[EnergyPlus_Support] File - SERVICE - Meteonorm Weather Files

Name of Location: CUZCO, PERU
Latitude: -13.526111
Longitude: -71.971389
Time Zone: GMT -5:00
Elevation: 3400 m

2011/4/4 EnergyPlus_Support Moderator <EnergyPlus_Support-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

The EnergyPlus team can provide weather files appropriate for energy simulation created using Meteonorm. These are posted on the EnergyPlus YahooGroup under Files > Meteonorm_Weather_Files. Locations are listed alphabetically by continent (WMO region) and country. More than 300 locations are currently available--look there first before asking for a new weather file.
Link to the file: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/EnergyPlus_Support/files/Meteonorm_Weather_Files/Meteonorm_Weather_File_Inventory.xlsx

Information on selecting weather data appropriate for energy simulation is described in this paper:
Drury B. Crawley. 1998. "Which Weather Data Should You Use for Energy Simulations of Commercial Buildings?" in ASHRAE Transactions, pp. 498-515, Vol. 104, Pt. 2. Atlanta: ASHRAE. (PDF 197 KB)

PDF: http://energyplus.gov/pdfs/bibliography/whichweatherdatashouldyouuseforenergysimulations.pdf

Requesting Meteonorm Weather Data for Your Location

Send the required information described below

In your message, you will need to send:

Name of Location (including country and state/province, if appropriate)
Latitude (N+/S-)(decimal format required)
Longitude (E+/W-)(decimal format required)
Time Zone (+/- GMT)
Elevation (meters)

For convenience, you can convert lat/long in degrees minutes seconds to the decimal format by visiting this web link: http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/bickel/DDDMMSS-decimal.html

NOTE: It can take a few days for the weather files to be created. Creation of the weather files is done on an unpaid, volunteer basis.

And you should be aware of Meteonorm limitations:

Meteonorm extrapolates hourly data from statistical data for a location. Where statistical data aren't available, Meteonorm interpolates from other nearby sites. Generally a statistical approach is a last resort--weather files generated from statistics will not demonstrate the normal hour-to-hour and day-to-day variability seen in measured data.

Each .ZIP includes a .STAT (EnergyPlus weather data statistics), .EPW (EnergyPlus weather file), and .INFO (Information about the source data and limitations from Meteonorm).

IN ALL CASES, YOU SHOULD REVIEW THE .STAT FILE FOR THE LOCATION BEFORE USING ANY OF THESE FILES TO ENSURE THAT IT REPRESENTS THE CLIMATE OF THE LOCATION AS YOU UNDERSTAND IT. IN MANY CASES, A NEARBY LOCATION WITH MEASURED DATA MAY BE MORE APPROPRIATE THAN ONE DERIVED FROM STATISTICS.

YOU USE THESE FILES ENTIRELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

As always, if you know of sources of weather data that we might be able to share with the EnergyPlus community, please contact us.

EnergyPlus Development Team