Preparing and Optimizing 3D Models for Sunscape

Highlighted for Sunscape™ APP and Sunscape™ Extension for Sketchup specificity.

File Type

Sunscape applications create sun exposure maps for many 3D model types.

  1. Sunscape™ APP processes. fbx, ssc, 3ds, obj, as, sea, dae, ac, md3d, cob, scn, gltf, and other file types.

  2. Save Revit files in. fbx, and other files in .obj file format for optimum performance.

  3. Sunscape™ Extension for Sketchup functions for Sketchup skp models and other model types imported for use with your version of Sketchup.

TIP: Import Revit files in rvt for use with the Extension, save to fbx format for import to APP

Model Requirements

Sunscape applications require the model’s true north, geolocation, units of measure, and vertical axis, all used by Sunscape applications to upload the model for accurate sun exposure maps.

  1. Add Solar North or another true north indicator to the model. Otherwise Sunscape uses the Y axis for true north.

  2. Sunscape accesses model location and units of measure from Sketchup app.

  3. Input model’s location at upload. Location can be changed later with the Location tool.

  4. Input model’s units of measure and vertical axis at first file upload, these parameters will thereafter be retrieved if saved or reimported during the session.

  5. A model imported with the wrong location, units of measure, or vertical axis will appear as oddly shaped, upside down, or on the wrong plane. A “potential error” warning with hints of what could be wrong, helps avoid issues prior to import.

Sunscape applications are optimized for speed and efficiency. Sunscape map processing time will vary with hardware component performance.

3D Shade Producing Objects

Sunscape applications require 3D objects to create accurate sun exposure maps.

  1. Replace 2D trees.

    • 3D modeling applications provide functions for substituting objects.

      • Exchange 2D trees including 2D face me trees, with cross trees or low poly 3D trees.

      • See Justin with SketchUp Essentials “SPEED UP YOUR SKETCHUP with Proxy Components!” YouTube video at 2.27 min.

Geometry

Sunscape reads geometry for calculating sun exposure maps. The amount of geometry in the model can affect processing time.

  1. Turn off model layers that have little to no effect on landscape sun exposure.

    • interior objects

    • Small exterior plants. Objects measuring less than three feet in height will have little effect on area sun exposure so can be turned off. It is often more important to see sun exposure of the area they occupy.

  2. Replace high poly3D trees and shrubs with low poly 3D proxies.

    • Most rendering apps and some 3D tree object providers, like Laubwerk, provide different 3D versions and/or features for reducing geometry in 3D trees to create representative low poly proxies.

    • Import representative low poly 3D proxies. See video referenced above.

Property adjacent objects

Objects outside a property boundary to the E, W, and S, can impact property sun exposure on Northern hemisphere properties. (E, W, and N for southern hemisphere properties)

  1. Create simple proxies of significant shade-producing objects on adjacent properties to include the effect of these object shadows on model property sun exposure.

    • Estimate object height and distance from property boundary. If object height is greater than the distance from the property boundary, the object is likely to have some impact on property sun exposure, especially for non-summer date ranges and early morning or late afternoon time spans, and on east and west boundaries.