The Principle of Good Orientation

The power of passive solar heating and cooling is not to be underestimated. Good orientation, combined with other energy efficiency features, can reduce or even eliminate the need for auxiliary heating and cooling.

Ideally, choose a site or home with good orientation for your climatic and regional conditions and build or renovate to maximise the site’s potential for passive heating and passive cooling, North orientation is generally desirable in climates requiring winter heating. Solar north deviates significantly from magnetic north throughout Australia and needs to be taken into account when orienting a home or determining a buildings thermal efficiency.

Orientation does not have to be precise: there is a degree of flexibility.

You can achieve good passive solar performance at minimal cost if your site has the right characteristics. Where possible, choose a site that can accommodate north-facing daytime living areas that flow to outdoor spaces with similar orientation.