The orientation of the house is the key to comfort. The contributions of natural light, like temperature, are directly linked to the way the sun penetrates the interior of the habitat. To choose theideal orientation, your builder study your the land, its environment, the house model desired, the climate and adapts everything to the path of the sun according to the seasons and times of the day.
What is the orientation of the ideal house?
The ideal home orientation is one that allows all sides of the house to be exposed to the sun for part of the day. For your greatest comfort, a good builder will thus seek to place each room of the house in depending on its orientation, but also your lifestyle habits. Rooms East orientation thus benefit from a gentle radiance in the morning. THE rooms in the West are bathed in sunlight from mid-afternoon until evening, which creates glare and overheating. A South facing room enjoy the sun all day.
To go further, read our article » Southwest house plan: How to design the ideal plan? »
Guidance and RE2020
Today, the regulations governing construction in France are environmental regulations 2020 say RE2020 which encourages sobriety and energy efficiency. THE new houses built today are thus bioclimatic houses. The architectural design,implementation on the ground and orientation of the house should therefore make it possible to reduce heating, cooling and lighting needs as much as possible.
A healthy home is well oriented
The sun's rays cleanse the houses. Indeed, a building that is constantly in the shade, due to vegetation or the presence of a building nearby, can have higher levels of spores and mold. In the same way, the orientation affects the ambient humidity and therefore the development of mites. L'orientation of the house and the good window sizing will therefore be important to preserve the health of residents and in particular avoid encouraging allergies.
To find out more on this subject, read our article » Building a healthy house in the South West »
Orient the house for more natural light
A well-designed house allows you to do without artificial lighting as much as possible. Of large windows et Windows, well positioned, this is the key to visual comfort at any time of the day and in any season. There RE2020 environmental regulations thus imposes a level of lighting, but also a minimum bay window area (1/3 of the facade surface) in a dwelling. Beyond energy savings, the effects are felt on the well-being of the occupants who will have less eye fatigue and more ease in respecting their biological rhythm.
To find out more, read our article “ Optimizing the brightness of your new home: construction tips "
A house that promotes solar gain
Winter is relatively mild in the South West. In Gironde, in the Lot-et-Garonne, a Haute-Garonne or in Pyrenees, houses benefit from the sun's rays for as long as possible. It is thus the greatest ally of residents who wish reduce energy consumption linked to house heating. Large, well-positioned windows capture all the solar gains. The good design of the house and its very strong insulation do the rest by retaining these free calories for as long as possible. The inhabitants of new houses are even surprised today to no longer have to turn on the heating in the middle of winter. What a saving!
To better understand how to take advantage of even the slightest ray of sunshine, read the article » Reduce the bill with solar energy in the South West "
Sun protection for summer comfort
While we constantly talk about global warming and our regions of the South West are subject to summer heatwaves,orientation of the house must also take into account summer comfort. During the summer months, on the contrary, you must protect yourself from the sun's rays as much as possible in order to limit the use of air conditioners. The role of the manufacturer is then to reconcile what seems irreconcilable. In summer, we focus on sun protection. The sun being lower in winter and the tree leaves having fallen, vegetation and roof overhangs provide shade in summer, but not in winter. You can also add shutters, blinds and other sunshades that will screen the sun's rays. The solutions domotics which manage the opening and closing of the shutters according to the path of the sun offering unrivaled comfort.
At Maisons Sic, the choice of shutters also proves to be a crucial choice. To better understand the importance of this equipment, read our article » Which shutters in a new house? »
What solutions for a well-oriented house?
When the choice is allowed, we favor theSouth orientation. Beyond means that the living rooms such as the living room or the bedrooms are placed against the South facade.
We generally avoid placing rooms to the North. Less comfortable, solar input is ten times less than in the South. In this way, we avoid too small windows which deprive natural lighting.
Un West facing living room is also not recommended, especially in hot regions such as South West of France. As the sun sets in the West, it is difficult to protect the bays from this intense radiation and the heat it causes in the house in summer. The shutters on this facade must therefore be able to be closed in the evening.
Properly size and place windows
The amount of light and sunlight a house receives depends on the openings. A high position of the glazing allows lighting at the back of the room. Likewise, roof windows provide quality overhead lighting and offer, for the same surface area, three times more natural light than facade openings. However, it is preferable to place them on a North facing roof section or East to prevent overheating.
What to do with North-facing rooms?
Rooms in the North do not benefit from direct sunlight. Due to the greater development of mites in this type of environment, it is not recommended to create night rooms there. On the other hand, the amount of natural light is constant and is therefore well suited to reading, detailed work, creating a workshop or working on the computer. You can also place rooms there such as toilets, utility room, garage, boiler room...
A South orientation for the living room?
A South orientation for the living room is a good option. Because this central room benefits from maximum heat and natural light. In summer, the architectural design of the house will offer a room open to the outside, but protected from summer overheating. The ideal being a through room with large bay windows also to the North which let in daylight in summer when the South facades are obscured.
Orient a house in an L or U shape
The recesses of these houses provide a little shade to certain facades. Thus, the return of an L-shaped house can protect the South facade late rays of the sun coming from the West. A good way to reserve some shady spots during the hottest hours.
To go further, discover the 6 advantages of opting for an L-shaped house.
Protect yourself from noise
Noise exposure : Avoid placing rooms such as bedrooms on the side of the street or a significant source of noise.
Terrace Area and garden: If you like spending time outside, considerorientation of your terraces or your garden to enjoy the sun and shade at the right time of day.
Orient the house depending on the wind: Avoid orienting bedroom windows towards prevailing cold winds or strong winds.
The builder specializing in the orientation of the house
Ultimately, the choice ofideal orientation of your home should be guided by architectural and construction professionals. Your home builder Maisons Sic carries out specific studies to locate the house on the land and design it according to your desires, your needs and the environment.
In conclusion, choose theorientation of the house is a crucial decision when you want to build. This choice impacts comfort, energy efficiency and quality of life inside the home. Take the time to think about the place of each of your living rooms to ensure that the house is always comfortable and always meets your needs.
