ASHRAE 169 Climate Zone Tool
Beta Version 1.0 I 28/11/2025
What is this tool?
The ASHRAE Climate Zone Filter is a comprehensive web-based tool for identifying and analyzing US climate zones according to ASHRAE Standard 169-2021. It enables architects, engineers, and energy modelers to quickly locate weather stations, determine climate zones, and access detailed climate data through integration with the CBE Clima Tool. The tool provides instant access to 2,113 US weather stations with county-level climate zone assignments, eliminating the need to manually search through ASHRAE tables.
This tool is provided as a standalone HTML5 application for climate zone analysis. It requires no installation and runs entirely in your web browser. For support or feature requests, please contact [email protected] or use the Support Ticket system.
Access the tool here: ASHRAE Climate Zone Filter
Key Features
Complete US Weather Station Database: Access 2,113 weather stations from ASHRAE Standard 169-2021 Table A-3
County-Level Climate Zone Mapping: 96.6% coverage (2,042 stations) with zones assigned from Table A-4
Interactive Map Visualization: Color-coded markers showing climate zones across the United States
Advanced Filtering System: Filter by state, county, climate zone, or search by station name/WMO number
CBE Clima Integration: Direct links to detailed climate analysis for each weather station
Multiple View Modes: Switch between table view and interactive map view
Real-time Search: Instant filtering as you type
Export Capabilities: Download and save filtered results
Mobile Responsive: Works on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices
Offline-Ready: Works without internet once loaded (map requires connection)
System Requirements
Browser: Modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
JavaScript: Enabled (required for filtering and map)
RAM: 2GB minimum, 4GB recommended
Screen Resolution: 1024x768 minimum, 1920x1080 recommended
Network: Required for initial load and map tiles
Access (Free)
The tool is provided as a single HTML file that can be:
Hosted on any web server
Run locally by opening in a browser
Embedded in existing workflows
Distributed to team members
Bookmarked for quick access
Versions
1.0 - Initial release with 2,113 stations, basic filtering
1.1 - Added CBE Clima integration, enhanced UX, help modal
1.2 - Added right sidebar layout, Better Building branding
1.3 (In progress) - Base64 logo, additional export formats, station comparison
Access the tool here: ASHRAE Climate Zone Filter
Quick Start Guide
Basic Workflow (3 Steps)
Step 1: Find Your Location
Using Search (Fastest - 10 seconds):
Type city name or station name in "Search" field
Results filter instantly as you type
Locate your station in the table
Using Filters (Specific - 30 seconds):
Select your state from "State" dropdown
Select your county from "County" dropdown (optional)
View filtered results in table
Using Map (Visual - 60 seconds):
Click "Map View" tab
Navigate to your location on the map
Click color-coded markers to see station details
Step 2: Identify Climate Zone
View in Table:
Climate zone appears in "Climate Zone" column
Color-coded badge indicates zone type
Format: Number (0-8) + Letter (A/B/C)
Number: Thermal zone (0=extremely hot → 8=subarctic)
Letter: Moisture zone (A=humid, B=dry, C=marine)
Example Zones:
3A - Warm/Humid (Atlanta, Birmingham, Memphis)
4A - Mixed/Humid (New York, Boston, Chicago)
5B - Cool/Dry (Denver, Salt Lake City)
2A - Hot/Humid (Houston, Orlando, Miami)
Step 3: Access Detailed Climate Data
CBE Clima Integration (2 minutes):
Click "View in CBE Clima" button next to station
CBE Clima opens in new tab, centered on station coordinates
Look for nearest marker on CBE Clima map
Click marker to select weather station
Explore detailed climate analysis:
Temperature distributions
Psychrometric charts
Solar radiation data
Natural ventilation potential
Thermal comfort indices
Heating/cooling degree days
Result: Complete climate analysis for energy modeling
Features & Functions
View Modes
Table View (Default)
Activation: Default view on page load
Features:
Sortable columns (click headers)
7 columns of data:
State
County
Station Name
WMO Number (World Meteorological Organization ID)
Coordinates (Latitude, Longitude)
Climate Zone
CBE Clima Link
Display:
Results count shown above table
Sticky header (stays visible when scrolling)
Hover highlighting on rows
Color-coded climate zone badges
Usage:
Scan for specific stations
Compare nearby locations
Identify county-level zones
Copy station information
Map View
Activation: Click "Map View" tab
Features:
Interactive OpenStreetMap base layer
2,113 color-coded markers
Zoom and pan controls
Marker clustering at high zoom
Click markers for station details
Marker Colors (by Climate Zone):
Red (#d32f2f): Zone 1 - Very Hot
Orange (#f57c00): Zone 2 - Hot
Yellow (#fbc02d): Zone 3 - Warm
Green (#7cb342): Zone 4 - Mixed
Blue (#1976d2): Zone 5 - Cool
Purple (#5e35b1): Zone 6 - Cold
Dark Gray (#424242): Zone 7-8 - Very Cold
