Solar Design Basics I: Our Dynamic Sun

Designing with the sun can be powerful – by optimizing its usefulness, as well as, ensuring protection from it when required. To do this, the physical behaviours of the sun need to be understood. This course will get you started with solar geometry and how to predict where the sun will be and when. Using a sun path diagram is a powerful design tool that can be used to determine building form, shading devices and other strategies during schematic design stages – no computer modeling required. This background is a good foundation of understanding to have when later working with modelling apps.

Learning Objectives

1. Understand the impacts of the sun in the design of a building
2. Describe the key aspects of why and how the sun impacts the performance of buildings.
3. Discuss the benefits of managing the sun’s impact on a building.
4. Be able to understand and utilise stereographic solar sun paths and data

Course: GE104

Cost: Free

CPD POINTS

0.1

SACAP Category 1

Michelle Ludwig

Senior Green Building Consultant
Green Star AP
WELL AP | LEED AP | EDGE AP