Which Side Facing House Is Best for Sunlight

Here comes the sunday

In full general, ideal orientation means:

• yous get the right amount of dominicus – enough in winter and in cooler climates
• you're sheltered from strong/cold winds but can accept advantage of breezes to absurd your abode when it is too warm.

When you're designing a dwelling house or planning renovations, there'll as well be other considerations such equally local climate, view, terrain, vegetation, street access and dissonance. Y'all'll need to remainder these against the benefits you can achieve through harnessing the sun's energy for heating and breezes for cooling.

When should you think about orientation?

It'southward important to consider orientation before you buy a property (including an apartment or townhouse), or start designing a new domicile or renovation.

It'southward likewise worth because orientation for your existing home, especially if in that location are modest or no windows facing n, or big areas of glazing facing east, west or south. In that location may exist simple ways to make the most of the orientation – for case, increasing the size of north-facing windows or swapping the utilize of existing rooms so that the sunniest rooms get your living areas.

Positioning for sun

The exact amounts and proportions of glazing you lot choose will vary depending on other considerations such as:

• climate
• the level of insulation in your home
• the thermal performance of windows and window frames, particularly in existing houses.

It is besides worth considering the blazon of glazing alongside the placement and number of windows. For instance, if yous desire south-facing windows to capture the view, consider fewer or smaller picture windows, that frame the view.

If yous are building new, consider upgrading to windows better than double glazing. If y'all are renovating consider at least double glazing for any window y'all replace. And remember that frames are merely as important as panes. If you are selecting your window frames, consider paying a lilliputian extra for thermally cleaved or high functioning frames – these will significantly reduce (or possibly even eliminate) window condensation and so you won't have to wipe down your windows or repaint your window sills as often.

Architectural trends in residential pattern since the 1950s have led to larger windows, and more of them. Bigger windows let more heat in during summer, and let more oestrus out in winter. You will want to carefully consider the size and placement of windows – bigger isn't e'er amend.

To make the most of the sun for warmth and natural light, your abode's chief living areas (or whatsoever rooms y'all utilize a lot) should face north. The main glazing in the business firm, such as windows and drinking glass doors, should as well face n. Anywhere between 20°W – 30°E of true north is fine.

Position windows to make the most of the sun.

The dominicus is at its hottest at noon when it is at its elevation. Because of this, ensure eaves over northern windows are wide plenty to go on the sunday out in summer, merely not then wide that they block it from coming in during the winter.

Overheating and glare is becoming an increasing problem in New Zealand homes, with the trend towards larger, floor to ceiling windows.

You'll want less glazing facing west because of the potential for glare and overheating from late afternoon dominicus – particularly in hot, still summer climates, and if you aren't domicile during the day.

East-facing glazing captures morning time sun and tin be sized according to your preference in summer for low-cal, heat control and ventilation. Glazing placement needs to be considered carefully to avoid issues with glare on working surfaces – particularly where there is an east-facing kitchen or study that is used in the morning time.

South-facing windows receive minimal sun and should exist relatively pocket-sized to minimise heat loss but allow for diffused or reflected light and ventilation.

Ask your designer to run a thermal simulation of your house design and optimise the amount and positioning of glazing. This will help to prevent overheating in summer and reduce heat loss in wintertime.

Even if your home doesn't face due north, windows can exist positioned to get n sun.

The sun travels higher in the sky in summertime.

Shading

For existing homes and hot climates, shading is an effective fashion of keeping homes cool in summer. In the n, this is typically done through the utilise of eaves, wide enough to continue the summer sun out of the edifice to avoid overheating.

Overheating is typically at its worst on summertime afternoons. Due to the sun's lower angle in the west, eaves are rarely constructive at keeping the sun out. Hither it'south better to install external shading, such as retractable awnings, louvre canopies, deciduous trees or vegetated pergolas to assistance minimise overheating in summertime, but permit sun in during the wintertime.

If there is no room for external shading, you lot could consider putting in windows with a tint or a special blanket – but remember these will reduce the heat gain in winter, just when you want it.

Shadowing from landforms, copse and buildings

When the sun bending is at its lowest in wintertime, objects to the due north tin can cast shadows two to three times their height. To brand the most of the sun, your home should ideally exist positioned every bit far as possible from neighbouring buildings, terrain or vegetation that might block n sunday.

