Shadow study and sun analysis for your lot, in 3D
Parcela simulates the sun’s path over your lot and casts the real shadows of your proposed massing and the neighbouring buildings — through the day and across the seasons. It is the shadow study an architect usually prepares, available automatically online.
See the shadow study for my lot →How to run a shadow study on a lot
- 1Pick the lot. Select the lot by address, PID or on the map — Parcela pulls its boundary and the surrounding building context from spatial data.
- 2Place the massing. Define the planned building or start from an A/B/C scenario; the app builds a 3D model on the real terrain of the lot.
- 3Review the shadows. See the sun-path and shadow simulation for a chosen day and time — daylight to the rooms, overshadowing of neighbours and rooftop solar potential.
A sun path over the real 3D terrain
Parcela builds the lot from the digital elevation model (from LiDAR where available) and surrounds it with the geometry of the neighbouring buildings. The sun follows its true trajectory for the latitude and date you pick, so the shadows correspond to what you would actually see on the ground.
From daylight to rooftop solar
The same analysis reveals the rooftop’s solar potential — how many hours of sun each roof plane receives over the year, with overshadowing from the surroundings included — to size a future solar installation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a sun study and a shadow study?
A sun study tracks how long a point is lit by the sun; a shadow study shows the shadow your massing casts onto its surroundings; overshadowing is the loss of light a neighbouring building or the terrain imposes on the lot. Parcela handles all three in one 3D model.
Does the study include neighbouring buildings?
Yes. It casts shadows from both the proposed building and the existing buildings nearby, using their geometry and the terrain — so the result matches what you would see on site.
Can I use this for a rezoning or permit application?
The Parcela study is a fast design and due-diligence tool. A formal shadow study submitted to a municipality (for example with a rezoning or development permit) must be prepared by a qualified professional — but Parcela lets you catch an overshadowing problem very early.
Why study shadows before buying a lot?
A tall building to the south can permanently overshadow a lot, undermine daylight to living spaces and cut the return on rooftop solar. It is far cheaper to check before you buy than to discover it on site.