Ar. ALEENA ACHI JOSEPH SUN AND THE DESIGN PROCESS

Ar.
ALEENA ACHI JOSEPH

SUN AND THE DESIGN PROCESS
Assistant Professor
Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology
Kottayam
MODULE 02
SUN AND THE DESIGN PROCESS
❑ Movement of sun and solar geometry

❑ Orientation of Sun
❑ Solar Charts
❑ Solar Shading
❑ Shadow Angles
❑ Sun Control
❑ Design of Shading Devices
SOLAR GEOMETRY SOLAR RADIATION: QUALITY
❑ The earth receives almost all its energy

❑ “Sun” is one of the most predominant factors from the sun in the form of radiation, thus
to be considered while designing climate the sun is the dominating influence on
responsive buildings. climates.
❑ In a tropical country like ours, radiation ❑ The spectrum of solar radiation extends
entering through the fenestrations can cause from 290 to 2300 nm.
severe overheating. ❑ According to human means of perception
❑ Measures to control the same are a crucial we can distinguish:
aspect of climate responsiveness. ❖ a ultra-violet radiation, 290 to 380 nm,
❑ Solar Geometry describes the relationship producing photo-chemical effects,
between the sun and earth or more bleaching, sunburn, etc.
importantly the relationship of solar radiation ❖ b visible light, 380 (violet) to 700 nm
and the product of the sun with any location (red).
on the earth. ❖ c short infra-red radiation, 700 to 2300
nm, radiant heat with some photochemical
effects.
SOLAR RADIATION: QUANTITY
❑ The intensity of radiation reaching the upper
surface of the atmosphere is taken as the solar
constant: 1.395 W/m2, but it may actually vary
±2% due to variations in the output of the sun
itself and it varies ±3.5% due to changes in the
earth–sun distance.
❑ The earth moves around the sun in a slightly
elliptical orbit.
❑ One revolution is completed in 365 days, 5
hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds. This orbit
results from the gravitational pull of the sun and
the centrifugal force due to the earth's inertia and
momentum.
❑ At aphelion the solar distance is 152 million km
and at perihelion is 147 million km. Aphelion is
the point of the Earth's orbit that is farthest
away from the Sun. Perihelion is the point of
the Earth's orbit that is nearest to the Sun.
THE EARTH – SUN RELATIONSHIP : SOLAR ORIENTATION
❑ While the earth revolves around the sun, it also spins around its own north– south axis. Because this axis is
not perpendicular to the orbital plane but is tilted 23.5° off the normal to this plane, and because the orientation
in space of this axis of rotation remains fixed as the earth revolves around the sun, the angle at which the sun’s
rays hit the earth continuously changes throughout the year.
❑ This tilt of 23.5° is the cause of the seasons and has major implications for solar design.
❑ Because the tilt of the earth’s axis is fixed, the Northern Hemisphere faces the sun in June and the Southern
Hemisphere faces the sun in December
Northern
Hemisphere
Southern
Hemisphere
THE EARTH – SUN RELATIONSHIP
Summer Solstice - On 21st June areas along latitude 23.5 N are normal to the sun rays and experience a zenith
path of the sun, and longest day is experienced. Areas along latitude 23.5 S experience the shortest day and
minimum radiation
Winter Solstice - On 21st December areas along latitude 23.5 S are normal to the sun rays and experience a zenith
path of the sun, and longest day is experienced. Areas along latitude 23.5 N experience the shortest day and
minimum radiation
Equinoxes – On March 21st and September 23rd areas along equator experience maximum radiation and equal
duration of day and night
❑ The sky can be imagined as a hemispherical

dome with the point of reference as the centre.
The sun moves across this sky dome.
❑ In Figure 3 we see an imaginary sky dome placed
over the building site.
❑ The points where these sunrays penetrate the
sky dome every hour are marked.
❑ When all the points for one day are connected,
we get a line on the sky dome called the sun
path for that day.
❑ Figure 4 shows the highest sun path of the year
(summer solstice), the lowest sun path (winter
solstice), and the middle sun paths (equinoxes).
❑ Since the solar radiation is quite weak in the
early and late hours of the day, the part of the
sky dome through which the most powerful
sunrays enter is called the solar window
(Fig.5).
Sun’s position at 9.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. on the summer and winter solstice. Image credit: Clay Atchison,
www.solarschoolhouse.org
❑ Solar window is very important

because, it is between 9.00 a.m. and
3.00 p.m. that we receive the
maximum energy from the sun.
❑ To harness the maximum possible
energy at a given geographic location,
the solar window should be clear
and not be shaded by trees or any
other obstacle between 9.00 a.m. and
3.00 p.m., during most part of the year.
❑ It is for this reason that, before
installing any solar device, one
should analyze the installation site’s
solar window and make sure that,
there aren’t any shading obstacles.
The solar window. Image credit: Clay Atchison, www.solarschoolhouse.org

