A Methodology for Buildings Access to Solar Radiation in Sustainable Cities

L. M. Fernández-Ahumada, J. Ramírez-Faz, R. López-Luque, A. Márquez-García and M. Varo-Martínez
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L. M. Fernández-Ahumada: Department of Computing and Numeric Analysis, University of Cordoba, Campus of Rabanales, 14071 Cordoba, Spain
J. Ramírez-Faz: Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Cordoba, Campus of Rabanales, 14071 Cordoba, Spain
R. López-Luque: Department of Applied Physics, University of Cordoba, Campus of Rabanales, 14071 Cordoba, Spain
A. Márquez-García: Research Group of Physics for Renewable Energies, University of Cordoba, Campus of Rabanales, 14071 Cordoba, Spain
M. Varo-Martínez: Department of Applied Physics, University of Cordoba, Campus of Rabanales, 14071 Cordoba, Spain

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 23, 1-17

Abstract: The growing need to improve the environmental and energy sustainability of buildings involves the use of solar radiation incident on their surfaces. However, in cities, this task is complicated due to the constructive geometry that leads to shading between buildings. In this context, this work presents a study of solar access to the façades of buildings in cities. The methodology is based on the determination of the incident annual solar radiation in 121 significant points of each façade considering the twelve representative days of the year. To characterize the influence of the different city typologies on solar access, the urban solar coefficient is proposed. A study of two neighborhoods in Cordoba (Spain) with different urban settings have been analyzed. Specifically, two typologies of neighborhoods have been compared: one with “L-shaped” and “U-shaped blocks” and another with “Grouped blocks”. For both of them, the Urban Solar Coefficient has been calculated, obtaining a higher mean value for the neighborhood with “L-shaped” and “U-shaped blocks” (0.317) than for the one with “Grouped blocks” (0.260). Accordingly, the results show that urban morphology can influence the Urban Solar Coefficient and solar access. Finally, a regression model for each neighborhood has been obtained in order to determine the dependence of the Urban Solar Coefficient on neighborhood geometry factors.

Keywords: sustainable cities; solar access; solar radiation on buildings (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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