Importing a network from GIS data
Import existing network data from GeoJSON, Shapefile, GeoPackage or STANET CSV as a heat network
Overview
With the network import, VICUS Districts takes over existing network data from GIS systems directly as a simulatable heat network: pipes become routes (edges), consumer points become network nodes with a connection load. This is the fastest way to continue working on an existing network or an externally planned network in VICUS Districts.
Supported formats:
| Format | File extension |
|---|---|
| GeoJSON | .geojson |
| Shapefile | .shp |
| GeoPackage | .gpkg |
| STANET export (CSV) | .csv |
Opening
- Menu Import > Network GIS data … – for GeoJSON, Shapefile and GeoPackage
- Menu Import > STANET network data … – for CSV files from STANET (identical wizard)
- alternatively the button
GIS in the Import section of the Add geometry panel
The import runs as a wizard in four steps.
Step 1: Select file
Select the import file. The schema of the file is detected and displayed automatically.
| Option | Default | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Applied spatial resolution | 0.5 m | Geometric simplification during import: support points that lie closer together are merged. A larger value reduces the number of nodes and speeds up later calculations, but smooths the route geometry. |
Practical tip:
The applied spatial resolution is the most important control in this step: GIS routes often contain very many support points, which would otherwise become just as many network nodes. A moderate value merges these and keeps the network lean and computable. Start rather conservatively and increase the value only if the number of nodes remains too high – values that are too coarse noticeably shift routes relative to the template.
Step 2: Assign pipes
If the file contains pipe data, the wizard assigns pipes from the pipe database to the imported pipes:
| Option | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Default pipe | Pipe from the database that is used when no unambiguous assignment via the diameter is possible for a pipe. |
| Pipes for automatic assignment | Via Select pipes … you restrict which pipes from the database are eligible for the automatic assignment. The assignment is made via the diameter attributes of the import file. |
A table shows the detected pipe attributes and the resulting pipe assignment. In the case of ambiguous diameters (several pipes with the same diameter in the pre-selection) you receive a note.
If the file contains no pipe data, this step is skipped with the note “No pipe data found in the import file”.
Step 3: Configure consumers
If the file contains consumer points, you define the type and default values here. Via Assign attributes you map the columns or attributes of the import file to the VICUS properties (e.g. name, heating power).
| Option | Default | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Type | – | Node type of the imported points (e.g. consumer). |
| Default name | ”sub station” | Name for consumers without a name attribute. |
| Default heating power | 5 kW | Maximum heating power for consumers without a power attribute – this power is later used for pipe sizing. |
| Domestic hot water | enabled | Takes a domestic hot water share in the demand into account. |
| Default DHW share | 15 % | Share of domestic hot water in the total demand. |
| Assumed efficiency losses | 0 % | Surcharge for losses between the network connection and the usable energy. |
| Connected to a heat pump | enabled | Consumer is supplied via a decentralized heat pump (relevant for cold district heating). |
| COP at design conditions | 4 | Coefficient of performance of the heat pump at the design point; reduces the connection load on the network accordingly. |
| Default consumer type | – | Building type for the demand determination. |
| Default building heating curve | – | Heating curve assigned to the consumers. |
Select the target network:
- New network: creates a new network with the specified name.
- Add to existing network: adds the imported nodes and routes to an existing network in the project – this allows networks to be assembled from several files or extension areas to be added afterwards.
Step 4: Preview
The final page shows a preview of the imported pipes and nodes. With Finish, the network is created. The import is a normal project change and can be undone.
After the import
- Check in the Network tab (properties) whether the network is connected – importing separated sub-networks is possible, but for the calculation every consumer must be connected to an energy plant.
- Missing connections can be established with the topology tools (e.g.
Connect consumers). - Node elevations can be set automatically via the
Elevation query.