“SOLAR ENVELOPE

PLANNING”
AS AN APPROACH TO
SOLAR ARCHITECTURE IN
TROPICAL CLIMATES

jimmy priatman
Faculty of architecture-
Centre for Building Energy Study
PETRA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
World trade centre
competition
 Solar Architecture :
 An architecture utilizes
solar technology
directly (incident solar
radiation) or indirectly
(wind energy) into
building by using
architectural elements
of building that
functions as either
active or passive solar
system
 Active Solar System :
 A Solar Technology
system applied to
building that
converts light
energy into thermal
energy by means of
mechanical
equipment for solar
water heating, solar
hvac, photovoltaic
 Passive Solar System :
 A passive approach
that minimizes the
usage of mechanical
means by optimizing
architectural elements
(roof, wall, ceiling,
floor) that functions as
a thermal collector or
an energy envelope
system
 Solar Envelope :
 Assurance of solar access
 Control of shadow
 SOLAR ENVELOPE :
 Describes the
volumetric limits
of developable
building that will
not shadow its
surrounding at
specified times
on a specific
location and site
 The Solar Envelope
is a constructed synthesis of
time and space
 The Time Data :

Cutoff Times 
Daily Paths : 7 am – 5 pm
Seasonal Paths: 21 June-22 Dec

 The Space Data :

Latitude, Size, Slope,
Shape, Orientation
The Shape of Solar Envelope:
 Daily Limits
 Seasonal Limits
 Integration of
the two
 The emerging
form
SOLAR ENVELOPE
Basic Envelope Generation
Technique :
 Azimuth
 Altitude
 Cutoff times :
 7 am , 5 pm
 Winter solstice
(22 Dec.)
 Summer solstice
(21 June)
Solar Envelope of a flat site (30 0
orientation) at Surabaya (7 0 S)
SOLAR ENVELOPE GENERATION
for 30 0 flat site at Surabaya
Solar Envelope for SBY
300 flat site
Solar Envelope
Location determines Rhythm :
Solar Envelope for various
urban site
Rhythm establishes Form :
Form assigns Metabolism :
Solar Envelope for urban centre
Solar Envelope of a flat site at
Chicago (42 0N)
 The significance of Solar
Envelope in equator area :
 Controlling unexpected shadows to
adjacent property beyond solar
envelope
 Regulating expected shadows due to
avoid excessive solar heat gain and
glare onto buildings for energy efficient
purposes within solar envelope
 Managing solar access for collector
area on the roof or wall  give way to
solar architecture