Have you ever wondered why some homes feel warmer or cooler than others? Perhaps you’ve lived in a house that was always cold in winter, despite high energy bills and expensive heating. Or, you’ve been in a home that managed to keep the heat of summer at bay, even without cooling systems.
Chances are, some homes are cosier or cooler than others because they have been intentionally designed around the sun. Orienting your new home in a specific way can help you reduce your energy bills and make your new home that much more welcoming.
Generally, during the design and building phase, you can decide how you want to orient your home. If you’re looking to optimise your home, a few tweaks and changes can help improve heating and cooling instantly. Here at Icon Homes, we always consider natural elements when designing your new home so that you can take full advantage of passive cooling and heating.
Let’s explore further how the orientation of your home affects temperature levels.
Why It’s Important To Consider The Orientation Of Your House
The direction of a home is something many first-time homeowners overlook. Often, you get so carried away with choosing paint colours and flooring that you forget to consider how your new home will be affected by the elements.
The orientation or the positioning of your house in relation to the sun affects your home in a few different ways. With proper design, your new home may be able to harness or withstand natural elements and the variations of seasons.
When planned properly, correct orientation can help to reduce energy bills and allow your home to have passive heating and cooling. It makes your home more enticing and enjoyable to live in, too.
So, how do you achieve a good orientation of your new home? Are there ways to harness the power of sunlight?
How To Achieve Good Orientation
There are different ways to design your home around the sun—remember that a good home builder will always advise on the best way to achieve this with your living areas.
According to the Australian Government’s YourHome guide, the best orientation for your new home’s living areas is solar north.
“However,” they say, “orientations of up to 15° west of north and 25° east of north still allow good passive sun access”.
It is always advised to consider what suits your home best, especially your block’s area.
If your new home has a unique location, next to ample shade or up high above the treeline, you can harness natural elements in different ways.
For example, homes in a cooler climate should be oriented slightly west of north to capture as much sunlight in the afternoon. This way, your living areas will be more comfortable in the afternoon-evening.
In hotter climates, you can also face your home in such a way as to capture the breeze. Large windows with appropriate shading can help to create a natural, cooling flow of air through the house.
How Your Home Can Achieve Passive Heating And Cooling
Correct orientation can save you thousands of dollars in heating or cooling costs. As the sun’s angle changes depending on how far north or south you plan to live in Australia, some orientation planning will be more effective than others.
The ultimate goal of designing around the sun is to have your home protected from the high heat of summer and naturally warmed in the cooler months of winter.
Passive Heating
In winter, passive heating can be achieved by placing living areas on the north side of your home. It’s also advised to place north-facing windows that allow generous sunshine to warm up living areas or rooms. With some good insulation and the right window glazing, your home will retain solar warmth far better during the colder months.
Passive Cooling
Passive cooling, especially in hot or humid climates, is a must-have for any Australian home. Passive cooling will need additional air conditioning for many homes to keep the hot Australian sun at bay.
The best way to keep out the heat is a combination of good insulation, shade windows, and, if possible, windows facing any prominent breeze.
Conscious landscaping can also help to contribute to passive cooling. A few shrubs or a tree can help shade most of the strong summer sun from reaching living areas.
Room Placement
It’s important to plan carefully to ensure that important rooms in your home benefit the most from the sun.
Living areas, including the kitchen, are usually the most important rooms in the home for passive heating, as they are most used during the day and evening. As a general rule, living areas should be situated along the north side of your home to capture the best sunlight.
Bedrooms usually require less heating and should be placed along your home’s south or east side.
Bathrooms, laundries, garages, and other utility areas are used for shorter periods, requiring less heating or cooling. These areas can be placed strategically to help cool or warm the home. For example, west or south-west facing bathrooms can act as a buffer against the scorching afternoon sun.
Are you looking to design your new home around the sun? Perhaps you’re looking to harness natural elements and make your existing build that much more comfortable? We’d love to help! Contact us today to discuss how your home and family can enjoy comfortable living, no matter the weather.