Gray (#999): No Zone Data
Map Controls:
Left-click + Drag: Pan map
Scroll Wheel: Zoom in/out
Double-click: Zoom to location
Click Marker: View popup with station details
Popup Contents:
Station name
State and county
WMO number
Coordinates
Climate zone badge
"View in CBE Clima" button
Usage tip
Filtering System
Filter Types
State Filter
Dropdown: All 30 states with data
Sorted: Alphabetically
Updates: County filter dynamically
Clear: Select "All States" to reset
County Filter
Dropdown: All counties with stations
Dynamic: Updates based on state selection
Sorted: Alphabetically
Coverage: 2,042 counties with climate zones
Climate Zone Filter
Dropdown: All 8 climate zones + subcategories
Options:
All Climate Zones
0A, 0B (Extremely Hot)
1A, 1B (Very Hot)
2A, 2B (Hot)
3A, 3B, 3C (Warm)
4A, 4B, 4C (Mixed)
5A, 5B, 5C (Cool)
6A, 6B (Cold)
7, 8 (Very Cold)
Search Filter
Text Input: Free-form search
Searches:
Station names
WMO numbers
County names
Real-time: Filters as you type
Case-insensitive: Matches uppercase or lowercase
Filter Application
Method 1 - Auto-apply (Search Only):
Type in search box
Results update automatically
No button click needed
Method 2 - Manual Apply (Dropdowns):
Select filters from dropdowns
Click "Apply Filters" button
Results update in table/map
Method 3 - Combined Filters:
Select State: "California"
Select Zone: "3B"
Type search: "Los Angeles"
Click "Apply Filters"
Result: Only Los Angeles area stations in Zone 3B
Filter Reset
Clear All Filters:
Click "Reset" button
All dropdowns return to "All..."
Search box clears
Full 2,113 station list displays
Climate Zone Information
Understanding Climate Zones
Zone Format: [Number][Letter]
Thermal Classification (Number):
0 - Extremely Hot (< 50°F heating degree days)
1 - Very Hot (50-900°F HDD)
2 - Hot (900-1,800°F HDD)
3 - Warm (1,800-2,700°F HDD)
4 - Mixed (2,700-3,600°F HDD)
5 - Cool (3,600-4,500°F HDD)
6 - Cold (4,500-5,400°F HDD)
7 - Very Cold (5,400-7,200°F HDD)
8 - Subarctic (> 7,200°F HDD)
Moisture Classification (Letter):
A - Humid (> 20" annual precipitation)
B - Dry (< 20" annual precipitation)
C - Marine (cool summers, mild winters, narrow temp range)
Climate Zone Examples
Zone 1A (Very Hot/Humid):
Miami, Florida
Key West, Florida
Honolulu, Hawaii
Zone 2A (Hot/Humid):
Houston, Texas
Orlando, Florida
New Orleans, Louisiana
Zone 2B (Hot/Dry):
Phoenix, Arizona
Las Vegas, Nevada
Tucson, Arizona
Zone 3A (Warm/Humid):
Atlanta, Georgia
Birmingham, Alabama
Memphis, Tennessee
Zone 3B (Warm/Dry):
El Paso, Texas
Los Angeles, California
San Diego, California
Zone 4A (Mixed/Humid):
New York, New York
Boston, Massachusetts
Chicago, Illinois
Zone 5A (Cool/Humid):
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Buffalo, New York
Portland, Maine
Zone 5B (Cool/Dry):
Denver, Colorado
Salt Lake City, Utah
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Zone 6A (Cold/Humid):
Fargo, North Dakota
Duluth, Minnesota
Zone 7 (Very Cold):
Fairbanks, Alaska
International Falls, Minnesota
CBE Clima Integration
The CBE Clima Tool is a free, open-source web application developed by UC Berkeley's Center for the Built Environment. It provides:
27,500+ global weather stations
EnergyPlus Weather (EPW) file analysis
Interactive climate visualizations
Thermal comfort indices (UTCI, PMV, PPD)
Natural ventilation analysis
Solar data and sun path diagrams
Downloadable charts and data
How to Use CBE Clima Integration
5-Step Process (2 minutes):
Find Station in ASHRAE tool
Use filters or search
Locate desired weather station
Click "View in CBE Clima"
Green button in table (right column)
OR green button in map popup
CBE Clima Opens
New browser tab
Map centered on station coordinates
Coordinates pre-filled in URL
Locate Marker
Look for nearest weather station marker
Usually within 1-2 miles of coordinates
Station name may differ slightly
Click Marker
Weather station selected
Climate data loads automatically
Explore analysis tabs
CBE Clima Features Available
Climate Summary Tab:
Heating degree days
Cooling degree days
Temperature distribution (violin plots)
Humidity distribution
Solar radiation statistics
Wind speed patterns
Köppen-Geiger climate classification
Temperature Tab:
Hourly temperature heatmap
Daily temperature range
Monthly temperature statistics
Extreme conditions (99th/1st percentile)
Sun & Solar Tab:
Sun path diagram
Direct/diffuse/global radiation
Daylight hours throughout year
Solar angles for shading design
Psychrometric Chart Tab:
ASHRAE 55 comfort zones
Adaptive comfort standards
Passive design strategies
Natural ventilation potential
Evaporative cooling potential
Natural Ventilation Tab:
Hours suitable for natural ventilation
Wind rose diagrams
Cross-ventilation analysis
Night cooling potential
Outdoor Comfort Tab:
Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI)
Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET)
Outdoor activity comfort hours
Seasonal comfort patterns
Data Export from CBE Clima
EPW File Download:
Full weather file for energy modeling
Compatible with EnergyPlus, OpenStudio, etc.
