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Core Functions

Introduction

👉 Click here to access the online tutorial on general functionalities of the CoolLIFE Tool

This page introduces the core tools and functionalities of the CoolLIFE Tool for region selection, layer management, calculation and data visualization. It explains how to select territories at different scales, upload custom regions, and manage spatial data through raster and vector layers. Additionally, it covers the tools for downloading datasets, viewing symbology, and accessing detailed information about each data layer.

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(Selection) Tools

You can choose the territorial scale that you want to analyze (NUTS regions or hectare level) or select a custom region (i.e. Hectare level). There are the following configurations for selection:

  • Create a custom square region
  • Create a custom circle region
  • Create a custom polygon region
  • Upload a GeoJSON object to use a custom area selection (Hectare only)

Figure Selection tool shows the example of selecting a region by hectare using a square selection tool. After selecting a working area, the information about it is demonstrated on a sidebar at the left of your screen.

Two further functions are available on the left sidebar after selecting the working area:

  • Load Results: shows further information on a sidebar to the right of your screen.
  • Clear Zone: deselects the previously selected regions.

Figure Selection tool - example of using square selection tool by hectare core-functions-selection-tool

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Layers

By pressing the Layers button, a sidebar appears on the left side of the screen, displaying various types of layers available in the CoolLIFE Tool.

There are two main categories of layers:

  1. Raster Layers (Figure Raster layer) represent continuous data across a grid, including the data about:

    • Buildings
    • Renewable Energy Systems (RES) potential
    • Climate

  2. Calculation Module Layers (Figure Calculation layer) appear after running a calculation (in the Calclucation Module) and contain continuous data.

More information about each Layer type can be accessed under a respective Layer, as shown in Figure Layers information.

Figure Raster layers

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Figure Calculation layers

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Figure Layer features

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Each layer comes with the following features (Figure Layers information):

  • Layer legend: Displays the legend of the layer.
  • Information: Provides a link to the GitLab repository with more detailed information about the data.
  • Download Dataset: Allows downloading the default dataset for the layer.
  • Download Layer: Enables downloading the specific data of the selected layer.

Buildings

The following data layers related to Buildings are available in the CoolLIFE Tool:

  • Heat density total
  • Heat density residential sector
  • Heat density non-residential sector
  • Cooling density total
  • Gross floor area total
  • Gross floor area residential
  • Gross floor area non-residential
  • Building volumes total
  • Building volumes residential
  • Building volumes non-residential
  • Share of gross floor area - constructions before 1975
  • Share of gross floor area - constructions between 1975 and 1990
  • Share of gross floor area - constructions between 1990 and 2000
  • Share of gross floor area - constructions between 2000 and 2014

R.E.S. Potential

The following data layers related to RES Potential are available in the CoolLIFE Tool:

  • Geothermal potential Heat Conductivity

Climate

The following climate data layers are available in the CoolLIFE Tool:

  • Average temperature
  • Cooling degree days
  • Heating degree days
  • Solar radiation
  • Wind speed

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Calculation Modules

One of the core functions of this Tool is to calculate and visualize different indicators important for cooling planning. The calculation modules are structured into four main thematic categories:

  1. Cooling
  2. District Heating and Cooling
  3. Policy
  4. Finance

The CMs that are currently available for use are listed below (See Figure Calculation Modules). Each module is available at certain "Selectable area" (i.e. administrative boundary level). For example, CM Demand management work only at NUTS1 level, thus, it is not selectable (in red) when NUTS2 level is active. The level at which each CM operates is indicated in the "Introduction" section of each CM description.

The detailed CM descriptions are provided in the respective sections that can be accessed by clicking on the CM names.

  1. Cooling

  2. District Cooling

  3. Policy

  4. Finance

Figure Calculation Modules

core-functions-cms

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How To Cite

Aadit Malla and Ardak Akhatova in CoolLIFE-Wiki, Core Functions.

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Authors And Reviewers

This page was written by Aadit Malla EEG-TU WIEN and Ardak Akhatova e-think.

This page was reviewed by Giulia Conforto e-think.

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License

Copyright © 2024-2025: Aadit Malla and Ardak Akhatova

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 International License.

SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-4.0

License-Text: https://spdx.org/licenses/CC-BY-4.0.html

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Acknowledgement

We would like to convey our deepest appreciation to the LIFE Programme CoolLIFE Project (Grant Agreement number 101075405), which co-funded the present investigation.

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