Designing? Planning? Installing? Bidding?
Solar PV and Solar Thermal on roof tops
Do what you do now, only a whole lot better...
AppliCad Solar Wizard - now seamlessly integrated with Roof Wizard Software
An easy to use design and decision support software tool to determine solar radiation and shadows on structures, and output from installed solar thermal and PV arrays.
Model structures accurately in 3D from aerial images and architects blueprints, indicate true North, specify location, calculate shadows and radiation, print proposal from your own personal report template.
- Measure solar radiation that hits the roof and then break it down to individual panels as you need
- Carefully explore all your options for panel placement
- Cast shadows for any month of the year across a whole year
- Create custom annotated reports with % shadow, yield, plane azimuth, areas etc.
- Determine accurate roof dimensions without a site visit
- Automatically create roof feature length diagrams and pitch diagrams (in degrees, slope or %)
- Advanced report generator using your own MS Word and Excel templates
- Full function 3D CAD program included
Digitise Aerial Images to Build 3D Roof Models
Given the ready availability of aerial image libraries to the construction sector, accessible via the web and from specialist vendors, the re-designed image digitising tools in the new AppliCad Solar Wizard enable every consultant, contractor or installer to prepare accurate client proposals from the desk without the need for an expensive site visit, at least until a commitment from the customer has been received.
Combine the advanced 3D modelling tools with the new shadow analyser and the solar radiation calculator allows solar industry professionals to prepare very detailed client proposals at the initial stage without leaving their desk.
The software creates spreadsheet files of all radiation data, for the whole roof or just particular parts of it, such as the proposed array. Use this data to analyse power output and return on investment. Combine this with existing analysis tools.
See how to digitise from aerial images with SolarWizard on YouTube now
Solar Radiation Mapping
Solar Wizard helps designers accurately determine levels of solar radiation for all structures using 3D CAD models and the NREL TMY3, or international EPW format insolation tables in just a few minutes!
The Solar Wizard software determines the solar radiation on any structure, existing or proposed, at any location on the planet and also maps the effect of shadows from surrounding structures and/or objects such as trees, chimneys, satellite dishes and attic vents etc.
Instead of spending hours modelling as you would in other programs, AppliCad has developed a method of “modelling shorthand” that builds models suitable for analysis in just a few minutes. Making use of aerial images overcomes the need to make expensive site visits at the early proposal stage, saving time and gas.
See a quick demo of SolarWizard on YouTube now - do it now!
or Click
here to book your personal presentation via the web.
More Detail and Greater Accuracy
As the core of Solar Wizard is based upon the roof modelling algorythms that AppliCad has developed over the last 20 years, the modelling tools are arguably the best in the world for creating accurate models quickly and efficiently. Once modelled, all manner of assessment can be made and reported on.
Define your own objects in 3D and place them around the roof, add the solar appliances to the roof and study the result. Once satisfied, develop a detailed proposal for your clients - including all material and labour costs printed on various user defined report documents. Prepare detailed reports for your solar panel customers in minutes, not hours.
A roof structure may appear to be a very suitable location for the installation of solar panels or solar thermal heating depending on how much a roof is affected by nearby structures or trees etc. Using AppliCad's Solar Wizard software, it is now possible to determine quite precisely how much solar energy a particular roof will receive during the average year, and indeed, the output from the proposed installed array.
The system can calculate the suitability of a roof to fit solar panels (solar PV or solar thermal) using nothing more than an aerial image and some gross measurements. The tool is based on a 3D CAD (computer aided design) system that provides all the required tools to model structures in 3D automatically from simple perimeter measurements. This means that the tool describes real roofs represented in their surroundings. The sun in the model illuminates the 3D built environment and simulates how surrounding buildings, terrain and vegetation cast shadows.
Shadow Effect as % per Month
The shadow effect can be calculated for each month or for a complete year, and this means that certain parts of a roof may turn out to be unsuitable for collecting solar energy, even though the roof has both optimal direction and gradient. In this way, it is possible to calculate the total solar radiation on each part of a roof structure within a given area, calculated as kilowatt hours per square metre.
Measured data may be user defined or extracted automatically from the NREL TMY3 data tables using USAF ID codes. European standard EPW files or user defined AppliCad format files.
Return On Investment
Once the most appropriate location has been determined, the operator places the desired array on the model and then recalculates the radiation as it would hit the proposed array.
This information is represented graphically on the screen and is also saved as a text file for re-use in engineering and accounting programs to determine effective return on investment (ROI). The combination of the information generated by AppliCad’s Solar Wizard with existing ROI tools creates a more complete client proposal for integrators and installers.
These reports can be a template in Microsoft Word or Excel and populated automatically directly from the Solar Wizard software. The integrated advanced report generator allows the operator to generate detailed client proposals based on the findings with site drawings and photographs.
Animated Shadow Analysis
Animated shadow analysis may be created and distributed to interested parties by the web or email. They will understand exactly what your proposal means to them. No confusion, happy clients.
This Solar Report shows an example of some of the elements you can output from Solar Wizard and automatically include in your solar report in addition to or as an alternate to the animation.
A business doesn't make money costing, quoting, designing, documenting, drawing, scheduling, organising and managing. These things are important, however, you only make money installing the hardware.
AppliCad will significantly reduce the time spent on non-income-earning administration, and significantly speed up the actual income earning task of supplying and installing solar devices.