Which Is the Best Exposure for a House

Hither comes the lord's day

In general, ideal orientation means:

• you get the right amount of sun – enough in winter and in cooler climates
• you're sheltered from potent/common cold winds but can take advantage of breezes to cool your home when it is also warm.

When you're designing a home or planning renovations, at that place'll also exist other considerations such as local climate, view, terrain, vegetation, street access and noise. You'll need to balance these against the benefits you tin achieve through harnessing the dominicus's energy for heating and breezes for cooling.

When should y'all think most orientation?

It'due south important to consider orientation before you purchase a property (including an apartment or townhouse), or start designing a new dwelling house or renovation.

It's too worth considering orientation for your existing home, especially if there are small or no windows facing north, or large areas of glazing facing east, due west or south. There may be simple means to make the most of the orientation – for instance, increasing the size of northward-facing windows or swapping the apply 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 cull will vary depending on other considerations such as:

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

It is also worth considering the type of glazing alongside the placement and number of windows. For example, if you want south-facing windows to capture the view, consider fewer or smaller pic windows, that frame the view.

If you are building new, consider upgrading to windows better than double glazing. If you are renovating consider at least double glazing for whatever window you replace. And think that frames are but every bit of import as panes. If you are selecting your window frames, consider paying a little extra for thermally broken or loftier performance frames – these will significantly reduce (or maybe fifty-fifty eliminate) window condensation so y'all won't have to wipe downwardly your windows or repaint your window sills as often.

Architectural trends in residential design since the 1950s have led to larger windows, and more than of them. Bigger windows let more heat in during summer, and permit more than estrus out in wintertime. You will desire to advisedly consider the size and placement of windows – bigger isn't always better.

To make the near of the sun for warmth and natural light, your home's chief living areas (or any rooms you use a lot) should face north. The master glazing in the house, such as windows and glass doors, should also confront north. Anywhere between 20°W – 30°East of true north is fine.

Position windows to brand the most of the sun.

The sun is at its hottest at apex when information technology is at its tiptop. Because of this, ensure eaves over northern windows are broad enough to continue the sunday out in summertime, but non so wide that they cake it from coming in during the winter.

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

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

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

South-facing windows receive minimal sunday and should be relatively small to minimise oestrus loss simply allow for diffused or reflected lite and ventilation.

Enquire your designer to run a thermal simulation of your firm pattern and optimise the corporeality and positioning of glazing. This volition help to foreclose overheating in summertime and reduce estrus loss in winter.

Fifty-fifty if your home doesn't confront due north, windows can be positioned to go north sun.

The sun travels higher in the heaven in summer.

Shading

For existing homes and hot climates, shading is an effective style of keeping homes cool in summer. In the north, this is typically done through the use of eaves, wide enough to proceed the summer sun out of the building 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 effective at keeping the sunday out. Here information technology'southward improve to install external shading, such as retractable awnings, louvre canopies, deciduous copse or vegetated pergolas to help minimise overheating in summer, 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 – simply think these will reduce the heat gain in wintertime, just when yous desire it.

Shadowing from landforms, trees and buildings

When the sun angle is at its everyman in winter, objects to the northward can cast shadows two to three times their tiptop. To make the about of the lord's day, your habitation should ideally be positioned as far as possible from neighbouring buildings, terrain or vegetation that might block due north sun.

If you lot are looking for a section, expect for a site that:

• slopes downwards to the north – this will get more dominicus than a south-facing gradient
• runs n-southward – this allows a business firm to potentially maximise a northern courtyard or garden, and be further from neighbouring houses, trees or college ground on that side.

A north-facing section that is very narrow will requite you express power to place living areas and bedrooms along a wide north wall. Try making the about of morn or afternoon sun in a number of rooms.

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

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

Fifty-fifty if your site isn't ideal for catching the lord's day (for instance because it slopes downwards to the south), it may be possible to maximise the sun'south warmth using north-facing clerestory windows, skylights or position glazing higher in the walls to catch the sun.

Clerestory windows have the added reward over skylights that in summertime, when the apex dominicus is loftier on the sky they limit the amount of low-cal entering and thus reduce the risk of overheating. Considering clerestory windows and skylights are typically out of reach, they should be specified with as high a thermal resistance every bit possible to reduce the likelihood of condensation around the frames and on the panes. Condensation runoff can crusade significant impairment to wall linings, and sitting water can cause premature deposition of window sills and surrounds.

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

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

Cooling when you need it

As well as shading, consider having windows located to easily allow cooling summer breezes to ventilate the house. A firm with a narrow footprint has generally shorter air flow paths beyond 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 let for central 'stack' ventilation between the floors, which can exist farther 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 north-westerly blasts, air current is an issue in many parts of New Zealand. Ideally, you'll orient your home in a way that avoids the strongest and coldest winds – simply however allows you to harness mild breezes to keep you absurd in summer.

You can employ vegetation, landscape and building structures to filter and divert harsh winds. Other features will besides assistance, such likewise-designed windows.

When you're thinking nigh orienting your dwelling to catch summer breezes and avert colder winds, consider whether:

• there is a prevailing air current direction (vegetation patterns can sometimes indicate this, or yous tin can inquire the neighbours; coastal breezes are usually from an onshore direction)
• the wind changes with the season (in terms of management and strength)
• the wind strength or direction changes at different times of day (for example, in hilly areas absurd breezes frequently flow down valleys in belatedly evening and early morning)
• the site is exposed to wind, and how much (winds are stronger most coastal areas and ridgetops)
• the force is afflicted by nearby buildings, hills and vegetation (buildings and valleys tin can funnel winds, which makes them stronger, and hills and vegetation tin can provide shelter).

Capturing the sun should usually be your offset priority, but if air current exposure is a major business organisation at your site you may choose to identify your house away from ridges or valley floors that aqueduct the wind. If the site is very windy you may choose a single-storey pattern rather than multiple storeys to reduce the surface area exposed to the current of air. Including a sheltered courtyard may be a skilful selection to create a less exposed outdoor space. Y'all can also constitute hedges to shelter behind.

If on the other paw yous want to capture summer breezes you tin plant hedges or create external feature walls to form a funnel directing the wind to where you lot desire.

Other considerations

Equally well every bit lord's day and breezes, you'll likewise need to consider:

• how yous will 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 business firm, fence or trees if you tin avoid it
  • consider neighbourhood noise (for example, nearby businesses)
• retain some windows that face the street for security and customs connectedness
• have space to park and plow a vehicle around and good visibility when leaving the belongings.

Condom and security includes information near business firm orientation and street view.

Striking a rest

Achieving the ideal orientation is about striking a balance between sun, breeze and these other factors. If you compromise on orientation in guild to take reward of views, y'all may withal be able to make your habitation energy-efficient past using features such as expert 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.

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