Future and Alternative Climate Files

Hero v4.0 introduced the ability to vary the weather files used for the simulation rather than solely using the default NatHERS weather files for the climate zone of the site.

This feature allows alternative weather files to be simulated from other sites that may be more suitable.

The feature also for weather files generated for future weather conditions such as those generated by CSIRO's Predictive Weather Files project and available at https://agdatashop.csiro.au/future-climate-predictive-weather.

The ability to model future weather conditions is a key part of resilient design analysis and will enable users to consider how a warming world will effect building performance over the expected lifetime of a building. By modelling the impact of future warming in our projects, designers can start to consider strategies that will improve or mitigate these impacts.

Selecting an alternative weather file in Hero

Alternative Weather files can only be modelled in non-regulatory mode of Hero. When in non-regulatory mode, the Weather File section of the Project Data-grid view will be enabled for selection.

Turn off NatHERS Regulatory mode and then select a Weather File by clicking the current Weather file in the Project data-grid. You can then select any desired file (and then clear it back to default by clicking the "X" button.)

CSIRO's Predictive Future Weather Files

CSIRO predictive weather files are extrapolations of the current NatHERS weather files into the future based on warming trends for a number of potential scenarios.

The future files are grouped into 2030, 2050, 2070 and 2090 scenarios, and based on various Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) scenarios of RCP2.6, RCP 4.5, RCP8.5 detailed below:

In RCP2.6, atmospheric GHG emissions peak around 2020 then rapidly decline in line with strong emission reduction measures and active removal of GHGs from the atmosphere. In RCP4.5, GHG emissions peak in 2040, while RCP8.5 reflects a future with increased reliance on fossil-fuelled energy and little curbing of overall GHG emissions.

For more information on the methodology and basis of these future weather files please see:

https://ahd.csiro.au/wp-content/uploads/Projected-weather-files-User-Guide-v6.pdf

Utilising the future climate files in Hero

You can utilise the CSIRO future weather files by downloading the files at the link above.

To best utilise these files, download and extract them into the Hero User directory's climate folder (typically C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Hero Software\library\climate). When they are located in this folder, they can then be utilised in the Hero Optimisation feature's "Future Climate" scenarios (see image below).

The Optimisation view can run batch scenarios of these alternative or future weather files to evaluate how the project may perform in a future warming scenario.

Future Climate Files for Hero Mac / Cloud Simulations

The future climate files can be run on cloud simulations for Mac or Windows. You still need to download and unzip the CSIRO weather file set as per the link above and extract it to any directory. You can then select the Future Weather File in the Weather File section in the Project Data-grid tab when in Non-Regulatory Mode, and then when you run your next cloud simulation this future weather file will be used.

Was this article helpful?
0 out of 0 found this helpful

Comments

0 comments

Article is closed for comments.

Articles in this section

See more
Register your product
You can get support that’s tailored to you, owner exclusives and more
Our helpline hours:
8:00am - 8:00pm CST Monday to Friday; 9:00am - 6:00pm CST Saturday
Follow us on Twitter
Get the latest news and updates first