If you are looking for a department, wait for a site that:

• slopes down to the north – this will get more lord's day than a south-facing slope
• runs north-south – this allows a firm to potentially maximise a northern courtyard or garden, and be further from neighbouring houses, copse or college ground on that side.

A north-facing department that is very narrow will give yous limited power to place living areas and bedrooms along a wide northward wall. Try making the most of morning or afternoon sun in a number of rooms.

On tight sites, building forth the southern boundary is a good idea if your local council permits it. Cheque the Local Councils website for quango contact details

Go on in mind that objects to the north tin can cast a shadow of 2 to three times their height in the centre of winter – even at noon.

Fifty-fifty if your site isn't ideal for catching the sunday (for case considering it slopes down to the south), it may be possible to maximise the sun's warmth using n-facing clerestory windows, skylights or position glazing higher in the walls to grab the sun.

Clerestory windows take the added reward over skylights that in summertime, when the apex lord's day is high on the sky they limit the amount of light entering and thus reduce the adventure of overheating. Because clerestory windows and skylights are typically out of reach, they should be specified with equally high a thermal resistance as possible to reduce the likelihood of condensation around the frames and on the panes. Condensation runoff tin can cause meaning damage to wall linings, and sitting h2o can cause premature deposition of window sills and surrounds.

Passive heating and Passive cooling take more data about glazing options.

A clerestory window will bring north sun into a south-facing home.

Cooling when you need it

As well as shading, consider having windows located to hands permit cooling summer breezes to ventilate the house. A business firm with a narrow footprint has generally shorter air flow paths across the rooms and can therefore benefit more from natural cross flow ventilation from opening window.

If a house has two or more than storeys you could permit for primal 'stack' ventilation between the floors, which can be further enhanced through an opening skylight or opening clerestory window.

Passive cooling explains this in more detail.

Letting in breezes, keeping out wind

From southerly gales to n-westerly blasts, wind is an outcome in many parts of New Zealand. Ideally, you'll orient your domicile in a way that avoids the strongest and coldest winds – but even so allows y'all to harness mild breezes to keep you cool in summertime.

You lot can use vegetation, mural and building structures to filter and divert harsh winds. Other features will also assistance, such too-designed windows.

When you're thinking about orienting your abode to grab summer breezes and avert colder winds, consider whether:

• at that place is a prevailing wind management (vegetation patterns tin sometimes indicate this, or you can ask the neighbours; littoral breezes are usually from an onshore direction)
• the wind changes with the flavor (in terms of direction and strength)
• the wind strength or direction changes at dissimilar times of day (for instance, in hilly areas cool breezes frequently catamenia downwards valleys in belatedly evening and early morning time)
• the site is exposed to wind, and how much (winds are stronger nigh coastal areas and ridgetops)
• the strength is affected by nearby buildings, hills and vegetation (buildings and valleys can funnel winds, which makes them stronger, and hills and vegetation can provide shelter).

Capturing the lord's day should usually be your offset priority, just if air current exposure is a major concern at your site y'all may cull to place your firm away from ridges or valley floors that channel the wind. If the site is very windy you may cull a single-storey design rather than multiple storeys to reduce the surface surface area exposed to the air current. Including a sheltered courtyard may be a good pick to create a less exposed outdoor infinite. Y'all can also plant hedges to shelter behind.

If on the other hand you lot want to capture summertime breezes you lot can plant hedges or create external feature walls to form a funnel directing the wind to where you lot want.

Other considerations

Likewise as dominicus and breezes, you'll too demand to consider:

• how you lot volition use the site (any garden, garage, shed, fencing, etc.)
• views and outlooks (on your property and wider)
• neighbours
  • for your and their privacy and security
  • don't shade them with your house, fence or trees if yous tin avoid it
  • consider neighbourhood noise (for example, nearby businesses)
• retain some windows that confront the street for security and community connexion
• have space to park and turn a vehicle around and good visibility when leaving the property.

Safety and security includes data virtually house orientation and street view.

Striking a remainder

Achieving the ideal orientation is about striking a balance between sun, cakewalk and these other factors. If yous compromise on orientation in guild to take advantage of views, yous may still exist able to make your domicile energy-efficient past using features such every bit good insulation and well-placed, well-sized windows.

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Source: https://www.smarterhomes.org.nz/smart-guides/siting-and-location/house-orientation/

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