Browse Forums Windows & Doors 1 Sep 22, 2011 3:11 pm We are designing a two storey house in Melbourne. We have northern views and plan to have large north (well 20 degrees east of north) facing windows in a 3m high open plan dining/family room. These will be big windows - there will be almost 10m of wall which will be mainly glass. Our architect wants to put in single glazed floor to ceiling windows (ie 3m high) about half of which will be shaded by a balcony and the remainder unshaded. He says that we don't really need double glazing on north facing windows and that while we could shade the windows to reduce summer heat it is not really necessary and that you don't want to lose the winter sun. On the other hand the yourhome.gov.au website advises using fixed shading and gives suggested eave width and distance from window to eave - in practice this would mean a verandah about 1.2-1.3 mm wide and windows 2.1 - 2.4 m high. Does anyone have a large north facing window wall which is unshaded and how have they found it?. Is a large expanse of single glazed glass advisable even if it faces north? Is a 1.2m wide verandah useful or too narrow. Has anyone put in a north facing verandah and thought in retrospect that they made it too wide and lost too much light? Any advice would be appreciated. Re: Advice on north facing windows in Melbourne 2Sep 22, 2011 4:53 pm I'm not a big fan of unshaded windows. I've always had large North facing windows but had them shaded from summer sun basically using the dimensions in this link: http://www.anewhouse.com.au/?p=1419 i've also made sure they got the FULL benefit of the winter sun by dimensions of this link http://www.anewhouse.com.au/?p=1759 A 1.2m veranda is fine it keeps the rain off the house and allows you to sit outside in summer but be in the shade. The Harder You Try - the Luckier You Get ! Web site http://www.anewhouse.com.au Informative, Amusing, and Opinionated Blog - Over 600 posts on all aspects of building a new house. Re: Advice on north facing windows in Melbourne 3Sep 22, 2011 5:20 pm petrous We are designing a two storey house in Melbourne. We have northern views and plan to have large north (well 20 degrees east of north) facing windows in a 3m high open plan dining/family room. These will be big windows - there will be almost 10m of wall which will be mainly glass. Our architect wants to put in single glazed floor to ceiling windows (ie 3m high) about half of which will be shaded by a balcony and the remainder unshaded. He says that we don't really need double glazing on north facing windows and that while we could shade the windows to reduce summer heat it is not really necessary and that you don't want to lose the winter sun. On the other hand the yourhome.gov.au website advises using fixed shading and gives suggested eave width and distance from window to eave - in practice this would mean a verandah about 1.2-1.3 mm wide and windows 2.1 - 2.4 m high. Does anyone have a large north facing window wall which is unshaded and how have they found it?. Is a large expanse of single glazed glass advisable even if it faces north? Is a 1.2m wide verandah useful or too narrow. Has anyone put in a north facing verandah and thought in retrospect that they made it too wide and lost too much light? Any advice would be appreciated. I think you will cook... I agree with Bashworth. Also consider Low-E glass - but ONLY in double glazed units. BTW 3m high is greater than most domestic suppliers can make. Ed "ECOECO" At 'EcoEco', we design windows, we design the best windows, we do it for you, so that when you’re happy we are happy. Tel. 1800 326 326 Re: Advice on north facing windows in Melbourne 4Sep 22, 2011 5:31 pm Have you seen the Fasham Johnson display houses - I think there's one in Bulleen area still open. http://www.fasham.com.au/pdf/brochure.pdf big windows and mostly with slats or shading Double glazing keeps the house warmer by not letting warm air out. Your big windows will need heavy curtains to stop heat escaping in winter - or big heating bills. D-g still lets the sunshine in - hence it warms up tiles/concrete floor in winter. You need eaves or slats. Vergolas allow you to move the slats angle. Or plant a glory vine and sweep up autumn leaves. We have 450mm eaves, 12 degrees east of north, 2.1m high windows/doors. We haven't had a summer yet, but we loved the sun hitting the tiles even 3 metres into the house in July, August - SE Melb. yourhome.gov.au is pretty good 20 degrees east of north means you will get hot morning sun earlier and not so much hot evening sun tho it will come thru the "south" windows. Re: Advice on north facing windows in Melbourne 6Sep 28, 2011 9:36 am if you have tiled floor adjacent to the north facing ceiling height window, you can almost half cook an egg in summer, on the floor. I would make sure the eaves layout provide enough shading, if not, the least you could do is metalic reflective window film + proper inside curtain / blinds to block the sun out. I would assume putting an outside awning defeat the whole purpose of having such a beautiful window. The warning is on the sticker on the door too. Second the aluminium powdercoat 6 18195 Hi, can anyone recommend a custom home builder who can build in north east area? Looking to build a custom 4-br energy-efficient home with a max budget of 750k. If they… 0 22813 May I ask why you chose not to use GJ Gardiner? I'm actually meeting with one of the sales guys tomorrow for an appointment. Definitely not signing anything yet… 3 13247 |