Final answer:
A West-facing home is usually brighter and warmer due to getting sun for most of the day. A North-facing home typically receives sunlight at the back, making it darker and cooler. Strategic home design, including window placement and overhangs, can optimize temperature control and energy efficiency.
Step-by-step explanation:
Typically a West-facing home gets sun for most of the day, especially at the front of the house, and is therefore usually brighter and warmer. A North-facing home gets sun at the back of the house and is typically darker and naturally cooler.
Designing buildings to take advantage of the sun's position can significantly impact the warmth and lighting of a home. For example, homes in hotter climates such as Texas or Arizona may have larger north-facing windows to avoid the sun, keeping the house cooler. On the contrary, in colder regions like Canada, south-facing windows can trap more heat. Additionally, south-facing windows with correctly designed overhangs allow the low-angle winter sun to warm the house while blocking the high-angle summer sun, keeping it cooler. In terms of energy efficiency, these design strategies, along with using materials such as thick insulation and double-paned windows, can contribute to building a zero-energy house that remains comfortable regardless of the season.