Creating a 3D Model Where No Imagery is Available (OpenSolar 1.0)

This article is in the Studio section of the App. 

Please watch this short, instructional video outlining the steps detailed below for creating a 3D model when no quality imagery is available. You will need to enable 3D design by clicking the settings gear in the top right corner, clicking Studio Preferences, and toggle on 'Enable 3D Design'.

In remote areas, satellite imagery may be unavailable or not of high enough quality to use for PV design. If this is the case, please follow this step by step guide on creating a 3D model.

Once you are in studio, click on the map view in the bottom left corner of the screen.

Once you have done this, click on Change Map Type and change from the default Google Vertical to None from the drop-down menu.

This will remove imagery and provide a ten meter square grid to draw on.

Place points by clicking  (AU) or  (US) and clicking . You will notice that a small blue point follows your cursor.

Click to place the points of the roof structure.

Note: You will need to know the roof shape and dimensions in order to accurately draw it.

Once you finish the roof shape by joining the last point to the first, the roof facet will be created.

Right click on the edge which would be the highest and define it as a ridge, or define the lowest edge as a gutter. At least one of these needs to be defined so the system knows the direction the roof facet is facing. 

In order to set the slope for your roof facet in a top-down view follow these steps:

1. Click on the area of the roof facet (you will notice that the roof facet becomes what is currently selected on the sidebar)
2. Change the slope of the facet by either entering in the value or by using the slider.

Note: If you are changing the slope of the roof face by using the sidebar, do not move an edge up or down as you would in the oblique tutorial. 

Before adding panels, you may want to add any obstructions to the roof facet where you do not want panels to be placed. To do this:

1. Click on the button in the bottom right hand corner.
2. Click on the  button.
3. Click to place obstructions 

You can add panels either by clicking the  button to place as many panels as will fit in the available area or by clicking the  button and drawing them in manually.

If you wish to also include an oblique view for your Proposal, then duplicate the current view:

1. Click on the  in the bottom left corner
2. Click on the button
3. Click on 
4. Right click and drag to change the view
   • Note: If you right click inside the circle then it will orbit
   • If you right click outside the circle then it will rotate
5. Center the system inside the white box

Please see this Article for instructions on how to select Pricing, Equipment and Stringing for your system within Studio mode.