How to create a new project?

This guide presents a few steps about how to create a new project in CEA.

The main steps you need to take are:

1. Gather minimum data inputs.

2. Run the create new project tool.

3. Run the data helper tool.

Step 1. Gather minimum data

The objective of this step is to collect the minimum set of inputs needed for a new project. There are basically four(4) files you need to collect to start with CEA.

1. Surroundings geometry file: A shapefile storing the geometry of buildings and surroundings

2. Zone geometry file: A shapefile storing the geometry of buildings.

3. Streets geometry file: A shapefile storing streets and pathways

4. Terrain file: Digital elevation model of the terrain.

Note

all prerequisites MUST comply with the naming and structure described in the tutorial of Input databases of CEA.

Step 2. Create new project tool

CEA holds a particular folder structure in order to do calls between scripts and tools. In addition, CEA uses an specific Geographic Coordinate System (WSG84) and specific Projected Coordinate System (UTM). We have created a tool to standardise your input data with ease.

This tool will also add new input databases to your project.

The objective of this step is to use the configuration editor to set up the input parameters of the create-new-project tool.

1. Open the configuration editor of CEA. This guide config-file-guide describes how to use it.

2. In the configuration editor, scroll down the menu on the left and click in “Create-new-project” tool.

3. On the right side proceed to give an input to the next variables:

   Variable	Unit	Description
   project	[-]	name of the new project to create
   scenario	[-]	name of the baseline scenario of the project.
   occupancy-type	[-]	list of occupancy types in your building stock
   zone	[-]	path to shapefile with geometry of zone
   surroundings	[-]	path to shapefile with geometry of surroundings
   streets	[-]	path to shapefile with geometry of streets
   output-path	[-]	location to where to create the new project

4. Click save and close the configuration editor.

5. Open Pycharm and the project City Energy Analyst.

6. From the project tab on the left run the create new project tool. The tool is stored in CityEnergyAnalyst>cea>datamanagement>create_new_project.py.

Step 3. Archetype Mapper tool

The objective of this step will be to create additional input databases of your project and add default values to them. In the next step you will be free to edit or replace those databases according to the real or expected values of your project. For more information of these databases take a look to Input databases of CEA.

1. Open Pycharm and the project City Energy Analyst.

2. From the the project tab on the left run the data helper tool. The tool is stored in CityEnergyAnalyst>cea>datamanagement>archetypes_mapper.py.

Finally, the new input databases can be edited or replaced to agree with the inputs that your project may have. To edit these databases check the guide on How to edit databases in CEA.