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 hame on a site that isn't a North Facing Site.
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.
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 Home with only living and outdoor areas facing North
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
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.
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
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 adversly affect the neighbours.