SUN PATH
❑ It refers to the apparent significant seasonal

and hourly positional changes of the sun (
and length of daylight) as the Earth rotates and
orbits around the Sun.
SUN PATH DIAGRAM
❑ As the name suggests, this diagram is used to

determine the location of the sun, in the sky
at any point of time during the day,
throughout the year.
❑ In the sun path diagram,
❖ The concentric circles denote -Altitude Angles
❖ The radial lines denote -Azimuth Angles
❖ The curved lines denote -Date or month
❖ The dotted lines denote -Hours
Latitude
Kerala/Coordinates The Pattern of Changes of Sun path

10.8505° N, 76.2711° E
ALTITUDE AND AZIMUTH ANGLES
❑ The Sun's position in the sky is defined by ❑ Altitude in this sense is expressed as angular elevation (up to
two angles. 90°) above the horizon.
❑ The Solar Altitude angle is the vertical angle ❑ Azimuth is the number of degrees clockwise from due north
between the horizontal and the line (usually) to the object's vertical circle (i.e., a great circle
connecting to the Sun. through the object and the zenith).
❑ At sunset and sunrise, the altitude is zero and is
90 degrees when the sun is at the zenith.
❑ The Azimuth is the horizontal rotation angle
from Due North (in the Southern Hemisphere)
or from Due South (in the Northern
Hemisphere).
Altitude Azimuth
ALTITUDE AND AZIMUTH ANGLES
Altitude angle (ALT) - Measured in the ANGLE OF INCIDENCE

vertical plane, between the sun's direction
and the horizontal; in some texts this is ❑ Angle of incidence can be calculated using the azimuth
referred to as 'elevation' or 'profile angle’. and altitude angles.
❑ Angle of incidence can be defined as the angle between a
Azimuth (AZI) - The direction of the sun line perpendicular to the wall and the sun’s direction.
measured in the horizontal plane from ❑ The angle of incidence will be required for selecting
north in a clockwise direction appropriate solar heat gain factor for windows and for
(thus east = 90 degree, south = 180 degree calculating the incident radiation on opaque surfaces.
and west = 270 degree, whilst north can be 0 ❑ The spherical cosine equation can be used to find out the
or 360 degree) angle of incidence
Cosine (angle of incidence) = cosine (solar azimuth- wall

azimuth) X cosine (altitude angle)
WALL AZIMUTH
❑ A building's exterior wall
azimuth (also referred to as
exposure orientation) is the
direction faced by the
wall.
❑ It is the direction that you
are looking at when
looking out through the
window in the wall from
inside the building.
SOLAR CHARTS
❑ A Sun chart is a graph of the ecliptic of

