Designs That Work
Cold Climate
The Basic House - Siting and Orientation
The choice of an appropriate building site is an important first step
in constructing the affordable, high-performance house described in this
package.
In selecting a site, priority should be given to urban lots with
existing service infrastructure, access to public transportation and
mature neighborhood amenities. The next best choice would be a lot in a
responsibly-planned new development. In either location, the building site
should be chosen for good solar access, with consideration given to
orientation, slope, existing or potential overshading, and lot
proportions.
Figure 3: Site Plan Diagram
The site plan above shows an area for installing solar thermal or
photovoltaic panels on the south face of the house rooftop that will not
be shaded by neighboring buildings. Large roof overhangs shade the walls
and windows of the house to reduce the summertime cooling load. The garage
is located towards the rear of the property to provide an additional or
alternate location for PV panels.
In a Cold climate, landscaping should be arranged to provide shade the
house during the summer months but allow good solar access during the
months when heating is required. This can be accomplished with well placed
deciduous trees that drop their leaves to allow sunlight to reach the
house in the winter. Note that the shading should not extend over any part
of the solar panels (PV), as a small amount of shading can significantly
reduce their output. |
