SUN PATH

DIAGRAM

ppt by: Kiara Alejandrino

WHAT IS THE
SUN?

WHAT IS THE
SUN?
Brightest star in the Earths solar system.

WHAT IS THE
SUN?
Brightest star in the Earths solar system.

Sun give us light and also serves as a valuable

source of heat energy.

WHAT IS THE
SUN?
Brightest star in the Earths solar system.

Sun give us light and also serves as a valuable

source of heat energy.
Life giver of all living things on Earth

WHAT IS THE
SUN?
Brightest star in the Earths solar system.

Sun give us light and also serves as a valuable

source of heat energy.
Life giver of all living things on Earth
However, the sun also creates some
problems::

WHAT IS THE
SUN?
Brightest star in the Earths solar system.

Sun give us light and also serves as a valuable

source of heat energy.
Life giver of all living things on Earth
However, the sun also creates some
problems::
For example, extreme heat is
undesirable as it may cause a sudden
increase in bodily temperature.

25% of
Americans
dont know
the Earth
revolves
around the
Sun

What is the suns apparent

motion?

What is the suns apparent

motion?

From the heliocentric point of view, the Earth rotates and revolves around the sun in a counter
clockwise direction. However when we look at the Sun on earth, it appears to be moving in a
clockwise direction.

WHAT IS THE SUN PATH

DIAGRAM?

WHAT IS THE SUN PATH

DIAGRAM?

Sun path diagrams are

representations on a flat surface of
the sun's path across the sky.

WHAT IS THE SUN PATH

DIAGRAM?

Sun path diagrams are

representations on a flat surface of
the sun's path across the sky.

They are used to easily and quickly

determine the location of the sun
at any time of the day and at any
time of the year. Each latitude has
its own sun path diagrams.

The horizon is represented as the outer circle, with you in its

center. The concentric circles represent the angle of the sun
above the horizon, that is, its height in the sky.

A sun path diagram is a tool that helps you read the movement of the
sun throughout the day and during the seasons.
The path of the sun changes gradually throughout the year between
summer and winter and also differs depending on the region that you
live in.

PARTS OF A
SUN DIAGRAM

Azimuth angles
run around the edge of the
diagram in 15 increments. A
point's azimuth from the
reference position is measured
in a clockwise direction from
True North on the horizontal
plane. True North on the
stereographic diagram is the
positive Y axis (straight up) and
is marked with an N.

ALTITUDE angles
are represented as concentric
circular dotted lines that run
from the center of the diagram
out, in 10 increments from 90
to 0. A point's altitude from the
reference position is measured
from the horizontal plane up.

DATE LINES
represent the path of the sun
through the sky on one
particular day of the year. They
start on the eastern side of the
graph and run to the western
side. There are twelve of these
lines shown, for the 1st day of
each month.

DATE LINES
The first six months are shown
as solid lines (Jan-Jun)

DATE LINES
The first six months are shown
as solid lines (Jan-Jun)
whilst the last six months are
shown as dotted (Jul-Dec) to
allow a clear distinction even
though the path of the Sun is
cyclical

HOUR LINES
represent the position of the sun at a
specific hour of the day, throughout
the year. They are shown as figure-8
type lines (Analemma) that intersect
the date lines. The intersection points
between the date and hour lines give
the position of the sun.
Half of each hour line is shown as
dotted, to indicate that this is during
the latter six months of the year

READING THE SUN

DIAGRAM
Follow these steps learn
how to read the Sun
position from a
stereographic sun-path
diagram::

FACTORS THAT
CAUSES CHANGE IN
SUN PATH

Location (local latitude)

The location of the sun in
the sky is described as
having two components: its
daily movement around the
horizon and its height
above the horizon altitude.

Rising and setting position

(based on the time of
the year)
The location of the sun in
the sky is described as
having two components:
its daily movement around
the horizon and its height
above the horizon altitude.

Duration of the day and night

Summer solstice, on the 21st
of June the duration of the
day is longer relative to the
night as the sun across the
sky.
Sun path is the lowest in the
sky during the winter solstice.
The duration of the day would
be much shorter relative to
summer Solstice.