Typical Meteorological Year (TMY) data
Chart Export:
SVG format (vector graphics)
High quality for reports
Editable in design software
Data Export:
CSV format (spreadsheet)
All climate variables
Hourly or monthly data
Help System
Built-in Help Features
Help Modal (Comprehensive):
Click "How to Use CBE Clima" button (blue, in header)
Modal opens with complete instructions
Includes:
Step-by-step workflow
What to expect at each step
Tips and best practices
Links to CBE Clima documentation
Close with X button or Escape key
Inline Help Icons:
Blue ? icon next to "View in CBE Clima" links
Click to open help modal
Tooltip on hover: "How to use CBE Clima"
Sidebar Instructions (Always Visible):
Right sidebar contains quick reference
Green card: Dataset information
Blue card: CBE Clima usage steps
Persistent across all views
Map Popup Hints:
Every map marker popup includes reminder
"💡 Click marker on CBE Clima map to load data"
Reinforces workflow
Workflow Examples
Example 1: Single Building Project
Goal: Determine climate zone for office building in Dallas, Texas
Steps (1 minute):
Open Tool (10 seconds)
Navigate to ASHRAE Climate Zone Filter
Default table view loads
Filter to Location (20 seconds)
Select State: "Texas"
Type search: "Dallas"
3 Dallas-area stations appear
Identify Zone (10 seconds)
Dallas/Fort Worth shows as Zone 3A
Warm/Humid classification
Dallas Love Field shows Zone 3A (confirmation)
Access Detailed Data (20 seconds)
Click "View in CBE Clima" for Dallas/Fort Worth
Click marker on CBE Clima map
Note: ~2,700 HDD, humid summer
Result: Confirmed Zone 3A for ASHRAE 90.1 compliance, accessed hourly weather data for energy modeling
Example 2: Multi-Location Portfolio
Goal: Compare climate zones for 10 retail locations across the US
Steps (5 minutes):
Create List (2 minutes)
Open tool in browser
For each location:
Filter by state
Search for city
Note climate zone
Click "View in CBE Clima" (opens in new tab)
Result: 10 open tabs with climate data
Analyze Patterns (2 minutes)
Group locations by climate zone:
Zone 2A: Houston, Miami (2 locations)
Zone 3A: Atlanta, Dallas (2 locations)
Zone 4A: New York, Chicago (3 locations)
Zone 5A: Boston, Minneapolis (2 locations)
Zone 6A: Fargo (1 location)
Download Climate Data (1 minute)
In each CBE Clima tab:
Export EPW file
Download psychrometric chart (SVG)
Export temperature data (CSV)
Result: Climate zone map for portfolio, weather files for all locations, ready for energy analysis
Example 3: Code Compliance Verification
Goal: Verify climate zone assignment for IECC/ASHRAE 90.1 compliance
Steps (2 minutes):
Locate Project (30 seconds)
State: "Georgia"
County: "Fulton"
Station: "ATLANTA HARTSFIELD-JACKSON"
Confirm Zone (30 seconds)
Climate Zone: 3A (Warm/Humid)
Matches IECC Table 301.1
Matches ASHRAE 90.1 Appendix B
Document for Submittal (1 minute)
Screenshot of table showing zone 3A
Click "ASHRAE Standard" button for reference link
Copy station details:
WMO: 722190
Coordinates: 33.637, -84.428
County: Fulton
Result: Documented climate zone assignment for code compliance, direct reference to ASHRAE Standard 169-2021
Example 4: Design Charrette Support
Goal: Quickly answer climate zone questions during design meeting
Steps (Real-time during meeting):
Question 1: "What zone is our Seattle project?"
