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Adding Trees in Solo Studio

You can also model the removal of trees with this tool. Click HERE to jump to that section of this article! 

When creating a design in Solo Studio, adding trees/shade sources will be one of the last steps before running production. It is important that these shade sources are added correctly, to ensure the most accurate and up-to-date production. 

  1. Click on the 'Trees' step on the checklist OR click on the 'Trees' tool on the bottom toolbar. 
    1. You can also use the keyboard shortcut by clicking "8" to jump to the tool. 
    Design_TreesTool


  2. Select which type of tree you'd like to place: Evergreen or Seasonal.
    1. Evergreen refers to trees that keep their needles/leaves year round (ex: pine, fir, spruce, etc).
    2. Seasonal refers to trees that lose their leaves in the fall (ex: oak or maple).

    3. Remove allows you to model the removal of trees. Click HERE to learn more! 
    TreeTool_SelectTreeType_GIF

  3. Click and drag to draw each tree.
     
    TreeTool_DrawTrees_GIF

  4. After placing tree, you can adjust it's height and diameter using the Inspector, on the right.  

    TreeTool_AdjustTree_GIF

  5. Use the 'Auto-Detect Height' to instantly determine tree's height, based off our detailed 3D recreation of the home. 

    Trees_AutoDetectHeight_GIF

  6. When adjusting your trees, use the street view to get a clear view of tree location, height, and width.

    TreesTool_StreetView_GIF


  7. Once all trees are added, click the 'Shade Analysis' step to run the solar access analysis for the design. 

    TreesTool_ShadeAnalysisStep

Quick Tip: In addition to street view, there are a few useful tools in the top toolbar that can help accurately place trees! 

  • 3D Model - view a detailed 3D representation of the home and surrounding area to get a good idea of the height and placement of each tree. 
  • Google Earth - Open a view of the home in Google Earth for additional visuals. This can be useful if the existing imagery is leaf-off or not as up to date. 
  • NearMaps - If you have an account you can view a larger view of the home and surrounding environment

Trees_UsefulTools-1


Tree Removal

  1. Click on the 'Trees' step on the checklist OR click on the 'Trees' tool on the bottom toolbar. 
    1. You can also use the keyboard shortcut by clicking "8" to jump to the tool. 
    Design_TreesTool

  2. Select the 'Remove' tree type. 

    Trees_SelectRemoveTool_GIF
  3. Click and drag over the tree that is being/has been removed.
     
    Trees_DrawRemovedTreeNEW_GIF

  4. Once you've drawn all of your tree removals (and trees) click the 'Shade Analysis' step to run the solar access analysis for the design. 

    Trees_Removed_ShadeAnalysisStep
The 'removed' tree height will default to 0 feet and the removal of the shade it provided will be accounted for in the shade analysis.