What is the purpose of mapping the Sky View Factor (SVF)?

• A. To measure seismic risk.
• B. To assess indoor air quality.
• C. To quantify how much of the sky is visible from the ground, affecting well-being and greenery.
• D. To compute solar panel shading.

Answer: (C)

Sky View Factor measures how open the sky is from a specific ground location. It quantifies the fraction of the sky dome visible when you look up, which matters because the amount of open sky influences daylight levels, visual comfort, and circadian cues for people. More sky visibility tends to mean better natural daylight, a sense of openness, and healthier outdoor conditions for surrounding vegetation. That’s why it’s tied to well-being and greenery in urban design.

This isn’t about seismic risk or indoor air quality, which are governed by different factors. It’s also not a direct tool for calculating shading of solar panels, though sky openness can affect how much solar radiation reaches surfaces. The main purpose of SVF is to capture how much of the sky you can see from the ground and how that visibility impacts daylight and the outdoor environment.