and all
the other options i don't know about, and how they might all work
together to solve my problem. Or not, if it can't be fixed.
what i don't need is someone who knows a lot about a little or a
little about a lot. i need a freaking expert!
does such an animal exist or is this one of those piecemeal deals
where you get a whole bunch of different "experts" in and the whole
ends up being much less than the sum of its parts.
thanks!