Solar Access

ARCHLine.XP provides a great opportunity to create top-down ‘plan’ drawings of shadows at various times of day.

The advantage of the function is that it is prepared in clear graphical form, which is easy to survey and with its help we can support the proper solar access of the designed building’s room.

In case of not proper solar access (because of the parameters of the building or the place), you can make a decision about modifications according to the prepared model.

Further advantage is that you can use the Solar access in any phase of designing. So you can prepare the building with equal efficiency on the volume model, on the sketch plan or on the authorization plan and on the working draw.

Information
Before using the solar access, shadow analysis functions, it’s worth knowing certain rules and features.
Calculation basis on 3D model
The shadow graphic is prepared according to the information of actual 3D model of the project. It’s important now to mention, that the ARCHLine.XP can represent and hide certain parts of the model according to the user settings. Before using the solar access function it’s worth making sure, that the 3D model has all the information or you have to refresh it with other settings.
Appearance
The appearing of the solar access depends on the set representation features. You can represent colour or black sketch depending on that you need spectacular or technical draw.
How to use
Before use you have to activate the 3D model window, in which you want to prepare the solar access analysis. It’s important, that you can make the solar access analysis draw only in the 3D View. Because of the complexity of the calculation, the drawing doesn’t follow the model changing, and the changing of the 3D model view. So it’s worth setting in advance the 3D view, before the solar access analysis.

Start the shadow analysis with the View – Shadow – Solar access command.

Then the Shadow analysis window appears where you can determine the sun position, north direction and preferences of the created graphic, for example: Shadow, Shade, and Contour.

Follow these instructions step by step:

Location, date, north
You can determine the location, date and north, which is important for the shadow analysis
Time setting
The shadow analysis will be finished according to the here determined Start- and finish point and step.
Line type on not exact hour
You can determine, that the shadow contours between whole hours (for example 08:00 and 09:00) which line type will draw, if it is needed according to the interval time.
Set name for time text
When the shadow analysis is finished, on the shadow contours time points appear belonging to it for easier identification. You can select the set name for time text.
Contour
It determines the layer of the shadow’s contour.
Shadow hatch background colours
You can determine even two different hatch backgrounds. The first colour is the starting, while the second will be the finishing colour. If you determine two different colours the program makes transition between the first and last colour.
Hatch properties
Set the shadow and the hatch properties.

On the example draw we used the Shadow with contour lines + hatches options, and in the Hatch properties window the Solid and Transparency option is switched on.
Shading
Because of the complex counting method of the function it is offered to use the hidden lines.

Types to colour
Select those types of objects (wall, roof…) where the shadow appears.
Types for making shadow
Select those types of object (wall, roof…) which throw a shadow.
Limiting the two groups you can reduce the time consuming process of shadow analysis in case of a mass model.
Shadow receiving surfaces
In the Shadowing or shading dialog window you can select the Shadow on selected surfaces only option. If you switch it off, the program prepares the shadow analysis on all surfaces of the model, which can take long time in a case of a complex model. If you switch the option on, then the program considers only the surfaces selected by the user. Select this option, if the shadow receiving surfaces are determined and their number is low.
Face limit

Switching on the option if the face number of the model is higher than the selected face number, the limitation is executed. It means that only the object with the selected face number is created.

Creating shadow analysis
After clicking on OK in the Shadow analysis dialog window, and selecting the shadow receiving surfaces (if the option is switched on), begins the shadow analysis and the process mark of the program informs about its actual state. (You can interrupt the counting by pressing the ESC.)