getHorizon

GetHorizon is a script to generate a horizon profile (skyline) from a viewpoint using online elevation services (currently "Mapquest Open Elevation API" and "Open-Elevation Public API"). It was developed in the framework of the class "Renewable energy and solar architecture in Davos" offered at EPFL (Academic Years 2016-17 and 2017-2018) and of ongoing research at the Laboratory of Integrated Performance in Design (LIPID).

System requirements

GetHorizon requires the following Python libraries:

• simplejson
• urllib
• requests
• polyline
• matplotlib
• numpy
• scipy

If they are not on your system please install them. It's easy with pip or conda.

OS and Python version

Both Python 2 and Python 3 are supported on Windows and Mac, but the software has been mainly developed and tested on Windows with Python 3 distributed with Anaconda.

Compiled version

You can easily obtain a standalone executable version of the scipt using PyInstaller. In order to reduce the size of the executable, you might want to disable some libraries before compiling.

Usage and options

To run the script, just execute:

python getHorizon.py

and follow the instructions on the terminal.

To use the Mapquest services, you need an API key from Mapquest. You can get yours from here. You have to insert the key in a text file called API.txt and save it in the same directory as the script.

Potential uses

The data generated can be used as input for different software and models intended for solar energy applications, such as:

• CitySim, for example through its interface GHCitySim.
• System Advisor Model (SAM)

Citation

GetHorizon is free to use. You are kindly invited to acknowledge its use by citing it in a research paper you are writing, reports, and/or other applicable materials.

@misc{peronato_gethorizon_2017,
	address = {Lausanne},
	title = {{getHorizon}},
	publisher = {Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL),
	Laboratory of Integrated Performance in Design (LIPID)},
	author = {Peronato, Giuseppe},
	year = {2017}
}

License

getHorizon
Copyright (c) 2017, Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
Laboratory of Integrated Performance in Design (LIPID)

Developer: Giuseppe Peronato, [email protected]

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

• Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
• Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
• Neither the name of getHorizon nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission. THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

@license BSD 3-clause "New" or "Revised" License http://spdx.org/licenses/BSD-3-Clause

Mapquest Open Elevation Service

This script provides access to Mapquest Open Elevation Service.
Mapquest services © Mapquest, Mapzen Open Elevation Service includes data from OpenStreetMap

More info here

Before using this tool, please make sure you understand and accept the conditions of use of Mapquest services: http://hello.mapquest.com/terms-of-use/

Open-Elevation Service

This script provides access to Open-Elevation services.
Open-Elevation services © Open-Elevation

Contributors(a-z):

Giuseppe Peronato

Acknowledgments

This script has been developed in the framework of the ACTIVE INTERFACES research project, which is part of the National Research Programme "Energy Turnaround" (NRP 70) of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). Further information on the National Research Programme can be found at www.nrp70.ch.