Solar access in densely buit environment : formal parameters comparative methodology in the case of Barcelona, Spain

Abstract

In what direction is the historical debate on contemporary cities evolving, in this age of sustainability? How are renewable energies and solar energy in particular being incorporated into urban settlements? To date, researches mainly focused on urban density, while less attention has been paid to the spatial properties of the built environment. In this study, we compare the performance of urban fabrics of similar building intensity in Barcelona (Spain) to investigate the extent to which morphological features of the built environment can affect sun collection on the buildings envelope, in order to define new formal guidelines for a “solar” design of urban planning. The available technical tools for solar radiation analysis are not really suited to an urban scale or to the early stages of the planning process. Therefore, we apply a simplified comparative methodology supported by Heliodón 2 simulation software, we intend to provide a new methodological and operational tool which allows fast interaction between solar radiation and the urban design process. The present paper is an early step in an on-going PhD thesis. In the first section we describe the general approach, the objectives and the method. In the second section, we present the application of this method to the Eixample district and the results. In this preliminary study, we focus on one of the spatial characteristics of the urban fabric in particular - the orientation of the street network.