As for the clerestories, glass is a very, very poor insulator & doesn't block radiant heat (sunshine). So in winter you want to gain more heat from sunshine coming in the house than you lose through poorly insulated windows (clerestories lose a lot of heat, as it's warm near the ceiling). So you want your windows to be unshaded in winter. Unfortunately your roof design means your northern clerestories will be shaded, losing more heat than they gain. So I see no advantage having north facing clerestories with that roof design. As oklouise says, north facing clerestories are much better with a skillion roof, as they will receive winter sunshine. As for western windows. All western windows are a problem in summer (& won't receive as much sun in winter as northern windows). Clerestories will be shaded for much of the day, but will still receive sunshine in the late afternoon. So I wouldn't be including them. You obviously want some windows facing your western yard. But I'd be reducing them, shading them with a western covered alfresco & using low-e glass to reduce radiant heat transmission. Southern clerestories. These receive no sunshine in winter, & leak heat. So I wouldn't be having these either. Maybe a case of form over function. You want form to follow function (as is the case with north facing clerestories with a skillion roof in the below example).

There are so many variables and ways to build things. Building succesfully is very much working well in three dimensions and understanding the structure, and the waterproofing required in three dimensions. Your question suggest that you are only thinking in terms of heights and brick courses, but there are lots of other things happening that would suggest that you get a section of the house and post it with dimensions. Most building professionals work in millimetrres rather than brick coursing. So converting your dimensions to millimetres - 28 courses is 2400mm, which is the minimum height for a habitable room ceiling. Six courses of brickwork is 514mm for the window opening, however your glazed area will be less than this due to the width of the window frame. Your 3 courses of brickwork which is 257mm should be enough for most steel lintels, unless you have a really wide opening for a window? You also need to allow for flashing if the clerestorey is above another roof running into the same wall - if this is the case you may need the full 47 courses. I would be asking your designers why they need 47 courses, as it is a lot higher, and there may be problems with setback issues? Is it a flashing issue? Is it a window opening width and lintel issue. I am afraid you haven't really supplied enough information or images to explain about the clerestorey window so it is impossible to answer precisely. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls and Dr Retro Virtual Visist

Wish to repaint buff coloured exterior render with Resene ”Indian Ink”, a very very deep blue … almost black. Some existing vertical timber wood slat cladding, windows anodised aluminium. No front door, rather a gate leads to 2.5m height sliding doors, with 2.5m matching windows, clerestory windows above this long wall of fenestration. Want a pop of colour. Should I paint timber wood slat entry gate in Apple Green?

i would also omit the clerestory windows as the focus should be from the inside looking out, keeping the fireplace central allows for symmetrical joinery and the couches can then be placed to allow for a walkway and cabinets/shelves along the bathroom wall and keeps through traffic from obstructing a view of the fire, TV and the pool....keeping in mind that the only time we ever look directly at the external wall so carefully is on the plans... in the real world we see the wall looking close up from ground level in the side yard or from across the street from an angle but a simple faux chimney added to the external wall could be enough interest and/or if there's space for attractive landscaping a tall window matching the main house and a glass door could add cross ventilation, late afternoon sun and interest viewed from inside and out but consider a wider landing, steps and perhaps a porch roof if the side door will be used regularly