Seasonal Differences in Sunlight

Most of this can be attributed to the path of the sun changing with the seasons. As you consider filming your windows you need to give careful consideration to the path of the sun over the course of a year.

The sun rises higher above the horizon in the summer than in winter. This creates a seasonal difference in the directions from which sunlight is brightest through windows. In the summer the sun rises in the east, passes high over a building and sets in the west. The eastern and western exposures of a building receive the greatest amount of sunlight.

In the winter the sun rises in the southeast, shines throughout the day on the southern side of a building and sets in the southwest. The southern exposure receives the greatest amount of sunlight; however, the eastern and western sides also receive sunlight. Windows facing east and west benefit from film all year around, while film is most important on south facing windows in the winter.