Preparing and Optimizing Models for Sunscape® Mapping

File Type

Sunscape® Maps can be created for many 3D model types but, models imported for Sunscape® Mapping service must be in .fbx or .obj file type. 

  1. Save Revit models in .fbx file format and all other models in .obj file type for uploading.

Model Requirements

Sunscape® Mapping requires a true north indicator, geolocation, units of measure, and vertical axis for accurate upload and mapping.

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

  2. Locate the model at the mapping address prior to saving.  

  3. Input model’s units of measure and vertical axis in the Input Model Attributes step in Ecoscape Portal. 

  4. A model imported to Sunscape® Mapping with a location that does not match the mapping address, with unspecified units of measure, or vertical axis, may appear oddly shaped, upside down, or on the wrong plane in our mapping system.  

3D Shade Producing Objects

Sunscape® Mapping requires 3D objects to create accurate sun exposure maps.

  1. Substitute 2D trees and shrubs with ‘cross trees’ or low poly 3D proxies.  

Efficient Geometry

  1. Turn off geometry heavy layers that have little to no effect on sun exposure.

    1. interior objects 

    2. Small exterior plants layers can be turned off.  Plants measuring less than two feet in height have little effect on area sun exposure.  It is often more important to see the sun exposure of the areas these small plants occupy. 

  2. Reduce geometry of high poly 3D trees and shrubs. 

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

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


Property adjacent objects 

Objects outside a property boundary (except North boundary in the Northern hemisphere and South boundary in southern hemisphere) can affect property sun exposure.

  1. Estimate object height and distance from property boundary.  If the object height is greater than the distance from the property boundary, especially East and West boundaries, it is likely to impact property sun exposure.  

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