Design settings control the default behavior when placing panels, running AutoDesigner, and configuring site models across both Sales Mode and Design Mode. Changes made here apply as defaults to all newly created projects and can be adjusted on a per-design basis in Design Mode.
To access Design settings:
- Go to Settings in the left navigation.
- Under Projects and designs, select Design.
- Click Edit to make changes, then click Save.
In this article:
- Map imagery
- Fire pathways
- Solar panels
- AutoDesigner
- Sales Mode AI Roof
- Sales Mode ground mounts
- Sales Mode inverters and optimizers
Map imagery
Set the default imagery source priority that Aurora uses when loading a project site in both Sales Mode and Design Mode. Aurora will try each source in the order listed and fall back to the next if the preferred source isn't available for the project location.
- Default selection — Set the priority order for imagery sources. Available options include EagleView, Nearmap, Google Maps HD, and Vexcel.
📝 Note: If the default imagery source is not available for a given project location, Aurora automatically falls back to the next available source in your priority list. Some imagery sources may not be available in certain geographies.
Fire pathways
Control whether Aurora automatically places fire pathways and how it positions them when designing in Sales Mode.
- Auto place fire pathways in Sales Mode — When enabled, Aurora automatically places fire pathways before adding panels in Sales Mode.
- Always optimize with irradiance (Design Mode / Sales Mode) — When enabled, Aurora places fire pathways in more shaded areas to maximize production. This may add up to 25 seconds to the fire pathway calculation. Can be toggled independently for Design Mode and Sales Mode.
Solar panels
These settings apply everywhere panels are placed in Aurora, including AutoDesigner, fill roof face, and manual placement in both Sales Mode and Design Mode.
SAP min
- SAP min — The minimum Solar Access Percentage required for Aurora to place a panel on a roof area. Aurora will only place panels on areas with a SAP at or above this threshold. Expressed as a percentage. Learn more about Solar Access.
Pitched face settings
- Pitched face tilt threshold — The tilt angle (in degrees) at which Aurora considers a roof face to be pitched rather than flat. Roof faces above this threshold are treated as pitched.
- Pitched face panel spacing — The default column and row spacing between panels on pitched roof faces, in your configured measurement units.
- Pitched face panel tilt — The default tilt of panels relative to the pitched roof surface, in degrees.
- Pitched face orientation — The default panel orientation on pitched roof faces: Portrait or Landscape.
Flat face settings
- Flat face panel spacing — The default column and row spacing between panels on flat roof faces.
- Flat face panel tilt — The default tilt of panels relative to a flat roof surface, in degrees.
- Flat face orientation — The default panel orientation on flat roof faces: Portrait or Landscape.
AutoDesigner
These settings control AutoDesigner's default behavior when automatically generating a panel layout.
- Target energy offset — The target percentage of the customer's energy usage that the system should offset. AutoDesigner optimizes the panel layout to reach this target. Example: 100%.
- TSRF min — The minimum Total Solar Resource Fraction required for AutoDesigner to place a panel on a roof area. Aurora places panels only on areas meeting both the TSRF min and the SAP min. Expressed as a percentage. Learn more about TSRF and TOF.
- Default filler row setting — Controls whether AutoDesigner adds a row of alternate-orientation panels above or below the main array to fill available space.
- Panels per row min — The minimum number of contiguous panels required in a row for AutoDesigner to place that row. Rows with fewer panels than this threshold will not be placed.
Sales Mode AI Roof
These settings control the output format when Aurora AI generates a roof model in Sales Mode.
- Default AI Roof output — Choose whether Aurora AI generates a SmartRoof model or individual roof faces. SmartRoofs are easier to edit; roof faces generate faster and more accurately for complex roofs.
Sales Mode ground mounts
These settings define the default configuration for ground mount installations created in Sales Mode. Each parameter has a default value and minimum/maximum bounds.
- Columns — Default number of columns. Set a default, minimum, and maximum.
- Rows — Default number of rows. Set a default, minimum, and maximum.
- Height — Default height of the ground mount (measured at the lowest panel point). Set a default, minimum, and maximum in your configured measurement units.
- Tilt — Default panel tilt angle in degrees. Set a default, minimum, and maximum.
- Intermodule spacing — Default spacing between modules, set independently for the X-axis and Y-axis.
- Orientation — Default panel orientation: Portrait or Landscape.
- String rows — Toggle whether rows are automatically strung in new ground mount designs.
- Azimuth — The allowed azimuth range for ground mount installations. Set a minimum and maximum in degrees.
Sales Mode inverters and optimizers
These settings control how inverters and DC optimizers are added to system designs in Sales Mode. Aurora automatically adds compatible, database-enabled inverters and optimizers based on system size and module type.
📝 Note: Asymmetric inverters are not supported in Sales Mode.
- Add inverters to system — When enabled, Aurora automatically adds compatible inverters to designs in Sales Mode.
- Default inverter manufacturer — Sets the preferred inverter manufacturer. Aurora adds inverters from this manufacturer to Sales Mode designs by default.
- Allow inverter manufacturer choice — When enabled, users can choose their design's inverter from a list of manufacturers in Sales Mode.
- Allow inverter model choice — When enabled, users can select a specific inverter model within the chosen manufacturer's lineup.
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