Building Orientation for Optimum Energy. Another InterNACHI inspection article.

[Nick Gromicko]

Building Orientation for Optimum Energy.

[Brian E. Kelly]

The Feng Shui of Energy Optimization. Cool.

[Bert de Haan]

In reality, the sun rises and sets in the east and west only on the autumnal and vernal equinoxes, and something very different happens during the remaining 363 days of the year. The Earth’s tilt causes the Sun to rise and set slightly south of east and west in the winter, and slightly north of east and west in the summer.

So far so good

As a result, the winter sun spends all of its time in the southern sky, and the summer sun spends all of its time in the northern sky.

Either I am misunderstanding the article or the article is wrong. During the winter the sun spends all of its time in the southern sky and during the summer it spends most of its time in the southern sky and a little wee bit in the northern sky.

[Rob London]

Originally Posted by Bert de Haan

During the winter the sun spends all of its time in the southern sky and during the summer it spends most of its time in the southern sky and a little wee bit in the northern sky.

I think you are mistaken. Granted, I don't have much background in this, but every source I read before writing this article states exactly what I have written in the article. Can you post a link here to some article that says the summer sun spends most of its time in the southern sky?

This article says "...This is not true in the summer, when in the northern hemisphere, the sun rises in the northeast, peaks out nearly straight overhead (depending on latitude), and then sets in the northwest."

So basically, the summer sun rises and sets in the north, and gets very near the vertical during the peak of the summer during midday, but never crosses it into the southern sky.

[Nick Gromicko]

Thanks Rob.

[James H. Bushart]

Good job, Rob.

[Bert de Haan]

Originally Posted by rlondon

I think you are mistaken. Granted, I don't have much background in this, but every source I read before writing this article states exactly what I have written in the article. Can you post a link here to some article that says the summer sun spends most of its time in the southern sky?

This article says "...This is not true in the summer, when in the northern hemisphere, the sun rises in the northeast, peaks out nearly straight overhead (depending on latitude), and then sets in the northwest."

So basically, the summer sun rises and sets in the north, and gets very near the vertical during the peak of the summer during midday, but never crosses it into the southern sky.

That is where you went wrong. It gets very near the verticak during the peak of summer midday but that is after it crossed over into the Southern sky early or mid morning and it crosses back to the Northern sky mid or late afternoon.
I am not sure where you live but if you live in a Southern State this may not be obvious but where I live it is very obvious. Actually here the sun doesn't get that close to the vertical at midday but is clearly South of vertical. The summer sun here rises North of East but early in the morning it is in the Southern sky and stays there till late afternoon. The farther North you travel, the more pronounced this will be. With due respect, I still think the article is incorrect.

[Bert de Haan]

Originally Posted by rlondon

I think you are mistaken. Granted, I don't have much background in this, but every source I read before writing this article states exactly what I have written in the article. Can you post a link here to some article that says the summer sun spends most of its time in the southern sky?

This article says "...This is not true in the summer, when in the northern hemisphere, the sun rises in the northeast, peaks out nearly straight overhead (depending on latitude), and then sets in the northwest."

So basically, the summer sun rises and sets in the north, and gets very near the vertical during the peak of the summer during midday, but never crosses it into the southern sky.

Rob, I forgot to post a link but the link you posted above will do. The sentence directly following your quote reads: A simple latitude-dependant equator-side overhang can easily be designed to block 100% of the direct solar gain from entering vertical south-facing windows on the hottest days of the year.
If the sun was still in the northern sky, you would need to have the overhang over a north facing window.

[Jason Kaylor]

http://solar.physics.montana.edu/ypo...ls/summer.html

JJ

[Bert de Haan]

Thanks Jason. A picture is worth a thousand words.

[Nick Gromicko]

If you know of a subject matter expert, I'll pay him/her to review the article, word for word.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

Great article Rob.
This type of orientation is used a lot due to our cold winters. Unfortunately, my house faces North, so only the kitchen stays warm in the winter.

And you are right, the sun is North or East during the summer and South of East in the Winter. I never see the Sun in front of my house in the Winter.

[Rob London]

Bert

I understand your point and I thank you for making it. My sources were vague as to whether the sun crosses into the southern sky and if so, how far, how many hours per day, and how much its arc into the southern sky has to do with latitude. Some images (like the one I included in my article) show the summer sun pretty much entirely in the northern sky, albeit very close to the vertical. But after looking at other images, such as the one posted by Jason, it looks like the sun does spend mid-day hours in the south, even though it rises and sets in the north.

So I'll make changes. Thanks again.

[Bert de Haan]

You're very welcome.

[Bert B. de Haan]

Hi Rob. I see you made some changes but more are needed. Nick's and your article states

For this reason, fewer windows should be located on the northern side of the house, where the summer sun can be intense.

The little bit of time the sun spends in the Northern sky is in the early morning and later afternoon; the time when the sun isn't very intense at all. (The article says

the summer sun spends much of its time in the northern sky

. This may or may not be true. I tend to think that it spends only a little bit of its time in the Northern sky but I am not sure. From about the Arctic circle north, during the middle of the summer the sun can spend 12 hrs per day in the north and 12 hrs in the south so you are right. It is dependent on latitude.)
By the way, I am curious why Nick replied to my post but my post was not made public.