The Right Design Comfort and reasonable utility and maintenance bills are possible if a house is designed right for its site and climate Minimal Solar Heat Gain Longest walls face north and south. Most windows face north and south. Most windows are shaded on the outside by overhangs, covered porches, awnings, trees, trellises, or pergolas. Garage and least-used rooms are positioned on west side to buffer rest of house from west sun. Maximum Ventilation Most windows are operable and positioned to facilitate cross breezes.
Most rooms have windows on two walls.
High, centrally-located, operable windows enable hot air to move up and vent to the outside. The Right Exterior A Cool Shell and Attic A light colored paint, siding and roofing are used. A continuous vent strip runs underneath the roof overhang to let air into the attic. Roof ridge has a continuous strip of venting or several passive vents close to the ridge. Attic insulation does not block air flow path between roof overhang vents and ridge vents.