Shading performance of polygonal courtyard forms

摘要

This paper examines the shading performance of polygonal courtyard forms with pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal and octagonal plans. In order to carry out the investigation, a computer program was developed to calculate the shaded and sunlit areas generated in any of the examined geometries with any dimensions. The computer model is based on a set of equations, which were derived through analysing the relationship between the sun location at any time and the courtyard form. A parametrical study, carried out by the designed model, showed that the courtyard proportions and geometry have a considerable influence on the shading performance of courtyard forms.