Direct–diffuse trade-offs in courtyard solar access
A mixture analysis identifies where winter transmission rankings reverse and separates summer rejection from winter admission.
Interactive model →Research programme
Radiative environments
How much of the sky reaches an enclosed surface, and when does diffuse light change a design comparison?
Scientific scope
The question we pursue.
We study cosine-weighted sky visibility and direct–diffuse mixtures. A courtyard can admit little direct sunlight while retaining appreciable diffuse exposure; the distinction matters when interpreting geometry.
Our present system is an unobstructed rectangular opening above a horizontal floor, enclosed by opaque walls. The published analyses use established physical relationships to isolate and quantify their consequences.
Research outputs
Studies and evidence.
↗
Courtyard sky view and diffuse light
An area-averaged sky-access analysis compares rectangular openings using closed-form view factors and two numerical integral formulations.
Interactive model →Methodological connections
A common reproducible framework.
All studies use a fixed 100 m² floor area so aspect-ratio effects can be compared consistently. Geometry, numerical resolution and units are explicit in the datasets.
The data and software catalogue provides complete numerical tables and source. Research practice sets out attribution, versioning and corrections.
Scientific responsibility
Osama Khaled directs the programme’s scientific questions and decisions. Methods, modelling, verification and data responsibilities are described in the team directory.