System Requirements

R version

Requires R 3.4.3 version

• Different versions may be employed, but some libraries are exclusively supported for the latest R versions.

R Libraries

Mandatory

library(Hmisc)        # to improve data analysis
library(reshape2)     # to restructure and aggregate data
library(plyr)         # to summarise data by panels
library(dplyr)        # to adapt plyr for data.frames
library(pbapply)      # to add status in apply functions
library(lubridate)    # to deal with date formatting
library(survey)       # to work with weighted data
library(txtplot)      # to plot txt charts while debugging
library(stargazer)    # to make latex, html, and ascii tables
library(ggplot2)      # to improve plot generation
library(gplots)       # to create panels
library(colortools)   # to make colour functions
library(scales)       # to adjust scales in axis
library(lattice)      # to enhance base graphics
library(latticeExtra) # to create enhanced lattice grids
library(grid)         # to improve charts
library(gridExtra)    # to create composed graphs
library(tibble)       # to improve dictionary processing
library(matrixStats)  # to collect statistical summaries
library(stringr)      # to parse string values
library(yaml)         # to read configuration files
library(bigmemory)    # to allocate memory in device

R> install.packages(c('Hmisc','reshape2','plyr','dplyr','pbapply',
      'lubridate','survey','txtplot','stargazer','ggplot2','gplots',
      'colortools','scales','lattice','latticeExtra','grid','gridExtra',
      'tibble','matrixStats','stringr','yaml','bigmemory'))

Recommended for Shiny GUI

library(geojsonio)
library(ggfortify)
library(gpclib)
library(leaflet)
library(mapdata)
library(mapproj)
library(maps)
library(maptools)
library(prettyR)
library(proto)
library(psy)
library(rgdal)
library(rgeos)
library(shiny)
library(sp)
library(spatstat)
library(XML)

Recommended for Reporting

library(treemap)
library(plotly)
library(forecast)

Recommended for Reduction

library(clhs)
library(rpart)
library(party)
library(nnet)

EnergyPlus version

Requires EP version 8.7

• Previous versions have been employed, but require additional changes to work with the platform.
• In particular, 8.7 introduced changes to the representation of devices fuelled by alternative sources ...

❗ Replace the location of Energy Plus defined inside the configuration file: config.yaml.

e.g.

eplus:
  win: U:\myApps\EPlus\EnergyPlusV8-7-0\
  linux: ~/EnergyPlus-8.7.0/build/Products
  mac: /Applications/EnergyPlus-8-7-0/
  hpc: ~/myApps/EnergyPlus-8-8-0

Shell version

GNU bash, version 3.2

• Previous versions and alternative shells may be employed (rsh, zsh), but the workflow scripts may require additional adjustments.
• This requirement becomes essential when using parallelisation; see below.
• [:computer: Windows] Although equivalent *.bat scripts have been created, it as assumed that git is installed, and so the use of git-bash is preferred. This reduces the need for additional configurations, and the workflows improve their multi-platform capability.

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Additional libraries and executables

gzip

This library is employed to compress the simulation outputs—particularly on *.csv tables—in more than 75%. R is able to directly read from compressed files, and so the processing times can be easily optimised.

❗ Replace the location of GZip defined inside the configuration file: config.yaml.

parallel

To enable simultaneous processes, the software parallel has been tested. This software makes possible to request a given number of cores to distribute the processes.

• [:computer: Windows] Within git-bash, a pseudo-portable version can be installed in the home directory. The installation will copy a series of executables into ~/usr/bin/.

.

Both libraries can be compiled or installed from base libraries. For example, in linux, these can be installed using pacman or apt; in osx, using brew; and in windows, these should be downloaded and installed globally, or defined in the configuration file: config.yaml.