The Sun Compass is a powerful tool that helps you analyze how sunlight affects your property throughout the year. This step-by-step guide will teach you how to use this feature in the Compass Overlay app to determine if your home receives direct sunlight during the hot months of the year.
Understanding Sun Path in Singapore
While we'll use Singapore as our case study in this guide, the Compass Overlay app works anywhere in the world as it uses your location to calculate the sun position in your specific region.
Singapore sits near the equator, so the sun's path shifts slightly throughout the year. As a result, the direction of afternoon sun varies and doesn't always come directly from the west."
December: Sun sets *toward* the southwest
June: Sun sets *toward* the northwest
This means even a unit not facing exact west can still get afternoon sun, depending on the time of year. And since our buildings are concrete, the heat sticks around.
How the Sun Compass Works
The Compass Overlay sun compass is built to illustrate the precise sun direction at different months of the year based on your location, which we'll assume is Singapore for this guide.
West sun region
East sun region
Here's how the sun compass is designed:
- Two sun regions: The compass is split into 2 parts:
- West sun region: The red region labeled with a "W" - this indicates afternoon sun direction
- East sun region: The orange region labeled with an "E" - this indicates morning sun direction
- Month indicator: In the middle of the compass, you'll see the currently selected month
- Sun direction lines: The red and orange lines in each region show the angle at which the sun would fall onto your property
- Sun direction slider: At the bottom of the app, you can adjust this to see how sun direction changes throughout the year
Step-by-Step Guide to Using the Sun Compass
1. Open Your Property Site Plan
Once you open the app, press the Open Image button and select the property site plan that you want to analyze.
Important: Most property site plans are aligned to the north, but make sure to check as that's important in determining the sun direction. For HDB site plans, there's usually a compass at the bottom corner.
2. Select the Sun Compass Tool
Select the sun compass option.
3. Toggle Auto-Rotate Off
For analyzing site plans of properties that aren't built yet (like BTOs), you'll want to disable the auto-rotate feature.
Why disable auto-rotate? Auto-rotate is useful when you're at the actual location of the property, but since we're analyzing plans for units that might not be built yet, we'll disable it. This sets the compass angle to 0 degrees, which aligns with the site plan's north orientation.
Note: If your site plan doesn't align to true north, you can use the rotate image button or set the compass angle manually to align with your site plan.
4. Analyze Your Unit
Now you can start analyzing your specific unit. Let's say you're interested in unit stack 165 from block 968A of the Site Plan above. You can pan and zoom in to the particular unit.
Pro Tip: Sometimes you might not be able to zoom as the sun compass might be in your way. You can move the sun compass to one side first and you will be able to pan and zoom the image.
5. Position the Sun Compass and Analyze
Position the unit in the middle of the screen and overlay the sun compass atop it.
Pro Tip: Change the sun compass size by selecting the + or - button in the size configuration.
5.1 Analyze Afternoon Sun Exposure
Let's start by analyzing the living room and bedroom which get some afternoon sun:
- Place the sun compass at the edge of the living room wall
- Position the west sun portion of the compass at the wall edge
- Adjust the Sun Direction slider to see how sun angles change throughout the year
December: This is the month when the afternoon sun reaches deepest into this unit. However the sunlight entering is minimal, keeping the unit comfortably cool.
November: Some sunlight hits the external walls, but very little enters the unit. The heating effect is minimal and usually requires little or no cooling.
October and other months: Afternoon sun is mostly blocked by Unit 167. This shading effect helps maintain a consistently cool indoor temperature during these months.
5.2 Consider Seasonal Weather Patterns
Remember to factor in Singapore's monsoon seasons:
- Northeast Monsoon: December to early March
- Southwest Monsoon: June to September
These months typically have more cloud cover, which means less intense sunlight. So even though this unit receives the most afternoon sun in December, the cloudiness helps keep it cooler.
5.3 Analyzing Morning Sun Exposure
5.4 Analyzing Laundry Areas
If you rely on sunlight to help dry your laundry, it's important to check how much sun the service yard gets throughout the year.
Conclusion
As we've seen throughout this guide, sunlight exposure changes throughout the year—and everyone has their own preferences when it comes to what makes a comfortable home.
Whatever your lifestyle, a home is a major investment. Use Compass Overlay to help you make an informed decision:
- Avoid uncomfortable afternoon sun in bedrooms and living areas
- Ensure sunlight reaches laundry areas if that's important to you
- Get pleasant morning sun to reduce humidity and brighten your space
- Choose a unit that truly matches your comfort and daily habits
Need Help With Your Analysis?
While the Sun Compass is designed to be user-friendly, we understand that some property buyers may want expert assistance with their analysis.
For just $50, our experts will analyze 3 units of your choice to show their year-round sun exposure patterns. This small investment can save you thousands in energy costs and ensure comfortable living for years to come.
Get Your Property Sun Analysis
What happens next?
- We'll reach out to you within 24 hours for confirmation and payment
- Once payment is received, we'll send you the comprehensive report within 3 business days
- For each unit, you'll get 2 photos showing sun exposure in December and June (when sun angles are most extreme)
- We'll rank all 3 units from least to most sun exposure throughout the year
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Sun Compass work?
The Sun Compass illustrates the precise sun direction throughout the year based on your location. It shows the west sun region (red) and east sun region (orange), with month selection that lets you see how sun angles change throughout the year. You can move the compass to analyze how sunlight hits different parts of your property.
Does the Sun Compass work outside of Singapore?
Yes, the Sun Compass works worldwide. It uses your current location to calculate the sun position specific to that part of the world. While our examples use Singapore as a case study, the app can be used anywhere to analyze property sun exposure.
Why is it important to analyze sun exposure for a property?
Analyzing sun exposure helps determine if your home will suffer from direct afternoon sunlight which can lead to overheating, higher electricity bills from cooling costs, and uncomfortable living conditions. Morning sun (east) is generally beneficial, while afternoon sun (west) can make homes uncomfortably hot.
How can I align the Sun Compass with my property's site plan?
Most property site plans are aligned to the north. Turn off auto-rotate in the app to set the compass angle to 0 degrees, which aligns with the site plan. If your site plan isn't aligned to true north, you can use the rotate image button or manually set the compass angle to match your site plan.
