@misc{9228805,
  abstract     = {{Urban densification is increasingly promoted as a strategy for sustainable urban development, yet it poses significant challenges for access to daylight and sunlight, particularly in Nordic climates where natural light is limited for large parts of the year. In Sweden, ensuring adequate daylight in residential environments is both a regulatory requirement and a critical factor for occupant well-being. This thesis investigates how urban residential block typology, with a focus on built courtyard blocks, influences daylight and solar access under conditions of increased density.
The study employs a simulation-based approach to analyse the effects of key geometric variables, including building width, depth, height, and setbacks, on daylight and solar performance. Daylight and sunlight conditions are evaluated using a range of quantitative metrics, including daylight factors, spatial daylight autonomy, useful daylight illuminance, direct annual sun hours, solar radiation, and sunlight exposure, assessed in relation to relevant standards. The analysis examines both indoor and outdoor performance at dwelling and facade levels.
The results show that building height and the height-to-width ratio are the most important geometric variables affecting daylight and solar performance. Keeping building height low and the H/W ratio below a critical threshold are the most effective measures for maintaining adequate daylight in courtyard blocks. Setback configurations perform best among tall building strategies for interior daylighting. The findings also show that geometric optimisation has clear limits set by latitude, and that no realistic courtyard configuration meets current EN 17037 requirements in the northern Swedish context. This suggests that existing standards may need to be reconsidered to better account for the conditions found in Nordic climates.}},
  author       = {{Natsi, Anna Maria and Gulalia, Himadri}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Impact of Urban Block Geometry on Daylight Performance Across Swedish Latitudes}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}