From the series "Software, tools for the architect - trends 2025"
Modern architectural design requires increasingly sophisticated analytical tools for accurate modeling and environmental optimization of buildings. One of the key aspects is sunlight analysis, which plays a special role in Poland due to current building regulations. Indeed, adequate insolation of rooms is an important element of designs submitted for the purpose of obtaining a building permit.
© AEC Design
Traditional insolation analysis vs. new technologies
Until now, insolation analysis was mainly performed using a method known as the "sun ruler." This was an approach used back in the days of paper-based design, which required manual determination of solar angles in a 2D projection. While this method is still applicable to simple building masses, its limitations are apparent with more complex architectural forms.
Today's digital tools, such as Autodesk Revit, allow for precise 3D modeling and more advanced sunlight analysis. Among the available plug-ins for Revit is the SolarCheck tool - which significantly improves the process of assessing access to daylight.
© AEC Design
SolarCheck - a modern approach to insolation analysis
SolarCheck is an application developed by AEC Design to automate insolation analysis in Revit. The solution is derived from experience gained from working with the Dynamo environment, where scripts were previously developed to evaluate the visibility of a window in relation to the sun's rays. While the Dynamo scripts were helpful, their use required advanced technical knowledge and were sometimes unstable due to frequent updates to the environment.
SolarCheck solves these problems by offering an intuitive interface and stable performance. Once the application is installed in Revit, the user can perform insolation analysis in a repeatable and reliable manner. The results of the analysis are presented in the form of 3D visualizations of the sun's rays, taking into account the azimuth and elevation of the sun according to Revit's astronomical model.
Advantages and applications of SolarCheck
The main advantage of SolarCheck is its versatility and adaptability to different project needs.The application allows you to:
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Accurately determine the hours of insolation at a given location of the building,
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Generate clear 3D visualizations of sunlight traces,
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Automatic creation of graphic diagrams showing the analyzed areas,
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Exporting data for further analysis and filtering in Revit,
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Optimization of building designs for regulatory compliance and user comfort.
It is worth noting that the tool not only presents visual results of the analysis, but also allows handling of numerical data, which is crucial in the context of building information modeling (BIM).
ViewCheck - the next step in advanced analysis
Designing in dense buildings requires taking into account not only solar insolation, but also the issue of obscuration. Traditional analysis methods are often limited to a 2D plan view, which may not reflect the true impact of buildings on light access and visibility.
To address these challenges, after SolarCheck, another module, ViewCheck, is being developed at AEC Design. This tool provides a three-dimensional analysis of obscuration, enabling designers to assess how planned developments affect visibility and space quality.
ViewCheck allows optimization of obscuration ratios - they can be reduced for downtown developments or increased (based on building codes). The tool is an important support for architects, helping them make better design decisions.
Summary
A modern approach to sunlight and shading analysis in architectural projects significantly improves the design process and allows buildings to better match actual lighting conditions. SolarCheck makes it easier to assess the availability of sunlight, while ViewCheck will provide tools for analyzing the impact of surrounding buildings on obscuration. Both overlays will give designers more control over key design aspects and help create more functional and comfortable spaces.
You can download the SolarCheck plugin from our website and see how it will affect your comfort https://appsaecdesign.com/solarcheck?lang=pl_pl
If you have questions about the plugin then email AEC Design info@aecdesign.pl or call 505-315-392
