Shading performance of polygonal courtyard forms

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.