Shea CullenNSW Registered Architect 9748 · Updated 10 July 2026Summer: eaves block the sun
Winter: the lower angle lets sun in
This is a guide to determine if your property is north facing or if the existing house on it is North facing. These are two different things, you can have a North facing site without a home that is designed to capture northern light on it and you can also have a North facing home on a site that isn't a North Facing Site.
Use the free block orientation tool below to see which way your block faces and where the sun tracks across it, or read the guide to understand what makes a home or site north facing.
Which way does my block face?
Type your address and we will draw your block with north at the top, so you can see which way it faces and where the sun is. The side facing north is where your living areas and big windows want to go. NSW only.
Why is a North Facing Home or Site Important?
In Australia and other parts of the southern hemisphere, the sun travels at a higher angle in summer and a lower angle in winter. This means that if you have the right size overhang then you can allow the sun into your home in winter and block it in summer if you have a North Facing home or site. In America and Europe the sun is to the South so that is the desirable aspect there.
North Facing Living Room in Winter
South Facing Living Room in Winter
What is a North Facing Home?
A North Facing Home is a home where the Living Area and outdoor Areas are on the North side of the home. This means that the areas you spend the most time in will get the most light and you'll have a more thermally comfortable home. It is best for passive solar design. If you are looking at purchasing an existing home, then you want to be looking at homes with the living and outdoor areas on the North, like in the examples below.
North Facing Outdoor Area
South Facing Outdoor Area
how should i design the roof of my outdoor area to the north?
To maximise the sun in winter and block it out in summer, it is best to use roof extenders in your outdoor area so that the roof is sloping the right way and there is no box gutter. Here are some images below to show the sun in winter (going into the living area) and the sun in the summer not entering the building.
Outdoor roof allows winter sun to enter the building
Outdoor roof blocks sun from entering the building in summer
North Facing Home with only living and outdoor areas facing North
Getting the north right is half the job; the other half is the west, where the low afternoon sun slips under any eave. Here is how to tame the afternoon sun on a west facing window.
What is a North Facing Site for a home?
A North Facing Site is a Site that has the potential outdoor areas, and the backyard to the North with the car entry to the site to the South or West. Here are some examples of North Facing sites for homes:
North Facing Home with all rooms facing North (North is up)
North Facing Site for Duplex
What is a North Facing Site for a Duplex or Dual Occupancy?
A North Facing Site is a Site that has the potential outdoor areas, and the backyard to the North with the car entry to the site to the South. This is different to a home as you want to be able to have both dwellings get that Northern Light.
What is a North Facing Site for Townhouses?
A North Facing Site is a Site that has the potential outdoor areas, and the backyard to the North with the car entry to the site to the South. This is different to a home as you want to be able to have both dwellings get that Northern Light.
North Facing Site for Townhouses
What is a North Facing Site for Apartments?
A North Facing Site is a Site that has the potential outdoor areas, and the backyard to the North with the car entry to the site to the South. This is different to a home as you want to be able to have both dwellings get that Northern Light. With Apartments it is important to pick ones that won't overshadow the neighbours, so try and pick sites with a road to the South so that that is where the apartment shadow falls. This will help you meet the Apartment Design Guide and also mean that it does not adversely affect the neighbours.
