We spent 8 months going through about 13 major versions with 2-3 minor revs on each one, using Deneba's Canvas drawing package, with great layer and dimension support to help produce a scaled 1:100 drawing that the builder could use as a starting point for their final drawings.
It's a misleading house - the block runs East-West and the house is narrow, taking up less than 40% of the surface area, but looks massive from an angle.
It's not particularly small, being just over 400sqm (about 4400 sq ft?) including the triple garage and huge office/gym at the end.
Anyway, it goes to show that a passive solar design doesn't have to look outlandish.
Note: this house is in the Southern Hemisphere (Perth, Western Australia) so our Winter sun is to the North, rising to about a 62° angle. Summer sun starts South of due East, at noon is up to 81° and sets South of due West.
Apart from the obvious eaves, we have:
The overall design of the house [ shape means the main North-facing glass area is shaded from the low Western afternoon sun in summer.
The main family area is inside the North-facing glass looking onto the courtyard
and is all tiled, providing a heat sink for night-time warmth and cool thermal mass in Summer.
Whilst the house is ducted for air-conditioning we have no intention of installing any :-)
Photos page is slow - I've not had time to create thumbnails.
Please direct questions to Andy Dent.
After being in the house for a week (moved in July 2003) most of the solar design is working well, it's warm, light and airy.