Introduction

DesignBuilder Climate Analytics provides access to a comprehensive set of global climate data and analysis tools for use with building performance simulation software. Data is available for any location on the globe, so it is not necessary to compromise on accuracy by using standard weather files for a nearby location.

 

Climate Analytics is based on robust daily and hourly data sets measured over the period 1970 to present day and does not use synthetic data. Built in analysis tools enable easy comparison of weather statistics for each location allowing you to find the most appropriate weather data for your purposes. For example, you can quickly and easily identify years representing design summer conditions tailored to the exact project requirements and download hourly weather data for them.

 

It is possible to account for future climate projections based on a range of commonly considered scenarios and prediction methods. The tools allow you to view historic climate data along with future climate projections for a project site to facilitate discussions about the most appropriate design conditions to work to.

 

The effects of urban heat islands and the variation of station air temperature with height above the ground can also be accounted for.

 

Weather data is provided in the widely used EnergyPlus EPW hourly weather data format so there is no need to transform data in external tools. The EPW file format can be used by most building simulation tools including:

 

  • DesignBuilder

  • EnergyPlus (and all EnergyPlus-based simulation tools)

  • OpenStudio

  • IESVE

  • EDSL TAS

  • IDA-ICE

  • Graphisoft Ecodesigner

  • Autodesk Green Building Studio and Insight360

  • Trane TRACE

  • eQuest and DOE-2 (eQ_WthProc conversion required)

  • WUFI

  • Radiance (and Radiance-based simulation tools)

Data Options

Climate Analytics provides 2 types of recorded data:

 

  • Design Year data is based on daily max/min/average satellite and weather station measurements and is typically used for design work.

 

  • Actual Year data is based on fine gridded hourly weather station and satellite measurements and is typically used for post occupancy operational analysis and detailed design work.

 

Both Actual and Design weather data are provided for all 43k weather stations.

 

The selection as to which type of data to download is made at the top of the Station Download tab as shown below.

 

Design Year Data

Design data is based on daily measurements of maximum, minimum, average and totals from satellite and weather stations, providing access to:

 

  • Accurate measured data for over 43K global locations.

  • Data from 1970 – previous year with data quality indicators.

  • Create data for project site by interpolation.

  • Future climate scenarios.

  • Year selection tools to help find design heating and cooling years, TMY and TRY standard reference years etc.

  • Account for Urban heat island effects using the extensive NASA database including shape and area data as well as day/night temperature offsets compared to surrounding rural areas.

  • User-friendly graphical map interface makes it easy to find, analyse and download weather data for use in building performance simulation software.

  • Access to a range of weather data from a range of other sources including national data sets from CIBSE, EnergyPlus, Whitebox, Climate.OneBuilding.Org etc.

 

Applications for design data include:

 

  • General purpose energy simulations.

  • Sustainable design including natural ventilation studies.

  • Future design accounting for extreme weather conditions.

  • Overheating studies.

  • Climate analysis.

 

Hourly temperature data is generated from daily min/max values by fitting typical daily temperature profiles from the actual min/max value. Likewise, hourly solar values are calculated from the daily totals using standard daily profiles. Hourly variation of humidity is based on the most common local hourly variation over a year.

 

Temperature, wind, visibility and humidity data is all recorded by weather stations. All solar radiation data comes from gridded data built from a mix of ground station and satellite sources. All other variables that are not included in the station data comes from grid data.

Actual Year Data

Actual Year data is based on accurate hourly gridded weather station and satellite measurements. It is ideal for post occupancy analysis where simulations are carried out on “digital twin” models which represent the actual operation of the building under real conditions. In this case the weather data used in the simulation must accurately represent the real conditions for the time period to match up with monitored data.

 

Actual Year data may also be preferred for design and certification work in cases where high-quality hourly weather data is required.

 

With Actual Year data you can access:

 

  • The full database of hourly data for 43k locations measured from 1980 to present day (the previous month).

  • Monthly updates with the latest hourly data.

 

Applications for Actual Year data include:

 

  • General purpose energy simulations where utmost accuracy required.

  • Post occupancy studies, model calibration etc.

  • Sustainable design including natural ventilation studies.

  • Overheating studies.

 

More details on the Actual and Design data used can be found in the Reference help topic.