I had been considering joining, but I had no idea there was inadequate AC, which is a dealbreaker until September at the earliest.

Surely there are some more hardware-oriented hackers who could help out with getting the best deal on the equipment and, perhaps, some clever efficiency hack.

Could some of the labor be donated, as well? Putting up insulation, for example, doesn't require much skill, beyond safety precautions.

The AC isn't bad, especially upstairs. It's free to drop by, so you can try before you join.