If you’re a homeowner planning a remodel, renovation, or new construction project in New Jersey, windows can feel like a simple design choice — frame style, pane pattern, maybe a dramatic picture window where the view deserves it. 

But placement is where performance lives. Where a window sits in the wall, the direction it faces, how it’s shaded, and how it works with the rest of your building envelope all show up later on your utility bill and in the day-to-day comfort of your rooms.

Think about the sun’s arc across your lot. South-facing glass can be your quietest energy ally in winter, admitting low-angle sunlight that helps warm interior spaces without you having to touch the thermostat. In the summer, the same façade benefits from well-sized overhangs to block the high midday sun. This isn’t guesswork — federal guidance for passive solar design has long recommended orienting primary glazing toward true south (within roughly 30°) and pairing it with shading to control seasonal gains.¹

On the other sides of the house, you’ll manage light and heat differently. East-facing windows welcome morning light but can bring sharp early heat in July and August; west-facing windows collect long, late-day rays that overheat living rooms just when you’re settling in. North windows, by contrast, offer gorgeously even daylight with minimal solar heat gain — a gift for offices, kitchens, and studios where glare is the enemy. Consider these factors, then specify the proper glass to support the placement.

That specification is your next lever. Every residential window carries performance ratings that tell a clear story: the U-factor for heat loss, the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) for the amount of solar heat it allows, and other values such as visible transmittance. Lower U-factors mean better insulation. Lower SHGC blocks more summer heat; higher SHGC can be desirable on the south side if you’re deliberately harvesting winter sun. These aren’t marketing terms — they’re standardized ratings defined and certified through the National Fenestration Rating Council and explained by the U.S. Department of Energy.²

Because New Jersey experiences four distinct seasons, product selection should take into account both climate and orientation. ENERGY STAR’s residential window criteria tie U-factor and SHGC to climate zones — homes in New Jersey will typically do best with low U-factors to limit winter loss and carefully chosen SHGC that respects where each window sits on the façade. In practice, this means you might select one glazing package for the south elevation and a different one for the west or east.³