Before generating your design or creating an energy estimate, it’s important to define the technical characteristics of your roof and any potential obstructions. These details directly impact system layout, shading analysis, and code compliance.
Solar and Obstruction Properties – Once you have drawn a closed polygon with your Drawing tools, you will be able to select the following for each object on the Site Tab, each object you define will be registered int he chart at the top of the site tab
- Object Type: Select if the object is the roof space or and obstruction
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Azimuth: The solar azimuth angle is the angle between the projection of sun rays and a line due south or north. It is an angle that is measured on the horizontal plane. You can define this value using the snap tool and pointing to the lower part of the roof.
- Click snap to match the azimuth to the slope angle of the roof
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Slope: The angle of the roof, important for energy production and panel placement.
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Height: The vertical distance from the ground, used in shading and structural calculations.
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Setbacks: Minimum distances from edges or from drawn obstructions, often required by code.
- Click “Setback by Roof Edge” to define custom setbacks for each roof section
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Parapet Height: Include any raised edges that could cast shadows on panels.
By carefully defining these properties, PVSketch can generate a more accurate solar design and energy estimate, minimizing shading losses and ensuring regulatory compliance.
