Create a solar analysis to help you track solar energy potential of your model.
Solar Analysis provides in context solar radiation analysis results to help you track solar energy throughout your design. The tool provides automated settings for specific study types, as well as customizable options. Solar analysis uses surfaces on the model. A surface can be created from standard architectural elements (walls, roofs, floors, and ceilings) or conceptual masses. Detailed geometry element types are not supported, including many family types (such as Generic models), grouped objects, components, linked objects, imported surface geometry, and energy analysis model surfaces. Results for these geometry types will often lead to inaccurate results that are close to zero.
Solar Analysis does not assume any material properties. Surfaces are assumed to be either completely opaque, or completely transparent. For this reason, it is not advised to conduct solar analysis on transparent surfaces, like glazing or curtain walls for example. This is an important consideration also if you want to look at solar insolation values inside your building. Essentially, solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) impacts will not be represented in results).
| Analysis Type | Description |
| Solar Energy - Annual PV | Annual simulation for determining PV energy production estimates. |
| Custom | Customizable simulation for general solar insolation studies. |
Solar Analysis uses the Perez Solar Model, a calculation method that occurs locally within Revit.