Site Use
Considering how a building and site impact on each other, enhancing energy efficiency, comfort and convenience.
Positioning a house on the site
The essential premise of sustainable building design is to work with the local climate and natural cycles and rhythms.
In addition, the aim is to minimise the effect of the building on the site biodiversity, improve or restore site biodiversity after construction and minimise the effect of the proposed building on neighbours.
In practice, on most sites, this means the house should be positioned to maximise the benefit from sun (daylighting, warmth), existing vegetation (shading), views and cooling breezes, while reducing undesirable effects such as cold or strong winds, rain and noise, and keeping site excavation to a minimum.
On smaller sites, the choice of building form or location may be limited, and maximising sun into the building is likely to be the key considerations.
Site considerations include:
- sun
- wind effects/microclimate
- topography
- neighbours/adjacent buildings
- views
- existing vegetation
- noise
- location of services
- site hazards – these may include contaminants in the soil and risks of flooding, slips or erosion. Any potential hazard should be avoided if possible, or be considered and designed for as necessary.