the Sun through the sky throughout the
year at a particular latitude.
❑ Sun path diagrams can tell you a lot
about how the sun will impact your site
and building throughout the year.
❑ Stereographic sun path diagrams can be
used to read the solar azimuth and
altitude for a given location.
❑ Sun path, sometimes also called day arc,
refers to the daily and seasonal arc-like
path that the Sun appears to follow
across the sky as the Earth rotates and
orbits the Sun.
❑ The Sun's path affects the length of
daytime experienced and amount of
daylight received along a certain
latitude during a given season.
SOLAR CHARTS
Solar Window
❑ The images show the sun path chart for San Francisco, California.
❑ It shows what we would see, if we look towards the South Pole from this location.
❑ The y-axis represents the altitude or solar elevation, measured from 0° degrees on the horizon to
90° degrees directly overhead.
❑ The x-axis represents the sun’s direction on the compass, the solar azimuth. The center of chart is
180° or due south.
❑ The intersection of the sun’s altitude and azimuth on the graph shows the sun’s position in the sky.
SOLAR CHARTS
KERALA
Time Zone- (GMT + 05:30)
Chennai, Kolkatta, Mumbai
Day of the Year : 01 Jan 2014
Time: 11 am
Source:
http://andrewmarsh.com/apps/releases/sunpat
h2d.html
Kerala/Coordinates
10.8505° N, 76.2711° E
SOLAR CHARTS
KERALA
Day of the Year : 15 Feb 2014
Time: 11 am
Source:
h2d.html
SOLAR CHARTS
KERALA
Day of the Year : 15 Mar 2014
Time: 11 am
Source:
h2d.html
SOLAR CHARTS
KERALA
Day of the Year : 15 Apr 2014
Time: 11 am
Source:
h2d.html
SOLAR CHARTS
KERALA
Day of the Year : 15 May 2014
Time: 11 am
Source:
h2d.html
SOLAR CHARTS
KERALA
Day of the Year : 15 June 2014
Time: 11 am
Source:
h2d.html
SOLAR CHARTS
KERALA
Day of the Year : 15 July 2014
Time: 11 am
Source:
h2d.html
SOLAR CHARTS
KERALA
Day of the Year : 15 Aug 2014
Time: 11 am
Source:
h2d.html
SOLAR CHARTS
KERALA
Day of the Year : 15 Sep 2014
Time: 11 am
Source:
h2d.html
SOLAR CHARTS
KERALA
Day of the Year : 15 Oct 2014
Time: 11 am
Source:
h2d.html
SOLAR CHARTS
KERALA
Day of the Year : 15 Nov 2014
Time: 11 am
Source:
h2d.html
SOLAR CHARTS
KERALA
Day of the Year : 15 Dec 2014
Time: 11 am
Source:
h2d.html
SOLAR SHADING
❑ Solar shading (sometimes referred to as

'solar control' or 'solar protection') is the N
term used to identify a number of
systems to control the amount of heat
and light admitted from the sun into a
building. S
❑ This can have a significant impact on
the energy use of a building as well as
on the thermal and
visual comfort of occupants, protecting
against overheating and glare on hot or
sunny days. ❑ The most effective method to cool a building in summer is to keep the
❑ It can also provide privacy. heat from building up inside, in the first place.
❑ Shading devices prevent the penetration ❑ Shading is a simple method to block the sun from entering the
of solar radiation into the building in building.
summer, while allowing the needed ❑ Basic calculations can be done by some simple equation- formulas for
solar gains in winter, which leads to a some typical simple cases are used for shading devices.
better thermal comfort with significant ❑ Graphical tools like solar path calculator are also available.
energy savings. ❑ For analysis of complex objects several computer tools are available.
SOLAR SHADING Direct sunlight through windows should be avoided to minimize
unwanted heat gains. The most effective way of doing this is
Shading can be achieved in many ways: through solar shading.
❑ Orientation of glazing
❑ Shade provided by designing recesses in ❑ East and West facing glazing should have vertical shading
the external envelope of the building. devices.
( Eg : Recessed windows)
❑ Shade provided by static or moveable
external blinds or louvres.
❑ Transient shading provided by the
orientation of the building on one or more
of its external walls.
❑ Shading provided by the surrounding
buildings, screens or vegetation.
❑ Shading of roofs by surface treatment:
rolling reflective canvass, earthen pots,
vegetation etc.
SOLAR SHADING
ORIENTATION
SUN RAYS & OVERHANGS
.
SHADING DESIGN
SHADOW ANGLES Horizontal Shadow Angle (HSA)
❑ Solar radiation incident on a window ❑ Horizontal Shadow Angle (HSA) is the difference in azimuth
consists of three components: beam- between the sun’s position and the orientation of the
(direct-) radiation, diffuse-(sky-) and building face considered.
reflected radiation. ❑ HSA = Azimuth angle – Window orientation
❑ External shading devices can eliminate
Example: If Azimuth angle = 200° and the window is oriented
the beam component (which is
towards south (180°, the HSA?
normally the largest) and reduce the
HSA = Azimuth Angle – Window orientation
diffuse component.
200°-180° =20°
❑ The design of such shading devices
employs two shadow angles: HSA and ❑ Horizontal Shadow
VSA. Angle is required to
❑ The shadow angles describe the length design any vertical
of the shadows on wall surfaces. shading device.
❑ The Horizontal Shadow Angle (HSA) is ❑ Vertical Shading
used for vertical shading device Devices are the
calculations while the Vertical Shadow vertical fins near the
Angle (VSA) is used for horizontal windows.
shading devices
SHADING DESIGN
.
Horizontal Shadow Angle (HSA)
❑ By convention, this is positive

