Installing Solar North in SketchUp is a simple and efficient way to optimize your solar energy system design. By accurately aligning your SketchUp model with the sun’s position, you can determine the ideal placement of solar panels and make informed decisions about the orientation and shading of your project. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the steps to install Solar North in SketchUp, ensuring that your solar energy system design is accurate and effective.
Step 1: Download Solar North Plugin
To begin, you need to download and install the Solar North plugin for SketchUp. The plugin is available for free from the SketchUcation Plugin Store. Simply navigate to their website, search for “Solar North,” and download the plugin file (.rbz).
Step 1.1: Access Extension Manager
Open SketchUp and go to the “Window” menu at the top of the screen. From there, select “Extension Manager” to open the Extension Manager dialog box.2: Install Plugin
In the Extension Manager dialog box, click on the “Install Extension” button and browse for the downloaded .rbz file. Once you have selected the file, click “Open” to install Solar North.
Step 2: Activate Solar North
After successfully installing the plugin, you need to activate it within SketchUp.
Step 2.1: Access Plugins Menu
Navigate again to the “Window” menu at the top of SketchUp’s interface. This time, select “Preferences,” which will open a new dialog box.2: Enable Solar North
In Preferences, find and click on “Extensions” in the sidebar on the left-hand side of the dialog box. Look for “Solar North” in the list of installed extensions and ensure the checkbox is ticked to enable it.
Step 3: Set Geographic Location
Now that you have activated Solar North, it’s time to set your project’s geographic location. This step is crucial for accurately aligning your SketchUp model with the sun’s position.
Step 3.1: Access Solar North Menu
In SketchUp’s menu bar, go to “Extensions” and find “Solar North.” Hover over it to reveal a drop-down menu.2: Set Geographic Location
In the Solar North drop-down menu, click on “Set Geographic Location.” A new dialog box will appear, allowing you to input the latitude and longitude coordinates of your project’s location. You can either enter them manually or use Google Maps by clicking on the “Locate” button.
Step 4: Align Model with Solar North
With the geographic location set, you can now align your SketchUp model with Solar North.
Step 4.1: Access Solar North Menu (Again)
In SketchUp’s menu bar, go to “Extensions” and find “Solar North.” Hover over it once more.2: Align Model
In the Solar North drop-down menu, click on “Align Model.” This action will rotate your model so that it aligns with the solar north direction based on your specified geographic location.
- TIP: You can also use the shortcut key combination Ctrl + Shift + N (Windows) or Command + Shift + N (Mac) as a quick way to access this feature.
Step 5: Verify Alignment
After aligning your model with Solar North, it’s important to verify that the alignment is accurate.
Step 5.1: Access Solar North Menu (Once Again)
In SketchUp’s menu bar, go to “Extensions” and find “Solar North.” Hover over it again.2: Check Alignment
In the Solar North drop-down menu, click on “Check Alignment.” This action will display a graphic overlay on your SketchUp model, indicating the sun’s position for the current date and time based on your specified geographic location.
- NOTE: The graphic overlay will only be visible if you have enabled shadows in SketchUp (View > Shadows).
Congratulations! You have successfully installed and activated Solar North in SketchUp.
By following these steps, you can now accurately align your SketchUp model with the sun’s position, allowing you to optimize your solar energy system design. Remember to regularly update the geographic location settings and check the alignment to ensure accuracy throughout your project.
TIP: Don’t forget to explore additional features offered by Solar North, such as customizing the solar north direction or adjusting the time and date settings for more precise analysis of solar shading.