Calculates how much solar energy each surface of your model receives over any time period. Output is a colour-coded heatmap useful for shading design, PV placement, and overheating risk.
Solar Radiation
Runs in the browser — nothing to install.
| Input | .3dm / .obj / .fbx / .ifc + .epw |
| Output | Heat map + breakdown by facade and layer |
| Unit | kWh/m² |
Using it
Load a model
A .3dm, .obj, .fbx or .ifc with your design and its neighbours, or open one of the samples. Layers named Context, Site or Ground cast shade and are not measured.
Pick the weather
The EPW supplies every hour of direct and diffuse sun; without one there is nothing to measure.
Choose what to measure (optional)
The whole model is measured unless you tick layers. Unticked layers still cast shade. The choice is remembered for that file.
Pick a period
Annual, summer, winter, custom range, or a single day.
Set the grid
The tool picks a cell size from the model and shows the cell count and a rough run time before you run. Finer is sharper and slower.
Run and read the results
The rail on the right says which facades are hot, what the roof carries and what to try. Click an orientation or a layer to see those cells alone. Export the view as PNG, every cell as CSV, the coloured mesh for Rhino, or the PDF report (Pro).
Tips
- Do — Use Annual for PV / overheating; use Summer for shading studies; use Winter to find dark facades.
- Avoid — Forgetting to include context — without it, your facade looks brighter than reality.
Solar Radiation
Runs in the browser — nothing to install.