Fast computer graphics techniques for calculating direct solar radiation on complex building surfaces
Direct solar radiation has a major influence on a building's thermal behaviour. Current simulation engines are not up to the challenge of accurately modelling solar gains for buildings with complex or curved geometry and buildings sited in dense urban areas. Accurate thermal performance prediction for buildings in early stages of design is hindered by excessive computation time and incompatibility between architectural models and building energy simulation software. This paper proposes using a combination of modern computer graphics rendering techniques and parametric B spline interpolation methods to quickly and accurately calculate solar gains over a full year based on sparse data with a continuous interpolation method. These new procedures accommodate complex building geometries and intricate shadow patterns and can accelerate shading calculations by several orders of magnitude. Faster calculations allow studies to be made at the early stages of design when modifications can have the greatest impact on a building's thermal behaviour.