The use of 3D GIS to analyse the influence of urban context on buildings' solar energy potential

The study showed that both built surroundings and topographic relief have an important impact on solar potential of buildings in urban areas. An average difference of about 30% in the results was observed between the simulations with and without the geographical and the urban environments included. The study also showed that the 3D approach has high potential to fully evaluate solar access in complex urban layouts, for accounting the irradiation of all sun-exposed surfaces of the buildings.