SunScapes: extending the ‘solar envelopes’ concept through ‘iso-solar surfaces’

This paper develops techniques to improve the concept of ‘solar envelopes’ and tests them on the Milan Trade Fair site, one of the largest real estate developments currently being carried out in Europe. The techniques are based on the image processing of very simple raster models of urban forms, called Digital Elevation Models (DEMs). Two questions are asked: could the new techniques simplify solar envelope calculations, making them more accessible in urban areas? Could they improve the meaning of solar envelopes with reference to the actual irradiation/illumination of the city? This paper shows that both answers are in the affirmative. The second question, in particular, is addressed by introducing the concept of ‘iso-solar surfaces’, extending the concept of solar envelope with energy considerations (two types of iso-solar surfaces can be distinguished: isosolar rights surfaces, and iso-solar collection surfaces). Iso-solar surfaces radically transform solar envelopes, making them more meaningful and immediate. They could become an easy tool to assess energy-saving strategies and could be used by policy makers and urban planners instead of coarse obstruction angle or similar bylaws. Conference Topic: 2 Design strategies and tools