Go Design Solutions residential drafting services Sydney explain the importance of your home's orientation

Here at Go Design Solutions, our experts in residential drafting design in the Sutherland Shire explain that when building a home it is critical to maximising energy efficiency and the value of your property.

A poorly designed and orientated house will have key living areas shrouded in darkness increasing the cost of running the place with lights having to stay on longer during the day and also the cost of keeping it warm.  Whereas a well-designed home will decrease its running costs by using as much natural light as possible and using Mother Nature to its advantage!

A house which is orientated to capture sunlight from the north delivers radiant heat into the house and makes a big difference when it comes to energy consumption.  

You can utilise the amount of natural light which comes into your property through a number of ways such as using hi-lites windows and skylights as well as normal windows. Adding natural glazing is also very beneficial.

At the end of the day when you are paying a premium price not only for the location but also for the views (e.g. coastal), it pays to find a way for you to get the most out of the block!

When looking to build in southerly climates such as in Melbourne then you would need to look at ways to maximise the northern sunlight. Alternatively, if building a house in the northern parts of Australia you would look at ways to reduce radiant heat by other ways including louvres, blinds and the shade of trees.

Many people will consider north having the most impact with direct sunlight.  However the ideal way to face your yard is to face it west due to the afternoon sun having more impact on the dwelling. The key is to also know that the sun shines down at an angle of 67 degrees in summer but only 32 in winter.  

By allowing your windows to be set high on the north side and also by incorporating overhang shading, will give you privacy, warmth in winter and shading in summer.  

When buying or designing your new home, always consider orientation, you will save on energy bills, increase lifestyle comfort and add value to your property.

To find out more about our drafting design services in the Sutherland Shire, contact the team at Go Design Solutions today.