we're building in Childers Qld (Zone 2) on top of a hill 120m above sea level with no chance of being built-in as we are on a 69 acre block. Quite windy all the time predominately from the SE. All outside doors will be security. Roof has vents in the gables on all four sides so I can leave open to purge heat during summer and close off in winter. Bed 2&3 doors used to be adjacent bathroom door for cross breezes but a layout change in the bathroom meant having its door on the east now. Not ideal but necessary. Dark colour unfortunately is dictated by our very red soil that will stain any light colour so had to go dark, would of preferred light. So I should make my eaves 1200mm all around?

Indeed an interesting thread an I must admit that I've been going cross-eyed extracting as much information from your two images as I can. A very challenging dilemma. I can't speak for the glazing. It's not my area of expertise. I'm inclined to agree with other comments in this thread re leaning towards internal window treatments. The long raking window at top presents special challenges and as Envirotecture has indicated it would meaning being open to the consideration of framing your view somewhat. Here are some ideas which might be worth considering. 1. A fixed curtain for the upper raking window. Given the room is very much about light, a sheer, though not providing the same insulating properties as curtains or heavier drapery, would nevertheless, provide some insulating benefit from the air-gapping effect. A fixed curtain (sheer or otherwise) is likely to be one of the cheaper components in the options I'm listing. 2. It's hard to tell from the images how much more the 'conventional' rectangular space beyond the couch extends. Assuming it does not extend the entire length of the side of the house you have a number of options available to you here. Options which could Include Soft Roman Blinds fronting on sunscreen roller blinds. Pelmets would provide substantive insulating benefits, but it is difficult to see from the image whether they would suit, and whether you would have sufficient height, or 'any height' above that window in which to mount them so as to minimise the loss of window view due to the stacking up of the Roman. The sunscreen rollers are less problematic in that regard and provide some insulation while still allowing light when the Romans are not lowered. If opting at any stage for Romans, ensure they are properly lined with pre-stiffened Roman Lining which provides better insulation, but almost more importantly, will not sag over time such is the case with many Romans that are lined with much cheaper curtain lining which is not pre-stiffened and does not afford the same degree of insulation. 3. Along the main alfresco expanse where the table is located, and under the previously proposed location of the fixed curtains along the raking window, a motorised or hand traversed S-Fold or Wave curtain fronting, yet again, more thermal sunscreen roller-blinds could present an attractive modern look in keeping with the modern style of the room and house. Of course, an issue is going to be stack-back when the curtains are open, however, the double layered protection of both a Wave or S-Fold curtain and Roller Blinds will provide superior insulating benefits to tinting throughout the year (not just summer) imho. 4. Other ideas include Plantation Shutters across the raking/eve window above. I doubt very much that plantation shutters would work along the lower 'framed' area as the stack-back effect if bi-fold, or loss of view if sliding, would be too much of a sacrifice, let alone the additional consideration of the cost of such treatment used so extensively. Although, the window treatments i have suggested for possible consideration do not necessarily offer optimum insulation (eg the exclusion of pelmets or use of heavy lined drapery), I believe that you there would be some offset in terms of a positive ROI over time due to the savings you will reap on your heating/cooling bills. I'm in Melbourne which is marginally warmer, and without adequate insulating window treatments, the heat loss through the glass is substantial and the heating/cooling bills frightening. 5. That's a hell of a lot of glass to treat whether you opt for a glazing solution which will provide primary benefit during the summer or conventional internal window treatments - whether drapery or blind. Either way the solution is likely to be costly. To keep the cost down you could always consider high quality Thermal Verticals which can come in a variety of slat sizes colours and textures and provide substantive savings over the Wave or S-fold solutions with less stack-back loss. Once again ensuring you purchase high quality verticals that will hold up to the Australian sun over the long haul is important. The cheaper stuff might look good but you'll be picking slats off the floor within 5 years if you are not careful. Here is an image from one of our own projects where high quality 'chain-less' verticals were used to cover large expanses of glass throughout the house in combination with thermal roller blinds. Of course, this treatment or the use of Wave/S-fold curtains would only provide part of the overall solution you require. 6. The only solution I didn't yet mention is the use of folding arm awnings. While they would provide benefits during the summer, they would be more than likely at the expense of your expansive view (or part thereof). Quality awnings whether manually operated or motorised are also costly. The only other comment I might make is that internal blind and curtain window treatments provide you with a high degree of flexibility. Romans, for example work well in combination with many other window treatments, either along side them, or in combination with each other in the context of the same window. The same can be said for the other treatments I have mentioned. The internal window treatments suggested can also facilitate the ability to support a style transition from one room or area to the next. - An important consideration if the house is of a uniform style throughout and you are wanting to 'mix it up a bit' or transition to styles that vary yet compliment the primary style or look you may have throughout the house. I'm sorry, it is difficult offering suggestions based on your two images, even though they are of good quality and detailed. I don't envy you with this 'design dilemma' ... though it certainly gets my vote as one of the more challenging ones I have seen in recent times, and in an area/topic where I felt I could contribute.

I'd start by asking this question on the Whirlpool Green Tech forum, https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum/143 Plenty of well informed people post there, including people in the solar PV industry. Evaluate your electricity bill & your usage. What proportion of this occurs in the daytime, whether other usage can be shifted to the daytime. Evaluate your roof, is it unshaded, does it have ample areas that face north, east or west. Answering these questions will help you determine the size of the PV system you should install. Now get at least 3 quotes from installers. Evaluate the quality of the year offered, the PV panels, the inverter, any extras, the warrantees offered. Evaluate the quality of the installer, have they been in business for quite a long time, have a good reputation? Ask many questions on the Green Tech forum & elsewhere.

As mentioned previously, the balustrade and safety barrier regulations exist for good reason, ultimately to prevent accidental loss of life. No equal counter argument, period. Are they overly restrictive? Not necessarily. Are they tighter than other countries? Definitely. Can we vary them? Sometimes, if you can prove compliance to the deemed to satisfy provisions. Can we achieve the same aesthetically clean "no barrier" designs in Australia as simply and to the same degree as in other countries? No. But these more restrictive conditions don't necessarily equate to more restrictive architecture. Arguably we have to work harder and be more creative within constraints to get what I'd describe as quality and clever architectural solutions, but you know what? Too bad. And this is what separates "the men from the boys" so to speak (no gender inequality meant at all) I thrive on the creative opportunity within the constraint and it challenges our professional to go deeper creatively using the breadth of of skills to achieve results in arguably more challenging conditions. Its an easy cop out just to whinge about safety barriers or whatever the particular restriction is based on predominantly aesthetic/visual/spatial goals. Design solutions will ultimately reflect/respond to the contextual conditions. Yes outside of Australia there is less regulation around matters of safety that can be exploited by design solutions to sometimes achieve visually and spatially breathtaking results, such as in the images shown on this post. Like in all situations it's about balance and priorities and when practicing design and architecture in this country issues around safety are managed more robustly by regulation, which in turn naturally requires design solutions to work within the limits, which in many cases, due to the particular project priority stack and/or capacity of the people involved, results in less "integrated" solutions. At the end of the day, quality architecture is important and there's not enough of it here IMO, but that aside, safety barriers won't and don't prevent great or interesting architecture, but they do reduce/minimise loss of life, particularly young life, and that there I think for any project regardless should be the absolute highest priority, above and beyond any potential aesthetic or spatial outcome.