[Bldg-sim] SunTools Plugin for SketchUp available

[Vikram Sami]

I echo Rob's comments. I think the intent is to have a quick
visualization tool - something Sketchup doesn't have right now. This is
really good to communicate shading issues with clients and (sadly)
architects who aren't as solar savvy.  The ability to see the sun
positions at various times of the day and year through the window is
very cool - you have the entire year's information at a glance. 

 

The one drawback with that it that the sun positions are only valid
relative to the central focal point of the sun path arc, so you really
need to scale this up large to get realistic results. 

 

I think it's a good tool though - please keep us posted on improvements
to it. 

 

Thanks

Vikram Sami, LEED AP 
Direct Phone 404-253-1466 | Direct Fax 404-253-1366 

LORD, AECK & SARGENT ARCHITECTURE
1201 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 300, Atlanta, GA 30361 
Responsive Design * Technological Expertise * Exceptional Service 
Please visit our new website | www.lordaecksargent.com
<file:///\\www.lordaecksargent.com\> 

P Think GREEN before you print.

 

 

From: bldg-sim-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org
[mailto:bldg-sim-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] On Behalf Of Rob
Guglielmetti
Sent: Thursday, March 26, 2009 8:45 PM
To: Bldg-Sim
Subject: Re: [Bldg-sim] SunTools Plugin for SketchUp available

 

Actually Mark, I think the tool shows quite a bit of promise.  The
readme clearly states that several features are works in progress or yet
to be implemented, but some of the stuff in there is already useful, and
definitely not part of the "internal SketchUp tools". The sun path
visualizations are nice, and the views from the sun perspective are also
useful.  From a shading study perspective, these tools are useful right
now. I guess it all depends on what you call "analysis".  No, the tools
do not calculate energy savings from shading devices, but they do
illustrate very well the issues around a particular fenestration.  You
can clearly see the range of time where direct sun is a problem, and the
best part is, with this presentation a client can see the issues too.
Our internal tools where I work are faster to use, but aren't all that
great at illustrating the issues to the client. I think this
presentation is very clear (and is also the way Ecotect presents this
info). 

 

Guedi, a couple of comments: can you provide the plugin as a set of
files instead of a windows installer, so I can install the plugin on a
Mac too?  Also, it'd be nice if the sun objects are placed on a separate
pre-defined layer instead of the current layer, just for organizational
purposes. 

 

- Rob Guglielmetti

 

On Mar 26, 2009, at 12:24 PM, Zoeteman, Mark R. wrote:





Guedi:

This does not seem ready for real use.  We tried it and is very
simplistic and does not seem to give functionality.  It seems to do
little more than plot points in model, but not analyze model.  The
internal SketchUp tools will do more than SunTools.

Mark Zoeteman, FTC&H

 

From: bldg-sim-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org
[mailto:bldg-sim-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] On Behalf Of Guedi
Capeluto
Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 1:17 PM
To: bldg-sim at lists.onebuilding.org
Subject: [Bldg-sim] SunTools Plugin for SketchUp available

 

SunTools a new Plugin for SketchUp is available now.

 

Plug-in Features

- SunPATH: visualization (month and year)

- SunPOS: Sun Position for a date and time

- SunVIEW: Axonometric views from the Sun

- SunPENETRATION: Analyze Sun Penetration/Access in any specific
analysis point.

 

The plug-in can be downloaded after registration
from:http://tx.technion.ac.il/~arrguedi/SunTools/download.html

 

Enjoy SunTools.

 

Guedi Capeluto

arrguedi at technion.ac.il

 

Arch. Guedi Capeluto, D.Sc.
Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning
Technion - Israel Institute of Technology
Technion City,  Haifa 32000. Israel
Tel:+972.4.8294012  Fax:+972.4.8294617

email:   arrguedi at tx.technion.ac.il
web  :   http://www.technion.ac.il/~arrguedi/

 

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