when the sun is clockwise from the
orientation (when AZI > ORI) and
negative when the sun is
anticlockwise (when AZI < ORI).
❑ When the HSA is between +/- 90°
and 270°, then the sun is behind
the facade, the facade is in shade,
there is no HSA.
❑ The horizontal shadow angle
describes the performance of a
vertical shading device.
❑ Fig.30 shows that many
combinations of vertical elements
can give the same shading
performance.
SHADING DESIGN
.
Vertical Shadow Angle (VSA)

❑ VSA can exist only when the HSA is between -90° and
❑ The vertical shadow angle (VSA)
+90°, i.e. when the sun reaches the building face considered.
is required for (or cast by)
When the sun is directly opposite, i.e. when AZI = ORI
horizontal shading devices.
(HSA = 0°), the VSA is the same as the solar altitude
❑ It is the angle between a
angle (VSA =ALT).
horizontal plane of the building
façade under consideration and a
tilted plane which contains the
sun or the edge of the shading
device (Figure).
❑ When the sun is sideways,

its altitude angle will be
projected, parallel with the
building face, onto the
perpendicular plane and the
VSA will be larger than
the ALT.
SUN RAYS &
OVERHANGS
SUN RAYS &
OVERHANGS
SUN RAYS &
OVERHANGS
.
SUN CONTROL - SHADING DEVICES
❑ Shading of surfaces can be achieved by the self-shading

profiles of buildings.
❑ Shading devices such as chajjas block the solar
radiation incident on the exposed surfaces of a
building, consequently reducing heat gain.
❑ In Ahmedabad it is found that shading a window by a
simple horizontal chajja of 0.76m depth can lower the
maximum room temperature by up to 4.6 ºC.
❑ Walls can be shaded by the use of projections,
balconies, fins, textured paints and vegetation.
❑ Openings can be shaded with appropriately sized
chajjas, fins and awnings externally and/or by using
openable shutters and movable covers like curtains
and venetian blinds internally.
❑ The effectiveness of these shading devices are evaluated
in terms of shade factors (defined as the ratio of the
solar heat gain from the fenestration under consideration,
to the solar heat gain through a 3 mm plain glass sheet).
.
❑ Shading devices shield ❑ Illustrated are the basic types of Solar Shading
windows and other glazed Devices. Their form, orientation, materials and
areas from direct sunlight construction may vary to suit specific situations.
in order to reduce glare and ❑ Their visual qualities of pattern, texture and
excessive solar heat gain in rhythm, and the shadows they cast, should be
warm weather. considered when designing the facades of a
❑ Their effectiveness building.
depends on their form
and orientation relative to
the solar altitude and
azimuth for the time of day
and season of the year.
❑ Exterior devices are more
efficient than those located
within interior spaces
because they intercept solar
rays before they can reach
an exterior wall or window.
.
.
.
SHADING
DEVICES
.
SHADING
DEVICES
.
DESIGN OF SHADING DEVICES
Steps
❑ Select the location.

❑ Find the azimuth and altitude angle of sun for
❑ Find out the sun path of that particular location.
these dates for every hour and find the
❑ Determine the period of the year, when shading is
corresponding HSA and VSA using equations.
required and mark those within the sun path diagram
❑ Mark the longest and shortest sun paths within the
HSA = Azimuth angle – Window orientation
diagram and determine the time duration when
shading is required in different facades.
❑ Basically shading should be done on the Southern
Façade and western façade
❑ For the Southern façade, shading should be done
from 11am to 5pm whereas in western façade from
❑ Decide the depth of the shading based on the
12pm to 5pm.
lowest possible HSA (Vertical Shading Device)
❑ When designing the shading, for the western
and lowest possible VSA (Horizontal Shading
façade, shading should be considered based on the
Device)
longest sun path and for the southern façade,
❑ Consider the width and height of the Window
consider the shortest sun path.
. SHADING DEVICES
DESIGN OF
West Façade Shading – Steps South Façade Shading – Steps
❑ Shading by a single fin may result in very deep ❑ For a single horizontal shade
shading. If the window is divided into louvre
sections, the effective width will be reduced and Depth = Width/ tan (VSA)
the depth of the fins can also be reduced. Width = Height of the window
❑ This depth can be reduced by designing the
louvers at an angle (make sure that the HSA ❑ If the depth of the Horizontal Shading Device has
remains the same) to be reduced, two separate horizontal shades can be
used by maintaining the VSA.
❑ Depth of Shading Device = Width / tan (HSA)
❑ Depth of the fin can be made sure by making sure

