Site & Solar Orientation

• Author: Glenn Holmes, Bradley Adams
• Pages: 166-170

166 Sustainable Development Code: Climate Change

SITE & SO LAR ORI ENTATIO N

Glenn Holmes, Bradley Adams (authors)

Darcie White, Sara Bronin, & Jonathan Rosenbloom (editors)

INTRODUCTION

e design, orientation, and layout of a structure directly aect t he eciency

of solar energy generation.1 Solar energy regulations may require solar-ready

lot and build ing orientation,2 and site plan regulations may require a site

layout that provides a minimum length of time for solar energy s ystems to

have access to sunlight.3 Optimum solar capacity can be achieved, in pa rt,

by adopting regulations that require street a nd building orientation to have

the long axis running from east to west in order to maximize sunlight expo-

sure emanating from the south.4 Codes ca n allow exibility in their setback

requirements, as well as limit the height and location of structures, so as

not to interfere with a development’s capability to harvest a nd produce solar

power.5 Communities that adopt solar siting ordinances into their site devel-

opment standards may control the height and location of buildings through

stricter minimum setbacks to ensure neighboring lots maintain solar acce ss.6

e eectiveness of site orientation is heavily dependent on ordinances,

which combine the concept with shade prevention or “solar fences.”7 For

ordinances addressing o-property shading and o-property shading dis-

putes see Process to Resolve Tree Interference with Solar Access brief and

Limiting O Property Shading of Solar Energy Systems brief.

EFFECTS

Site orientation is a critical component to “passive” solar energy collection,

a process that involves harnessing solar energy to heat a building without

the use of panels or other instruments. e ideal orientation for buildings to

harvest solar energ y is within ve degrees of true south, though placement

within 30 degrees still garners a considerable solar contribution.8 Aligning a

house in accordance with the recommended a xis, combined with design fea-

tures such as thermal mass material and the installation of glazed southern