Climate and Weather.

Climate vs Weather. According to the New South Wales Department of Environment and Climate Change
A good description of the relationship between climate and weather is the saying "climate is what you expect, weather is what you get". Climate is essentially a long term description of weather patterns like rain, wind, temperature, sunshine and so on.


Certainly in Britain and possibly in the rest of the world too, the most popular way to start a conversation is to talk about the weather.

Living a sustainable lifestyle will require that you do more than talk about it.

When it comes to building a passive solar sustainable house, knowledge of the weather, or more correctly the local climate and the micro climate, is crucial.




When building a sustainable house it is critical that the local climate is taken into account.

The micro climate of your exact location dictates the type of house you need.

Can the house be oriented to take advantage of the climate and sunlight?

What types of building materials will be used?

Is there enough roof facing the sun so that PV solar panels and solar hot water heating systems can be installed?

The duration of sunlight you can expect on a sunny day can help you plan your solar electricity system. A Sunrise and Sunset Calculator can be found at timeanddate.com

How much insulation will you need?

Is double glazing justified?

Which way does the wind blow at different times of the day?

How can you use that wind to make your house more comfortable to live in and more energy efficient?

Is there a sea breeze?

In the previous post I listed some temperatures for where we will live.
Obviously what will be right for us will not always be right for others. Every location is different.


You can get mean average temperatures for most locations from a variety of websites.
These temperatures should be taken into consideration as you make your plans.

You should ascertain the path of the sun in your area at different times of the year.

Try to get a Sun-Path diagram like the ones here for your location.

Irrespective of climatic and geographical differences, the basic principles of passive solar design and sustainable housing remain valid wherever you build.

Even in cool and wet climates, passive solar principles should be incorporated into building design.

You might be far removed from a tropical climate but you can still make the sun can still work for you.