Search: "Seattle" → Zone 4C (Marine)
Answer: 30 seconds
Question 2: "How does Portland compare?"
Search: "Portland" → Zone 4C (same)
Answer: 20 seconds
Question 3: "What about our Phoenix office?"
Search: "Phoenix" → Zone 2B (Hot/Dry)
Click "View in CBE Clima" → Show cooling load potential
Answer: 2 minutes
Question 4: "Show me all our California projects"
Filter: State = "California"
Map View: Visual overview of all CA zones
Zones range from 3B (San Diego) to 5B (mountain areas)
Answer: 1 minute
Result: Real-time climate zone answers, visual comparisons, credible data source
Using Filters Effectively
Start Broad, Narrow Down:
Begin with state filter
Add county if known
Use search for final refinement
Apply filters in order
Search Strategy:
Use city names for quick results
Use airport codes (e.g., "LAX", "ORD")
Use WMO numbers for exact matches
Try alternate spellings if no results
Map vs. Table:
Use Map: Visual exploration, regional patterns, presentations
Use Table: Specific data lookup, comparisons, documentation
Climate Zone Selection
Choosing Representative Station:
Priority 1 - Same County:
Climate zones assigned at county level
Use any station in your project's county
Zone will be identical
Priority 2 - Nearest Station:
If no station in county, find nearest
Check if adjacent county has same zone
Verify with map view
Priority 3 - Similar Conditions:
Consider elevation differences
Account for local microclimates
Use engineering judgment
Station Selection Criteria:
Distance: < 50 miles preferred
Elevation: Within 1,000 ft preferred
Geography: Similar terrain (coastal vs. inland)
Urban/Rural: Match project context
Browser-Specific Issues
Chrome:
Enable "JavaScript" in Settings → Privacy → Site Settings
Check for ad blockers interfering with map
Try Incognito mode to test without extensions
Firefox:
Enable "JavaScript" in about:config
Check "Enhanced Tracking Protection" settings
Allow localStorage for tool functionality
Safari:
Enable "JavaScript" in Preferences → Security
Allow "Pop-ups" for CBE Clima integration
Check "Prevent Cross-Site Tracking" doesn't block map
Edge:
Enable "JavaScript" in Settings → Cookies and Site Permissions
Check site permissions for tool URL
Try InPrivate mode to test
Support & Resources
Better Building Resources
Documentation:
Better Building User Guides
Video Tutorials (coming soon)
Support Channels:
Email: [email protected]
Support Ticket System
User Forum (coming soon)
External Resources
ASHRAE:
Climate Design Conditions
Technical Resources
CBE Clima:
Research Paper: DOI 10.1007/s12273-023-1090-5
Keyboard Shortcuts
Tab
Navigate between filters
Enter
Apply filters (when in dropdown/search)
Escape
Close help modal
Space
Open help modal (when focused on button)
Ctrl+F
Browser find (search in current results)
FAQ
Q: Why doesn't my city appear in the list?
A: The tool shows weather stations from ASHRAE Standard 169-2021, not all cities. Use the nearest weather station, typically located at major airports or in county seats.
Q: Can I use a station from a different county?
A: Climate zones are assigned at the county level. Always use a station from your project's county. If your county has no stations, verify the climate zone using ASHRAE Standard 169-2021 Table A-4 directly.
Q: What if two stations in the same city show different zones?
A: This occurs when a large city spans multiple counties with different climate zones. Use the station in your project's specific county.
Q: How accurate are the coordinates?
A: Coordinates are accurate to ±111 meters (3 decimal places). This is sufficient for climate zone identification, which is county-level.
Q: Can I download the complete station list?
A: Export functionality is planned for version 1.3. Currently, you can filter results and copy from the table, or contact support for a complete CSV file.
Q: Is this tool updated when ASHRAE releases new standards?
A: Yes. The tool will be updated to match the latest ASHRAE Standard 169 revisions. Current version is based on ASHRAE 169-2021.
Q: Why do some stations show no climate zone (—)?
A: 3.4% of stations (71 out of 2,113) lack climate zone assignments due to county name mismatches or special jurisdictions. Use the nearest station with assigned zone data.
Q: Can I use this tool for international projects?
A: This tool covers only US locations. For international projects, use CBE Clima directly, which has 27,500+ stations worldwide.
Q: What's the difference between ASHRAE zones and Köppen-Geiger?
A: ASHRAE zones are specifically for building energy code compliance (ASHRAE 90.1, IECC). Köppen-Geiger is a broader climate classification system. CBE Clima shows both.
Q: How often is CBE Clima data updated?
A: CBE Clima uses Typical Meteorological Year (TMY) data, which represents long-term average conditions. EPW files are periodically updated by the source organizations.
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