Shadows and building design

When it comes to architecture, one of the main themes is ‘daylighting’, which refers to the use of natural light to support the visual and physical comfort of those inside. Despite how divorced from nature our buildings may have become over the past few decades, with designs becoming ever more out-of-context from their ecological surroundings to serve our modern needs, light has remained a key factor in everything we do. 

Shadow management plays a key role in harnessing the art of ‘daylighting’, so much so that smart technology has now become an early-project consideration for architects, developers and property owners. But what is shadow management and what are its benefits? How can it help with ‘daylighting’ and how accessible is the technology? 

What is shadow management?

Days aren’t static, so why are our buildings? Depending on the time of day and a building’s location, shadows move, affecting the level of sunlight in each room. A building’s shade or exposure to light can vary with time, geography and even the cityscape around it. Somfy’s shadow management solution offers a unique approach to solving this conundrum that combines advanced 3D modelling and intelligent automation to control solar shading based on the shadows cast on specific windows or ‘building zones’.

Did you know buildings account for roughly 40% of the total energy use in Europe, and generate around 36% of the EU’s total CO2 emissions? [1]

Somfy’s expert team will create a 3D render of the building in advance of any work being carried out, in order to assess its interplay with the sun and other factors. The modelling offers insight into the building’s specific architecture, it’s geographical location, the number and position of its windows, any shade cast from neighbouring buildings and - perhaps most importantly - the sun’s path relative to the building itself.

Why is shadow management important?

Maximising heat from the sun during the cooler months can take the pressure off the artificial heating system and reduce its use. Likewise, if a building can block out the sun at key points during the summer, particularly on sun-facing walls, it can keep buildings much cooler and reduce the pressure on the HVAC system. If a building can optimise its use of solar shading on a per window or per zone basis, taking into account the shadows cast by other buildings or changes in weather conditions, daylight management becomes far more energy efficient. This is what Somfy Shadow Management solution enables.

This is the approach Sweden-based financial providers, Swedbank, took when they partnered with Somfy. When they planned a move to a new 45,000 sq km office, we created a 3D model render of the new premises that took into account its geographical location, window positions, neighbouring buildings and more. These details were then plugged into a database and converted in a calendar of operation for the motorized blinds in the new premises. Real-time sensors were also fitted to ensure blinds could respond directly to the sun’s movement so that only those windows exposed to the sun would have their shutters lowered. We applied this technology to more than 1,100 interior blinds which resulted in efficient ‘daylighting’ that lowered the use of artificial interior lighting and optimised the use of central heating. The result? Occupants were happier, more productive, more comfortable, and Swedbank managed to slash its energy bills while lowering its carbon footprint.

 

You can read more about our work with Swedbank and other businesses throughout Europe and further afield by clicking here.

 

To learn more about shadow management solutions from Somfy, please click here.

 

[1] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Climate Change 2001: Mitigation; Third Assessment Report, Working Group III; IPCC: New York, NY, USA, 2001