After a simulation run, Envi-met generates a wealth of data, typically visualized as 2D maps, 3D cross-sections, or time-series graphs. The most sought-after outputs include:
: Use the Ladybug plugin to extract specific variables like air temperature into CSV files for customized data reporting. ENVI-met 5.9 — live product demo | August 28, 2025
. It is widely used by architects and urban planners to analyze how design choices—like building placement, vegetation, and materials—affect local environmental conditions like wind flow and temperature. 1. Getting Started Envi-met Software
ENVI-met is used extensively in:
No software is perfect. Before adopting Envi-met, be aware of: After a simulation run, Envi-met generates a wealth
The most recent versions (v5.8 and v5.9) have streamlined the workflow to allow users to create insightful summaries of their microclimate simulations. : Open your project in ENVI-met Central .
| Tool | Scale | Resolution | Best For | Envi-met’s Advantage | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Micro (Block to district) | 0.5m – 10m | Thermal comfort, vegetation, UHI | Most detailed vegetation & radiation physics | | ANSYS Fluent | Micro (Building) | <0.1m | Aerodynamics, pollution plume | Better for internal flows, but no climate model | | RayMan | Micro (Point) | N/A | Quick human bioclimate | Envi-met is 3D and dynamic; RayMan is static | | Urban Weather Generator (UWG) | Meso (City) | 100m+ | Heat island intensity | Envi-met offers spatial mapping, not just a single value | It is widely used by architects and urban
| Limitation | Explanation | |------------|-------------| | | High-resolution 3D simulation of 24 hours can take 24–72 hours on a standard workstation. | | Steep learning curve | Requires understanding of urban climatology, CFD principles, and model parameter choices. | | Limited indoor-outdoor coupling | Buildings are usually treated as isothermal or with simplified indoor setpoints (unless using external BEM coupling). | | No dynamic traffic or moving sources | Pollutant sources are static (line or area sources). No moving vehicles. | | Idealized lower boundary | No large-scale topography (hills) beyond grid-scale slopes. | | No precipitation or snow | Hydrological processes limited to evaporation and soil moisture; no rain interception or snowmelt. |
This is arguably its most sophisticated feature. Envi-met calculates shortwave (solar) and longwave (thermal) radiation, including reflections from building facades and the ground. It accounts for shading from trees and buildings, as well as the trapping of radiation within street canyons—a key driver of the Urban Heat Island effect.