INNOVATION IN BuILDINg
witteveen+Bos
solar-orientated design
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
To design sustainable housing that uses passive-solar energy, Witteveen+Bos
had to take into account the orientation of the buildings relative to the sun. The
housing development was located on two hectares of land in the Kirchberg-plateau quarter of luxembourg city. The undeveloped area had no nearby
buildings to conduct a solar study, so a new approach was required.
Witteveen+Bos used microStation to model solar sensors with various surfaces
and angles toward the ground. Solar exposure calculations revealed the ideal
angle for the building designs to maximize solar panel efficiency. Design
of the houses incorporated the optimal sun orientation and the ideal angle
of solar panels. Using the microStation Solar exposure calculator allowed
Witteveen+Bos to quickly recoup the technology investment.
