Sunlight Spacing in Building Clusters Based on Solar Geometry Models

With rapid urbanization and increasing land scarcity, optimizing building layouts to meet residents' sunlight requirements has become crucial. This study proposes a method to analyze sunlight spacing in building clusters based on solar geometry models, aiming to improve urban planning and protect residents' sunlight rights. Focusing on Hangzhou as a case study, the apparent motion trajectory of the sun is integrated with a variable-step algorithm to calculate the minimum building spacing for different floor heights. For example, a 10-meter building height requires a minimum spacing of 13.3 meters. Furthermore, the study investigates the impact of building rotation angles on sunlight spacing, particularly in non-north-south-oriented layouts. The results demonstrate that rotation angles significantly affect sunlight distribution, highlighting the need to consider orientation in urban design. This research provides a practical framework for optimizing building layouts to balance land use efficiency and sunlight accessibility, offering valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers.