Cenergy3: An Open Software Package for City Energy 3D Modeling

2026-03-20

AI Summary

This study addresses the lack of integrated three-dimensional models capable of simultaneously representing energy consumption nodes and distribution networks in urban energy systems, a gap that hinders fine-grained planning and management. To bridge this limitation, the work proposes Cenergy3—an open-source, cross-platform, and interactive 3D modeling toolkit for urban energy systems that requires no programming expertise. By fusing multi-source open data from OpenTopography, OpenStreetMap, and Overture Maps, and leveraging Python libraries, the Web Mercator coordinate system (EPSG:3857), JSON serialization, and cloud-based APIs, Cenergy3 provides a graphical user interface with interactive 3D visualization. The tool enables spatially explicit energy supply–demand correlation analysis, urban energy monitoring, and digital twin applications, and is released as an open-source software package to support transparent and reproducible urban energy research.

Technology Category

• Computer Vision: 3D Computer Vision
• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Optimization of Spatio-temporal Systems
• Data Mining & Knowledge Management: Linked Open Data, Knowledge Graphs & KB Completion

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Energy management for devices in mobile Web and WoT environments
• Graph Algorithms and Modeling for the Web: Foundation models and LLMs for Web-related graphs
• Web Mining and Content Analysis: Web data integration and cleaning

Abstract

The efficient management and planning of urban energy systems require integrated three-dimensional (3D) models that accurately represent both consumption nodes and distribution networks. This paper introduces our developed approach and openly released software that automate the generation of digital 3D urban energy model from open data. We synthesize data from OpenTopography, OpenStreetMap, and Overture Maps in generating 3D models. The rendered model visualizes and contextualizes distribution power grids alongside the built environment and transportation networks. Our developed software, including an open python library and a free API, provides interactive figures for the 3D models. The rendered models are essential for analyzing infrastructure alignment and spatially linking energy demand nodes (buildings) with energy supply (utility grids). The developed API leverages standard Web Mercator coordinates (EPSG:3857) and JSON serialization to ensure interoperability within smart city and energy simulation platforms. We also provide a graphic user interface (GUI) where end-users can access our API via a cloud-based server, regardless of their programming skills and what devices and platforms their are using. We anticipate that our approach and software can support field researchers, developers, end-users, and policy-makers in a varieties of applications like urban energy monitoring, demand-supply analysis, and energy digital twins.

Problem

• urban energy systems
• 3D modeling
• energy infrastructure
• digital twins
• spatial analysis

Innovation

• 3D urban energy modeling
• open-source software
• digital twin
• interoperable API
• smart city infrastructure