Feature Shading allows you to define simple shading types in terms of side-fins and overhangs.
A shading type may be assigned to any building element, and will apply to all exposed surfaces of that building element type (with the exception of flat roofs and floors, for which the orientation is ambiguous).
The shading effect will be combined with any shadow calculations that are performed when exiting from the 3D Modeller. It is not necessary to repeat the Tas 3D Modeller shading calculations after setting shading features.
Feature shading applies to direct and diffuse solar radiation.
Left-clicking on the "Feature Shades" folder will bring up the "Feature Shades" table with the following columns:
Name
The name of the feature shade. This can be edited by the user.
Description
Details of the feature shade. This can be edited by the user.
Building Element
The building element to which the feature shade profile has been applied.
Profile
A description of the feature shade. This can be edited in the Description box on the Profile dialog for the feature shade.
You can sort the table by any of the parameters by left-clicking on the associated column header. Left-clicking on the header again will reverse the order.
To create a feature shade profile, right-click anywhere on the Tree View, and then select "Feature Shades" on the context menu. Choose which of the day types that the profile will operate on, and then click "OK".
You can delete a feature shade profile by left-clicking on the appropriate row in the Feature Shades table, and then pressing the <Delete> key on your keyboard. Alternatively, you can delete it by clicking on the '+' symbol by the Feature Shades folder, left-clicking on the appropriate profile icon in the Tree View, and then pressing the <Delete> key.
Double-clicking on a Feature Shades row in the table will bring up the Feature Shades details window. For more details about this please see the Feature Shades topic.
You will be applying the feature shade profile to building elements. To apply a profile to a single building element, left-click on the '+' symbol by the Feature Shades folder to show all feature shades. Left-click on the '+' symbol by the Building Elements folder to show all building elements. Position the mouse cursor over the feature shade profile icon in the Tree View, hold down the left mouse button, move the cursor to the building element's icon in the Tree View, and then release the mouse button.
Alternatively, left-click on the '+' symbol by the Feature Shades folder to show all feature shades. Left-click on the '+' symbol by the Building Elements folder to show all building elements. Left-click on the appropriate building element icon in the Tree View. This will bring up the Building Elements details window. Left-click on the Feature Shades tab. Position the mouse cursor over the Feature Shades icon in the Tree View, hold down the left mouse button, move the cursor towards the table in the Building Element's "Feature Shades" tab, and then release the mouse button.
The third method of applying a Feature Shade profile to a single building element is to left-click on the Building Element folder to show the Building Elements table. Left-click on the '+' by the Feature Shades folder to show all feature shade profiles. Now position the mouse cursor over the Feature Shades profile icon in the Tree View, hold down the left mouse button, move the cursor to the Building Element's row in the Building Elements table, and then release the mouse button.
To apply a feature shade profile to multiple building elements, you will have to select the building elements in the Building Elements table by holding down the <Ctrl> button while left-clicking on them. You can select a range of building elements by left-clicking on the first one in the range, hold down the <Shift> key on your keyboard, and then click on the last one. All building elements within the range will also be selected. Now left-click on the '+' symbol by the Feature Shades folder, position the mouse cursor over the appropriate Feature Shade icon in the Tree View, hold down the left mouse button, move the cursor to the Building Elements table, and then release the mouse button.