C4B and DesignBuilder Climate Analytics at a glance
| Aspect | C4B | DesignBuilder Climate Analytics |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Web app, in the browser | Web app for weather data, analysis and morphing |
| Price | Free plan; paid plans from €59/month (cancellation takes effect after 12 billing cycles) or €599/year, with a 7-day free trial | €895 for a one-year single-user licence with 150 download credits; free licence with limited functionality |
| Choosing the location | Search an address or click the map; no weather file needed | Any site worldwide, with interpolated virtual stations |
| Weather data | Nearest weather station file (Climate.OneBuilding.Org, usually TMYx) plus, in projects, site-specific reanalysis (ERA5 / ERA5-Land, CERRA, NORA3) at the exact coordinates | Weather stations and NASA MERRA-2 reanalysis for actual years |
| Future climate | SSP1-1.9 to SSP5-8.5, any year from 2025 to 2100, in projects on paid plans | Morphing with IPCC climate projection models |
| Outdoor comfort | UTCI outdoor comfort, including on the Free plan | Not stated on the pages we reviewed |
| Energy analysis | Preliminary hourly energy balance; orientation and aspect-ratio optimization in projects on paid plans | Weather files for energy simulation |
| Outputs | Interactive charts; written readings on most charts in projects and a PDF report on paid plans; EPW downloads on Technical and Enterprise | EPW weather files |
Where DesignBuilder Climate Analytics is strong
- Hourly weather data for any site worldwide, drawn from tens of thousands of stations, with virtual stations interpolated where none is nearby.
- Actual-year data from NASA's MERRA-2 reanalysis.
- Future climate morphing based on IPCC projection models, and urban heat island adjustments.
- EPW files that fit straight into EnergyPlus and DesignBuilder workflows.
Where C4B takes a different approach
- Focuses on design analyses for architects (climate zone, wind, sun, comfort, precipitation, passive strategies, energy balance), with written readings and a PDF report in projects on paid plans.
- In projects, uses ERA5 / ERA5-Land reanalysis worldwide, with CERRA in Europe and NORA3 in northern Europe, next to the nearest station file.
- Adds UTCI outdoor comfort, Köppen-Geiger climate zones to 2100 and a psychrometric chart with passive design strategies, not only weather data.
DesignBuilder Climate Analytics may suit you better if
- You are an energy modeller who needs design-year, actual-year or future EPW files for simulation.
- You work in DesignBuilder or EnergyPlus.
C4B may suit you better if
- You need to understand and communicate a site's climate before any energy model exists.
- You want outdoor comfort and climate zones with written explanations, next to passive design strategies.
See your site's climate before design begins
Pin any location and get climate, comfort and preliminary energy insight your whole team can read. Start with a 7-day free trial, or book a 30-minute demo.
Frequently asked questions
Can C4B produce EPW files for energy simulation?
Yes, on the Technical and Enterprise plans: a custom EPW builder (typical, hot, cold and extreme years) and future-climate EPW files.
Do both tools use reanalysis data?
Yes, with different datasets: DesignBuilder Climate Analytics uses NASA's MERRA-2 for actual years, while C4B uses ERA5 / ERA5-Land, CERRA and NORA3.
Which one is for architects?
C4B is built for architects and design teams at the concept stage. DesignBuilder Climate Analytics is aimed at preparing weather data for simulation.
Sources
Information about DesignBuilder Climate Analytics comes from its official website and documentation, checked on 18 September 2026. Products change, so check the official site for the latest details. DesignBuilder Climate Analytics belongs to DesignBuilder Software Ltd; C4B is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.
Other comparisons
C4B vs CBE Clima Tool
Both run in the browser. Clima is free and analyses EPW files; C4B works from any address and adds future climate, energy and PDF reports.
C4B vs Ladybug Tools
Ladybug is a free, flexible Grasshopper toolkit; C4B is a ready-made browser workflow from an address to a climate report.
C4B vs Climate Consultant
Climate Consultant is a free desktop app for EPW files; C4B runs online from any address and adds comfort, future climate and energy.
C4B vs Forma Site Design
Forma Site Design analyses massing models in the Autodesk cloud; C4B profiles a site's climate from an address, before any model exists.
C4B vs Meteonorm
Meteonorm supplies climate data files for many simulation tools; C4B turns a site's climate into design analyses and a report.
C4B vs ClimateStudio
ClimateStudio is a Rhino simulation plugin for Windows; C4B is a browser-based site climate analysis for any computer.
C4B vs Andrew Marsh's web apps
Free, single-purpose EPW visualisations compared with C4B's integrated analysis from an address.
C4B vs Weather Spark
Quick climate averages for any place compared with climate analyses built for building design.