Development of a cross-latitude applicable predictive model for solar radiation acquisition potential of urban residential blocks

Existing research has revealed that predictive models can be developed based on urban morphology indicators to assess the potential of solar radiation acquisition (SRA) on building surfaces and provide much faster results compared to simulation software. However, such existing models can only be utilized in specific cities or regions, which restricts their popularity. To fill this scientific gap, this study develops a cross-latitude predictive model for assessing the SRA of buildings. Building solar radiation acquisition capacity, selected key morphology indicators, and cosine of latitude (cos φ ) are employed as dependent and independent variables in the model to discuss the interaction between the urban form and the SRA based on the analysis of sixty sample urban residential blocks across nine cities in China with varying latitudes. The obtained results are indicative of relatively high prediction accuracy for the solar radiation acquisition capacity of buildings (with an adjusted R2 of 0.931 for roofs, and 0.962 for exterior walls). As a result, the proposed model has the potential to serve as a valuable tool for incorporating solar radiation considerations into sustainable urban design practices.