SPOT Pro is a premier daylighting design and analysis software with two main functions:
Daylighting Performance Simulation
The software assists a designer to improve the daylighting performance of a given space. It calculates a variety of daylighting performance metrics and produces standard reports for LEED, CHPS, and more.
Day / Electric Lighting System Integration
In addition to annual daylighting analysis, the software can analyze the integration of daylight and electric light in a given space and the use of photosensor-based lighting controls. It provides tools to optimize annual energy use and can export schedules for use in DOE-2 or Energy Plus.
SPOT Pro™ provides a number of unique daylighting simulation features:
Optical Daylighting Systems
Annual analysis for any daylighting delivery or solar shading system with a "System BSDF" file. These Bi-directional Scatter Distribution Function (BSDF) files describe the complete transmittance and reflectance behavior of an optical daylighting system. Creating System BSDF files for your optical daylighting system is a separate service offered by Daylighting Innovations.
Accurate Window and Shade Control
Accurate glazing, framing, and window treatment definitions. Simulation of photosensor-based automated window treatments and a range from passive to ideally active user manual shade control algorithms.
Annual Metric Reports
SPOT Pro Daylighting Performance report and associated design guidance are recommended and used internally when consulting. Reports for the LEED daylighting credit (IEQ 8.1) and CHPS daylighting credit are also included. IECC and WELL Reports will be coming soon.
Design Day Calculations
SPOT uses custom algorithms to create design day calculations that are useful in design and comparison and are calibrated to the given climate file.
Simulation of Photosensor Systems
SPOT Pro allows the simulation of actual photosensor systems and the interaction of daylight and electric light in a given space. The simulation results can be exported in both DOE-2 and EnergyPlus formats.
The software can be used for all types of spaces. The simple geometry interface can handle nearly 90% of spaces and a geometry importer allows for analysis of those remaining odd-shaped spaces. SPOT Pro™ handles top and side daylight sources, optical daylighting systems and can model any electric lighting source. The software uses a Microsoft® Excel platform with a Radiance engine. View the SPOT Pro Manual for screenshots and in-depth information about the software.