Siting is the process of planning how a house will
sit on its piece of property. Both location and orientation
must be considered. Siting can even influence the shape
of your house and its room layout.
The objective of good siting is to maximize energy
efficiency, lighting conditions, and weather effects
to make your home as enjoyable as possible at the lowest
possible cost.
A properly sited home will take advantage of the position
of the sun to provide warmth in winter and avoid heat
in the summer. Site planning should also consider the
effects of surrounding trees, terrain, prevailing winds,
sunlight availability, and directions from which storms
come.
Site planning will naturally have somewhat different
objectives depending on what part of the country you
will live in.
Homes in colder climates should be sited to maximize
exposure to the low southern winter sun. The long side
of the house with the most lived-in rooms would ideally
face south and contain lots of windows for maximum heat
and light. The north side will be colder and feel the
most effects from weather. Attempt to determine the
direction of winter winds and use trees, shrubs, or
other vegetation to help block them. Large bodies of
water will have a chilling effect if the prevailing
winds blow across them.
Homes in warmer climates should be sited to avoid the
high summer sun and take advantage of cooling winds.
Again, a south-facing orientation will generally serve
well. Afternoon sun from the west will have a greater
heating effect than morning sun from the east. If prevailing
winds in your area blow in an east-west direction, having
windows that can be opened on the east and west sides
will allow maximum air flow through your house. Additional
cooling will occur if the prevailing winds blow over
a large body of water.
In summary, decisions you make when planning how your
house will sit on your property can have a significant
effect on not only your comfort but also your energy
costs. Clearly, other factors, such as view, orientation
to a street, accessibility, and construction costs,
will also influence your siting decision. Therefore,
compromises are nearly always required when siting a
home.