that it touches the HSA degree line.
❖ Designing shading devices based on HSA and
❑ Since the sun is at a very low angle in west
VSA gives the possibility of exploring a no.
façade, it is difficult to shade the sun completely
of design solutions without compromising on
with the vertical shading device. Therefore movable
the shading.
shades or trees may be needed to effectively shade
the western façade from sun.
DESIGN OF SHADING
. DEVICES
❑ Select a location.
❑ Find out the sun path of
that particular location.
❑ Determine the period of
the year, when shading is
required and mark those
within the sun path
diagram
❑ Mark the longest and
shortest sun paths within
the diagram and
determine the time
duration when shading is
required in different
facades.
❑ Basically shading should
be done on the Southern
❑ For the Southern façade, shading should be done from 11am to 5pm whereas in western
Façade and western
façade from 12pm to 5pm.
façade)
DESIGN OF SHADING
. DEVICES
Steps ❑ Decide the depth of the shading based on the lowest possible HSA (Vertical
Shading Device) and lowest possible VSA (Horizontal Shading Device)
❑ When designing the ❑ Consider the width and height of the Window
shading, for the
western façade,
shading should be
considered based on
the longest sun path
and for the southern
façade, consider the
shortest sun path.
❑ Find the azimuth
and altitude angle of
sun for these dates
for every hour and
find the
corresponding HSA
and VSA using
equations.
DESIGN OF SHADING
. DEVICES
West Façade Shading – Steps

❑ Depth of the fin can be made sure by making sure that it touches the HSA degree
❑ Shading by a single fin line.
may result in very deep ❑ Since the sun is at a very low angle in west façade, it is difficult to shade the sun
shading. If the window is completely with the vertical shading device. Therefore movable shades or trees may
divided into louvre be needed to effectively shade the western façade from sun.
sections, the effective
width will be reduced
and the depth of the fins
can also be reduced.
❑ This depth can be reduced
by designing the louvers
at an angle (make sure
that the HSA remains the
same)
❑ Depth of Shading Device
= Width / tan (HSA)
DESIGN OF SHADING
. DEVICES
South Façade Shading – Steps
❑ For a single horizontal shade

Depth = Width (height of the
window)/ tan (VSA)
❑ If the depth of the Horizontal
Shading Device has to be
reduced, two separate horizontal
shades can be used by
maintaining the VSA.
References
❑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcnlYd1naAU
❑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xZc7Io23C4
❑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR8EQ0DWpPw
❑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOYLehxflfQ
❑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weGugneA_GM
THANK YOU

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Ar.

ALEENA ACHI JOSEPH

❑ Movement of sun and solar geometry

❑ The earth receives almost all its energy

❑ The sky can be imagined as a hemispherical

❑ Solar window is very important

The solar window. Image credit: Clay Atchison, www.solarschoolhouse.org

❑ It refers to the apparent significant seasonal

SUN PATH DIAGRAM

❑ As the name suggests, this diagram is used to

Kerala/Coordinates The Pattern of Changes of Sun path

Altitude angle (ALT) - Measured in the ANGLE OF INCIDENCE

Cosine (angle of incidence) = cosine (solar azimuth- wall

❑ A Sun chart is a graph of the ecliptic of

❑ Solar shading (sometimes referred to as

Horizontal Shadow Angle (HSA)

❑ By convention, this is positive

Vertical Shadow Angle (VSA)

❑ When the sun is sideways,

❑ Shading of surfaces can be achieved by the self-shading

❑ Select the location.

West Façade Shading – Steps South Façade Shading – Steps

❑ Depth of the fin can be made sure by making sure

West Façade Shading – Steps

South Façade Shading – Steps

❑ For a single horizontal shade

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