Window orientation drives the cooling load

Sun through glass is 25–40% of cooling, and orientation decides it: west and east glass catch the low afternoon/morning sun and drive the peak; north is least. Low-SHGC glass or shading on the west pays back most.

An overhead plan of a house, north up, with a solar-gain arrow into the window on each side sized by how much heat it admits. The west window arrow is largest (intense low afternoon sun) and the east is nearly as large (morning sun); south is moderate and north is smallest. A dashed sun path runs along the south from east to west. Sunlight through glass is 25 to 40 percent of the cooling load. — Source: ACCA Manual J (window HTM)

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An overhead plan of a house, north up, with a solar-gain arrow into the window on each side sized by how much heat it admits. The west window arrow is largest (intense low afternoon sun) and the east is nearly as large (morning sun); south is moderate and north is smallest. A dashed sun path runs along the south from east to west. Sunlight through glass is 25 to 40 percent of the cooling load.

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