Extending the use of existing CAD software to enable visualization of solar penetration in complex building forms

Currently available computer-aided design (CAD) software packages used by architects and designers are limited in their ability to provide visual images of solar penetration into complex building forms. However, in order to better design for thermal impact, it would be helpful for professionals and...

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Main Authors: McMinn, Terrance, Karol, Elizabeth
Format: Journal Article
Published: EarthScan 2010
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/28351
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author McMinn, Terrance
Karol, Elizabeth
author_facet McMinn, Terrance
Karol, Elizabeth
author_sort McMinn, Terrance
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Currently available computer-aided design (CAD) software packages used by architects and designers are limited in their ability to provide visual images of solar penetration into complex building forms. However, in order to better design for thermal impact, it would be helpful for professionals and students to be able to visualize solar penetration at various times of the day and in various seasons. A comparative study of three CAD software packages used by designers was carried out to ascertain the barriers within the software in providing visual images of solar penetration. The study showed that typical CAD tools used by architects and designers were not well adapted to display solar penetration into complex building forms. However, this article shows that images of solar penetration can be produced in a timely manner using free-for-use software. This production of sun patches on arbitrary projection planes is an innovative process that delivers web-based output.
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
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publishDate 2010
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-283512017-09-13T15:20:57Z Extending the use of existing CAD software to enable visualization of solar penetration in complex building forms McMinn, Terrance Karol, Elizabeth solar penetration passive solar design simulations Computer analysis Currently available computer-aided design (CAD) software packages used by architects and designers are limited in their ability to provide visual images of solar penetration into complex building forms. However, in order to better design for thermal impact, it would be helpful for professionals and students to be able to visualize solar penetration at various times of the day and in various seasons. A comparative study of three CAD software packages used by designers was carried out to ascertain the barriers within the software in providing visual images of solar penetration. The study showed that typical CAD tools used by architects and designers were not well adapted to display solar penetration into complex building forms. However, this article shows that images of solar penetration can be produced in a timely manner using free-for-use software. This production of sun patches on arbitrary projection planes is an innovative process that delivers web-based output. 2010 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/28351 10.3763/asre.2009.0096 EarthScan restricted
spellingShingle solar penetration
passive solar design
simulations
Computer analysis
McMinn, Terrance
Karol, Elizabeth
Extending the use of existing CAD software to enable visualization of solar penetration in complex building forms
title Extending the use of existing CAD software to enable visualization of solar penetration in complex building forms
title_full Extending the use of existing CAD software to enable visualization of solar penetration in complex building forms
title_fullStr Extending the use of existing CAD software to enable visualization of solar penetration in complex building forms
title_full_unstemmed Extending the use of existing CAD software to enable visualization of solar penetration in complex building forms
title_short Extending the use of existing CAD software to enable visualization of solar penetration in complex building forms
title_sort extending the use of existing cad software to enable visualization of solar penetration in complex building forms
topic solar penetration
passive solar design
simulations
Computer analysis
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/28351