Room layouts for solar gain

To maximise useful solar gains in winter, rooms with the highest occupied hours should be positioned along the south side of the building. Ideally:

• Living rooms should face South or West.
• Kitchens North or East.
• Consider north facing home offices to avoid glare.
• Bedrooms should be avoided on the West elevations, because these receive solar gain at the end of the day, just before they are occupied, so carry a high risk of overheating.

*Note: with this strategy there is an increased risk of overheating. However, this can be effectively managed with suitable solar shading and prioritising dual aspect.

Design Actions

• Position occupied rooms to the south