SkyViewFactor Extension

Introduction

SkyViewFactor extension calculates the percentage of sky visible on surfaces of the SketchUp model. Sky view factor values can be represented as percentages of total sky surface or as a solid angle.
SkyViewFactor extension is oriented towards early project design phases, when level of details of future building is rather low, and when only basic information about building environment, position and geometry are defined.

DL-Light extension skyview factor Sketchup model snapshot
        image

Information about sky view factor for various building surfaces can influence important decisions related to building lighting and thermal strategies:

Sky view factor (SVF) on a point on the facade depends on building site environment geometry (relief, obstruction buildings) and on building shape. It is independent of the materials used on the facades or the interior spaces.


How To Use SkyViewFactor Extension

  1. Open SketchUp model. Follow recommendations to prepare your model for DL-Light calculations.

  2. Open SVF dialog from toolbar wa_dialog_icon or menu option Extensions -> De Luminae -> Sky View Factor -> Activate extension and enter the calculation parameters.

    DL-Light extension skyview factor SVF General tab

    Fields description:

  3. Palette of false colours can be defined with precision. 3 options for palette are given, Automatic, Gradient and Custom:

    DL-Light extension skyview factor SVF palette tab
  4. After all data are entered in SVF dialog, select surfaces and press Render or run_selected button.

    DL-Light extension skyview factor Sketchup selection

    Calculation time depends on number of selected surfaces, level of sensors details and model complexity.

  5. When results are imported, selected surfaces will have appropriate false colors and Palette and Report dalogs will be opened.

    DL-Light extension skyview factor Sketchup result imported -
                automatic palette
  6. Results analysis.

  7. For further calculations in the same model:

    DL-Light uses a calculation cache algorithm. It automatically detects if a surface requires recalculation or if a previous result can be reused. By default, the cache keeps the information of the last 10 calculations (value configurable in the preferences).

  8. Archiving results:

    DL-Light allows to archive all the results of a calculation: reports, textures and calculation steps (exported Radiance model, weather file, ...). This archive can be reloaded on the model, subject to using exactly the same model as during the calculation.

    See the page Archiving results for more informations about this feature.

    See the page Comparison of results for more informations about the comparison of archives.

  9. Snapshots:

    Current SketchUp model view with imported results can be exported with palette snapshot_with_palette_icon or without palette snapshot_icon to png format. To explore created images user can open folder where they are saved open_snapshot_folder_icon.
    This option is not supported in trial version of the extension (see license information).

    DL-Light extension skyview factor Sketchup model snapshot image