Orienting the home correctly is a major element in solar design. The shape of the house and placement of the windows are what allow a solar home to collect and deflect sunlight year round.

The following guidelines help achieve a successful passive solar home:

Orient the home east to west:  The sun moves east to west, yet here in the Northern Hemisphere it is always in the southern sky.  To take advantage of this, the long side of the house should run east-west. This creates a lot of surface area on the south side of the home, facing the sun. Try to berm the north side of the house, since it receives little sunlight and much of the cold winter wind.

South-facing windows:  Design as many windows as possible on the south side, few on the east and west sides, and as few as possible on the north side. This opens the home to direct sunlight, and provides more insulation on the north side.