EPW Insights: Advanced Weather Data Visualization

EPW Insights is a comprehensive web-based tool designed for visualizing and analyzing EnergyPlus Weather (EPW) data. It provides interactive charts and tables to explore various climate parameters, offering researchers and practitioners a powerful platform for understanding weather patterns and their implications for building performance and urban design.

Project Overview

The application addresses the need for accessible, interactive visualization of weather data crucial for sustainable building design and urban planning. EPW Insights transforms complex meteorological data into intuitive visual representations, enabling better decision-making in climate-responsive design.

Climate Comparison Psychrometric Chart

Key Features

  • Comprehensive Visualizations: Annual heatmaps, monthly distributions, hourly averages, and interactive charts for temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and wind patterns.
  • Advanced Analysis Tools: Psychrometric charts with comfort zone overlays (ASHRAE 55 and ISO 7730 PMV), interactive sun path diagrams, and wind rose visualizations.
  • Comparison Functionality: Side-by-side analysis of multiple EPW files enabling comparative climate studies across different locations or time periods.
  • Interactive Mapping: Location visualization with geographic context using Leaflet.js integration.
  • Export Capabilities: High-quality PNG export functionality for charts and CSV export for data tables.
  • Responsive Design: Optimized for various screen sizes ensuring accessibility across devices.

Key Innovation

EPW Insights represents a significant advancement in weather data accessibility for the building performance and urban design communities. Unlike traditional desktop applications, this web-based tool requires no installation and provides instant access to sophisticated analysis capabilities.

The application leverages modern web technologies including D3.js for data visualization, delivering professional-grade charts and analysis tools directly in the browser. The comparison feature enables researchers to conduct multi-location climate studies with unprecedented ease.

Cloud Cover Analysis Sun Path Analysis

Technical Implementation

  • Frontend Technologies: HTML5, CSS3 (Bootstrap 5), JavaScript (ES6+)
  • Visualization Library: D3.js (v7) for advanced data-driven document manipulation
  • Mapping: Leaflet.js for interactive location display
  • Solar Calculations: SunCalc.js for accurate sun path analysis
  • Data Processing: Custom EPW parser handling standard EnergyPlus weather file formats

Access & Resources