Building a new home
involves much more than just picking bricks and working out what room should go where - consideration for the orientation of your home on your site should be the utmost important priority when designing your home.
WHY? Well good orientation increases the energy efficiency of your home which in turn is both a huge step towards more sustainable housing, as well as a large reduction in the running cost of your home. With rising energy costs once again a hot topic of discussion, it seems a logical step to optimise the location of your house on your site, especially considering that optimal house orientation costs you no more than a little additional upfront thinking.
Believe me I have lived in a home where all the windows were facing west, I was miserable in that house the summers were scorching the air conditioner struggled to make any impact and was always running at the highest setting. Winters were freezing. I can tell you I did not last very long in that house. Now I live in a house orientated to take advantage of the northly aspect, kept windows to a minimum on the east, no windows on the west, large verandahs to protect us from the hot summer sun but able to allow the low lying winter sun into the rooms, I increased the insulation and added double glazing to my windows, orientated the windows to catch the breezes, now I barely use an air-conditioner and the house is comfortable all year round.
So a well-designed, well orientated house is much more comfortable to live in during both summer and winter. In summer, a well orientated house is kept cool by minimising the heat gain into the house and capturing cooling breezes. Whilst in winter, a well orientated house is kept warmer by allowing the winter sun into the house and preventing any heat loss.