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>But they lack any sort of exterior shade on them What direction does the window face? Are you certain solar insolation is an issue?

by bluthru 13y ago

chiph 13y ago
You typically want the long dimension of the house to be facing east/west, so that fewer windows are facing directly into the sun. Passive solar (prevention or gain, depending on climate) is something that should be taken into consideration. For Austin's climate, it's fairly important. I saw 113F temperatures last year, and 103F so far this year, with the hottest part of the year still to come. http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/construction/solardesign/orientation.html http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/construction/solard...
- bluthru 13y ago
  You actually want buildings oriented west/east, facing north/south. Why? Because you can control the sun with horizontal shading devices. In the summertime you can block insolation with shading devices while allowing insolation during the colder months for free heat gain. This also allows all-day indirect daylighting from the north. The sun is also low in the east and west, so it's difficult to control and often glares into inhabitants. Shading the east and west faces of buildings often requires vertical shading devices or operable shading devices if you don't want to block the view. Finally, remember that the face of the building that receives the most solar insolation is the roof. I know the article says east/west, but that doesn't apply if you have shading devices.
  - chiph 13y ago
    I think you and the article are in agreement - they said: "If possible, the longer axis of the building, also known as the ridge line, should be oriented east/west." And you said facing north/south. I agree about the roof. Reflective metal roofs are gaining popularity here, and last a long time (50 year guarantee), but also cost more. Something that is found in high-end/custom homes is a conditioned attic space, with the majority of the insulation under the roof, and not directly above the ceiling of the living space. If you can keep the inside of attic below 100F, the relatively thin insulation on the air conditioning ducts will be more effective. Again, it costs more to get this benefit...

>But they lack any sort of exterior shade on them What direction does the window face? Are you certain solar insolation is an issue?

by bluthru 13y ago

>But they lack any sort of exterior shade on them What direction does the window face? Are you certain solar insolation is an issue?

chiph 13y ago

You typically want the long dimension of the house to be facing east/west, so that fewer windows are facing directly into the sun. Passive solar (prevention or gain, depending on climate) is something that should be taken into consideration. For Austin's climate, it's fairly important. I saw 113F temperatures last year, and 103F so far this year, with the hottest part of the year still to come. http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/construction/solardesign/orientation.html http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/construction/solard...

bluthru 13y ago
You actually want buildings oriented west/east, facing north/south. Why? Because you can control the sun with horizontal shading devices. In the summertime you can block insolation with shading devices while allowing insolation during the colder months for free heat gain. This also allows all-day indirect daylighting from the north. The sun is also low in the east and west, so it's difficult to control and often glares into inhabitants. Shading the east and west faces of buildings often requires vertical shading devices or operable shading devices if you don't want to block the view. Finally, remember that the face of the building that receives the most solar insolation is the roof. I know the article says east/west, but that doesn't apply if you have shading devices.
- chiph 13y ago
  I think you and the article are in agreement - they said: "If possible, the longer axis of the building, also known as the ridge line, should be oriented east/west." And you said facing north/south. I agree about the roof. Reflective metal roofs are gaining popularity here, and last a long time (50 year guarantee), but also cost more. Something that is found in high-end/custom homes is a conditioned attic space, with the majority of the insulation under the roof, and not directly above the ceiling of the living space. If you can keep the inside of attic below 100F, the relatively thin insulation on the air conditioning ducts will be more effective. Again, it costs more to get this benefit...