South-Facing Houses in Australia: A Chilling Experience
In South Korea, south-facing houses are considered desirable homes. They receive ample sunlight during winter, making them warm. In summer, the sun shines for a shorter duration, keeping the house less hot.
In Australia, which is located in the southern hemisphere, south-facing houses are not preferred. During winter, these houses do not receive much sunlight, resulting in extreme cold. Additionally, since the sun doesn’t enter the house during summer, mold can grow in closets if there is moisture.
When I first came to Australia, unaware of these factors, my husband and I explored rental houses. We once rented a south-facing unit for a short time, but it was too dark during the day, and we had to keep the lights on all day.
Even when we bought our first townhouse, we didn’t consider these aspects. The kitchen faced north, so it received ample sunlight, making the dishes dry quickly, and it always looked clean. The north-facing backyard also helped with fast drying of laundry. It was less hot in summer and relatively less cold in winter.
Our neighbour across the street had a south-facing backyard, and their laundry wouldn’t dry. They had to set up a drying rack in the driveway. At that time, I realized how important house orientation is for quality of life.
