Climatic Analysis Diagram – Combining Sun Path and Passive Design Strategy
What is Climatic Analysis in Architecture?
Climatic Analysis is a method of studying a site’s climate conditions — such as sun direction, wind flow, temperature patterns, and humidity — to inform design decisions that enhance comfort, reduce energy use, and respond to local environmental challenges.
Instead of forcing a building to fight against nature, we design to work with it. That’s the principle behind passive design, and climatic analysis is its foundation.
In this article, I’ll show how I created a Climatic Analysis Diagram using the Sun Diagram plugin and Dynamic Symbols — all inside SketchUp. This method is fast, visual, and ideal for early design stages.
Tools Used
To build the diagram shown in this post, I used two key tools inside SketchUp:
Sun Diagram (SketchUp Plugin):
This plugin lets you generate accurate sun path and shadow analysis for any time and date. It helps visualize how sunlight affects the site and nearby buildings — essential for context awareness and passive design decisions.
User guide for Sun Diagram is available here: https://sundiagram.com/sun-diagram
- Dynamic Symbols (SketchUp Plugin):
Dynamic Symbols is a SketchUp plugin that allows you to create animated symbols and switch between different states with just one click.
User guide for Dynamic Symbols is available here: https://sundiagram.com/dynamic-symbols/
- Both tools are designed to speed up the diagramming process while keeping your presentation clear and professional.
Step-by-Step Guide: Create Architectural Diagrams Using SketchUp
https://archidiagram.com/create-architectural-diagrams-using-sketchup/
Benefits of Using This Method
- ✅ Integrated: No need to export to Illustrator or PowerPoint
- ✅ Editable: Easily adjust design as the project evolves
- ✅ Visual: Supports client understanding and design review
- ✅ Informed: Helps apply passive design strategies early
Download project files
You can download the project file from the link:
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Final Thoughts
Understanding your site’s climate is not just good design — it’s essential for creating spaces that are healthy, energy-efficient, and responsive.
With Sun Diagram and Dynamic Symbols, you can analyze, visualize, and communicate climate strategies early — without needing complex software.
This approach is perfect for students, professionals, and firms looking to upgrade their site analysis workflow.
More diagram templates and tutorials are coming soon — stay tuned!