BENEFITS OF A
SUN PATH
DIAGRAM

can determine the times of the day and year in which the sun will be
available on a particular site

can determine shadows of the proposed building

can provide microclimate on a building site

can determine ideal sun shading

devices

can provide daylight reflection

data

can determine ideal photovoltaic

location

can provide solar reflections data

Ways to Avoid
Direct and Diffused
(Solar)
Components

BUILDING ORIENTATION

Buildings should be laid in accordance

to the orientation which allow access
of solar exposure in terms of the sun
path and prevailing wind.

Linear block with least openings is

deliberately shielding off all
accommodation from the west-sided
solar exposure.

SHADING DEVICES
There are three basic types of external shading
devices: horizontal, vertical and egg-crate. A
horizontal device will always give a segmental
shaped shading mask, and its performance is
measured by the VSA. Some sub-types are:

eaves overhang

canopy at window head or higher

a light-shelf designed to act also as a shade

horizontal louvers (or brise-soleil = sun-breaks)

with straight or tilted blades

jalousie shutters

awnings (canvas, plastic, etc.)

combinations, e.g., a canopy with slats suspended

at its edge

The last three may also be adjustable.

INTERNAL
EAVES

EXTERNALEA
VES

ADJUSTABLE
SHUTTERS

With efficient shading, such as external shutters,, it is possible to

eliminate more than 90% of the heating effect of solar radiation.

VERTICAL AND
HORIZONTAL LOUVERS

DOUBLE GLASS FAADE

DOUBLE GLASS CURTAIN

PURPOSE OF SHADING
DEVICES

to minimize heat gain

to prevent the direct rays of the
sun to occupants of the room
to allow natural light to enter in
such a way that it can be diffused
as evenly as possible over the
whole room
to interfere as little as possible with
the view from the window

Relation of sun path

diagram to architecture

Gives prior knowledge on the

orientation of the sun with relation to
architectural solutions

Information on how the building should

be oriented to maximize the use of
solar panels

Maximize the utility of solar energy by

placing the thermal mass required for
indirect heat gain in the proper
orientation

The clerestories and fenestrations of

the building can be optimized by
tracing the illuminated surface area

Planning of the position of openings

and buildings to utilize the suns energy

Shading in buildings can also be

determined through the sun path
diagram
Understand how the sun affects the
heat gain in buildings
Shading devices can be located
based on the sun path diagram
Architectural solutions can be
established based on the sun path
diagram
Arrangement and placement of
rooms can also be determined
using a sun path diagram

Relation of sun path to

tropical countries

The main factor that the sun path has

that affects tropical regions is its angle.

The amount of heat energy received at

any location on the globe is a direct
effect of sun angle on climate, as the
angle at which sunlight strikes the
Earth varies by location, time of day,
and season.

When sunlight shines at a lower angle,

the energy is spread at a larger area,
and is therefore weaker than an
overhead sunlight spread on a
concentrated area.

VISUALIZATION OF
THE SUN PATH IN
THE TROPICS
REGION

The picture depicts a visualization

of the Day Arc of the sun at 0
latitude, or at the equator itself.

Sun elevation is at maximum

throughout the year, but does not
often form a perfect right angle
with the ground at noon. That only
happens two days of the year
during the equinoxes (20 March
and 23 September).

During solstices, the sun can

reach an altitude of 66.56.

All days of the year, including the

solstices, have the same length of
12 hours.

Sun path and

tropical
architecture

People confuse tropical

architecture with a particular
design, but tropical
architecture is all about
achieving thermal comfort
through the use of passive
design elements.
By analysing the sun path of
a site, we can identify which
design elements could be
used to achieve minimum
heat gain and exposure.

REFERENCES

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effect_of_Sun_angle_on_climate

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_path

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropics

https://sites.google.com/site/khavrus/public-activities/SolarEng/solenghunt

http://
www.slideshare.net/BryllEdisonPar/case-study-of-tropical-design-of-an-architect

https://www.educate-sustainability.eu/kb/content/sunpath-diagrams

http://www.math.nus.edu.sg/aslaksen/gem-projects/hm/0304-1-66sun_and_architecture.pdf

http://www.newlearn.info/packages/clear/thermal/climate/sun/sunpath_diagrams.html

http://sustainabilityworkshop.autodesk.com/buildings/reading-sun-path-diagrams

THANK YOU!