What Is the Best Sun Exposure When Buying a House

Here comes the sun

In general, ideal orientation means:

• you get the correct amount of lord's day – enough in winter and in cooler climates
• you're sheltered from strong/cold winds merely tin take advantage of breezes to absurd your abode when it is too warm.

When you're designing a dwelling house or planning renovations, there'll also be other considerations such as local climate, view, terrain, vegetation, street admission and dissonance. You lot'll need to residue these against the benefits you tin can reach through harnessing the sun'southward energy for heating and breezes for cooling.

When should you lot think about orientation?

It'southward important to consider orientation before you buy a holding (including an apartment or townhouse), or outset designing a new home or renovation.

It's also worth considering orientation for your existing dwelling, especially if there are small or no windows facing n, or large areas of glazing facing e, westward or south. There may exist simple ways to make the most of the orientation – for case, increasing the size of due north-facing windows or swapping the utilise of existing rooms so that the sunniest rooms become your living areas.

Positioning for lord's day

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

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

Information technology is too worth because the blazon of glazing alongside the placement and number of windows. For example, if you desire south-facing windows to capture the view, consider fewer or smaller picture windows, that frame the view.

If you are building new, consider upgrading to windows meliorate than double glazing. If yous are renovating consider at least double glazing for whatsoever window you lot replace. And remember that frames are just as important as panes. If y'all are selecting your window frames, consider paying a picayune extra for thermally cleaved or high performance frames – these will significantly reduce (or maybe fifty-fifty eliminate) window condensation so you won't have to wipe down your windows or repaint your window sills as often.

Architectural trends in residential design since the 1950s have led to larger windows, and more of them. Bigger windows let more oestrus in during summertime, and let more estrus out in wintertime. You will want to carefully consider the size and placement of windows – bigger isn't always ameliorate.

To make the most of the sun for warmth and natural low-cal, your home's main living areas (or any rooms you use a lot) should face north. The main glazing in the firm, such as windows and drinking glass doors, should also face n. Anywhere between twenty°Westward – 30°Eastward of true north is fine.

Position windows to make the most of the sun.

The lord's day is at its hottest at noon when it is at its meridian. Considering of this, ensure eaves over northern windows are wide enough to keep the lord's day out in summer, but non so wide that they block it from coming in during the winter.

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

You'll want less glazing facing westward considering of the potential for glare and overheating from late afternoon lord's day – particularly in hot, still summer climates, and if you aren't dwelling house during the 24-hour interval.

East-facing glazing captures morning sun and can be sized co-ordinate to your preference in summertime for light, heat command and ventilation. Glazing placement needs to be considered carefully to avoid issues with glare on working surfaces – particularly where there is an eastward-facing kitchen or study that is used in the morn.

South-facing windows receive minimal sun and should exist relatively small to minimise oestrus loss merely allow for diffused or reflected light and ventilation.

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

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

The dominicus travels higher in the sky in summertime.

Shading

For existing homes and hot climates, shading is an constructive mode of keeping homes cool in summer. In the due north, this is typically washed through the use of eaves, wide enough to go along the summer sun out of the building to avoid overheating.

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

If in that location is no room for external shading, yous could consider putting in windows with a tint or a special coating – simply remember these will reduce the heat gain in winter, just when you want it.

Shadowing from landforms, trees and buildings

When the lord's day angle is at its lowest in winter, objects to the north can cast shadows two to iii times their superlative. To brand the almost of the lord's day, your home should ideally be positioned equally far as possible from neighbouring buildings, terrain or vegetation that might block north dominicus.

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

• slopes down to the north – this will go more than sunday than a s-facing slope
• runs n-s – this allows a house to potentially maximise a northern courtyard or garden, and be further from neighbouring houses, copse or higher ground on that side.

A north-facing section that is very narrow volition give yous limited ability to place living areas and bedrooms along a wide n wall. Attempt making the most of morning time or afternoon dominicus in a number of rooms.

On tight sites, building along the southern boundary is a proficient idea if your local quango permits information technology. Check the Local Councils website for quango contact details

Go along in mind that objects to the north can bandage a shadow of ii to three times their tiptop in the middle of winter – even at noon.

Even if your site isn't platonic for catching the sunday (for example because it slopes downward to the south), it may be possible to maximise the sun's warmth using n-facing clerestory windows, skylights or position glazing college in the walls to catch the sun.

Clerestory windows have the added advantage over skylights that in summertime, when the apex dominicus is high on the sky they limit the amount of light entering and thus reduce the risk of overheating. Because clerestory windows and skylights are typically out of reach, they should exist specified with as loftier a thermal resistance equally possible to reduce the likelihood of condensation around the frames and on the panes. Condensation runoff tin cause significant damage to wall linings, and sitting water tin can cause premature degradation of window sills and surrounds.

Passive heating and Passive cooling have more than information virtually glazing options.

A clerestory window volition bring north sun into a south-facing abode.

Cooling when yous need it

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

If a business firm has two or more storeys you could allow for fundamental '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, yous'll orient your home in a mode that avoids the strongest and coldest winds – just still allows you lot to harness balmy breezes to keep you cool in summertime.

You tin utilise vegetation, landscape and building structures to filter and divert harsh winds. Other features will also help, such too-designed windows.

When you lot're thinking about orienting your home to catch summer breezes and avoid colder winds, consider whether:

• there is a prevailing wind direction (vegetation patterns tin can sometimes bespeak this, or y'all tin enquire the neighbours; coastal breezes are usually from an onshore management)
• the wind changes with the season (in terms of direction and strength)
• the wind strength or direction changes at different times of 24-hour interval (for example, in hilly areas absurd breezes oftentimes catamenia downwards valleys in late evening and early morning)
• the site is exposed to wind, and how much (winds are stronger near coastal areas and ridgetops)
• the strength is affected by nearby buildings, hills and vegetation (buildings and valleys tin can funnel winds, which makes them stronger, and hills and vegetation can provide shelter).

Capturing the dominicus should usually be your first priority, but if air current exposure is a major business concern at your site you may cull to identify your business firm abroad from ridges or valley floors that channel the wind. If the site is very windy y'all may choose a single-storey design rather than multiple storeys to reduce the surface area exposed to the air current. Including a sheltered courtyard may exist a good option to create a less exposed outdoor space. You can besides plant hedges to shelter backside.

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

Other considerations

As well as sunday and breezes, you'll also need to consider:

• how yous will utilise the site (whatever garden, garage, shed, fencing, etc.)
• views and outlooks (on your belongings and wider)
• neighbours
  • for your and their privacy and security
  • don't shade them with your business firm, fence or trees if you can avert it
  • consider neighbourhood racket (for instance, nearby businesses)
• retain some windows that face the street for security and community connection
• have space to park and turn a vehicle around and good visibility when leaving the property.

Safe and security includes data about business firm orientation and street view.

Striking a residuum

Achieving the ideal orientation is nearly striking a rest between sun, cakewalk and these other factors. If you compromise on orientation in club to take advantage of views, y'all may all the same be able to brand your home energy-efficient past using features such as 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/#:~:text=To%20make%20the%20most%20of%20the%20sun%20for%20warmth%20and,doors%2C%20should%20also%20face%20north.