From computer models to simple design tools:solar rights in the design of urban streets

This work presents a simple design tool for the consideration of solar rights in urban design that was developed by the use of the computer model SustArc (Capeluto and Shaviv, 1997). This simple design tool allows the generation and evaluation of building configurations, ensuring solar rights of each neighboring building, as well as those of open spaces among them, by using the concept of solar envelopes without the need to be familiar with any specialized software. The idea of the present work is to provide the architect with simple easy to use nomograms that can help him during the early design stages to determine the open spaces and the street profile, based on the desired density level, project location and orientation. The nomograms are based on objective criteria for solar exposure of building facades for different zones of the city like the center or the periphery. The paper presents the creation process of the nomograms, and their use and application by a case study.