SHADERADE: combining rhinoceros and EnergyPlus for the design of static exterior shading devices

This paper examines several existing methods of static shading device design, and presents a new approach called SHADERADE.  The approach is implemented as an eponymous tool based on Rhinoceros® and EnergyPlus, and offers flexible, novel techniques for assessing the thermal desirability of solar transmittance through any potential shading volume or surface.  Using simulated sidelit offices located in Anchorage, Boston and Phoenix, it is shown that SHADERADE is able to consistently generate shading systems with improved thermal performance vis-à-vis existing methods.  It is also shown that the approach can handle curved geometries with ease, and can effeciently manage the sizing of shading devices by identifying regions that matter most.  The authors hope that these capacities will facilitate a more effective, less prescriptive approach to shading design.