Solar heat gain is the biggest energy enemy in homes throughout the country. As a result, we don’t get any beating sun.” We were lucky with this project that the views were north-northwest. “When we created the Palm Springs EnergyWise House, we designed first for the views,” says Dennis Cunningham, a builder at Palm Springs Modern Homes, “then we did the calculations to see if we could make it work. Controlling energy use in hot climates means controlling heat gain. These boards require strategies for reducing heat gain without overly consumptive energy use. Progressive review boards want to know the impact of solar heat gain on cooling loads, or how much energy it takes to reduce a home’s temperature. In some areas of the country, design reviews and approvals focus on a building’s ability to control solar heat gain. Also avoid large amounts of glazing on the east and west faces where the sun will heat it at a direct angle for long periods of time.”įor a hot-climate home, battling the sun and controlling cooling costs are the critical focus for design and energy calculations. “The sun is higher in the summer, so it hits the glass at less of a direct angle. “Orient your glass so that it faces south,” Easley says.
#OPTIMAL LAYOUT WINDOWX HOW TO#
The angle of the sun in the summer and the length of direct exposure are extreme on eastern- and westward-facing sides of the home.Ĭalifornia-based energy expert Steve Easley explains how to avoid that beating sun, all while understanding that no one wants a blank wall with no windows.
#OPTIMAL LAYOUT WINDOWX WINDOWS#
These costs can be reduced by 15 percent on average just by switching to energy-efficient windows and planning for window placement, shading, and ventilation.įirst and foremost, homeowners need to pay attention to which direction their home is facing. In South Florida, consumers may spend that much on cooling costs alone. Department of Energy, an average household spends over 40 percent of its total annual energy budget on heating and cooling costs. Protecting against the sun makes big dollar sense. Whether a home is designed to fit your dream site or you are working with a builder to select the best options for a neighborhood home, increased energy efficiency and reduced heating and cooling costs can be achieved by carefully planning window placement.
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Windows also bring large solar heat gains and kick the cooling system into overdrive, not to mention the damaging UV rays that fade furniture, draperies, and rugs.
![optimal layout windowx optimal layout windowx](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/71/c0/3a/71c03a4d94b04c6ce8971d41e7c0360e.jpg)
Windows bring views, comfort, ventilation, and energy efficiency to a home.