Western Sydney custom build: solar passive

Thanks for your feedback.

Will the 1.2m balcony and shutters on the master help reduce the impact of the western sun? This was a design feature to counter that, but if it won't do much then I would reconsider the layout and remove the balcony to save on cost.

I think the angle of the block means it would be South West windows upstairs, so we won't get away from that western sun.

The shutters seem to only block 1 out 3 sliding door panels according to the elevation drawing. Not sure how helpful that would be. You already live on this land currently right? You can stand outside in your front yard in the afternoon and have a feel of the sunlight. Now it's particularly helpful because it's summer.

As for balcony, it's a personal choice. I did not step out onto balcony for once in my last house. Totally useless for me. If the front of the house is facing a street, I wouldn't feel comfortable standing up there on the balcony. Do you like to say hi to every passing person with their dog?

Like the other post suggested, maybe looking at swapping position with Bed 2? Bed 2 corner is a nicer location for a master bed. That means you will need to redesign all the bathrooms.

The balcony is a contested design element from a cost perspective. The sliding panels are moveable, so could cover the doors appropriately. And the balcony depth should reduce the direct sun in summer - upon further research. But I've just started looking at design options that don't require a balcony.

We have a bedroom with a similar aspect to the proposed master. All the upstairs rooms are equally as hot as each other because of the poor build quality of the current home - so it's not an easy assessment! But I do know the south facing room we currently have gets the best breezes. Not sure hubby is keen to move the master to the back though. Our street view is nicer - there is a reserve at the end. Wish me luck proposing that adjustment!

I really appreciate the effort you went to amend the design. My husband loves the reconfigured first floor. We are curious... Did the first floor expand above the alfresco?

If your bedroom faced exactly west, then those vertical external shading screens are the single best investment you could have made in terms of keeping your bedroom cool in summer. When the summer sun is low in the sky in the afternoon, no level of eaves overhang will save you. Once sunlight hits glass, it's already inside your home and heating it up. So, stopping the sun before it reaches the glazing is paramount and those screens will do exactly that.

On the flip side, if it faced exactly north, then those deep eaves of the balcony will be your best friend, because the sun sits high in the sky to the north, so good deep eaves will shade the glazing all day long.

But, given your bedroom essentially faces the north and the west, the combination of the balcony eaves and screens should serve you really well. With that said, it's hard to know exactly how the sun will strike your home. But IMHO, I would keep the balcony and screens combination, and would feel quite confident your bedroom won't overheat. It'll just be a case of working out exactly where to position those screens in the summer to shade your glazing as the sun starts to go down after midday, but that will be simple enough to do once the home is built.