PV-Calor.com Goes Live
Today marks the launch of pv-calor.com. The platform offers free calculation tools for building energy - from heating load calculation to heat pump sizing and photovoltaic planning.
What is PV-Calor?
Anyone dealing with heating system replacement or a solar installation faces a problem: Professional planning software costs hundreds of euros per year. Simple online calculators often deliver inaccurate results or hide the actual functions behind a paywall.
PV-Calor takes a different approach:
- Standards-compliant calculations according to DIN EN 12831, VDI 4650 and PVGIS
- Free to use without registration
- No hidden costs - funded through advertising
The Three Calculators
Heating Load Calculator
The heating load calculator determines the design heating load according to DIN EN 12831-1. It is the core of the platform and has been in development for several months.
Features:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Building Wizard | Step-by-step input with automatic suggestions |
| Climate Data | Over 8,000 German postal codes with design outdoor temperatures |
| Component Catalog | 100+ predefined U-values by construction age class |
| Room Analysis | Individual heating loads per room |
| Radiator Matching | Comparison of required vs. installed power |
| PDF Export | Documentation for contractors |
The calculator is aimed at homeowners who want to determine their heating load themselves, and at professionals for quick rough calculations.
Go to calculator: Start heating load calculation
Heat Pump Calculator
The heat pump calculator assists with sizing and economic analysis of heat pumps according to VDI 4650.
Features:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| SPF Calculation | Seasonal performance factor according to VDI 4650 |
| Sizing | Heat pump capacity recommendation |
| Economics | Comparison with gas, oil and other systems |
| Integration | Data import from heating load calculator |
Go to calculator: Start heat pump calculation
Solar Calculator (Beta)
The solar calculator is currently in beta testing. It uses PVGIS data for yield calculation and is being continuously expanded.
Current Status:
| Feature | Status |
|---|---|
| PV Yield Calculation | Available |
| PVGIS Integration | Available |
| Self-consumption Analysis | In Development |
| Storage Sizing | In Development |
Note: The solar calculator is functional but not yet feature-complete. Feedback on the beta version is welcome.
Go to calculator: Start solar calculation
Technical Foundation
All calculators are based on current standards and recognized calculation methods:
| Calculator | Standard/Basis |
|---|---|
| Heating Load | DIN EN 12831-1, DIN/TS 12831-1 Supplement 1 |
| Heat Pump | VDI 4650, VDI 4645 |
| Solar | PVGIS methodology, VDI 2067 |
Climate data comes from DIN/TS 12831-1 (design outdoor temperatures) and the EU's PVGIS service (solar radiation).
Available in Multiple Languages
The platform is available in five languages:
- German
- English
- French
- Italian
- Spanish
Translations are being continuously expanded.
What's Next?
Development continues. Planned features include:
- Solar calculator expansion (self-consumption, storage)
- Domestic hot water according to DIN EN 12831-3
- Extended component catalog
- Additional export formats
Feedback and bug reports are welcome - preferably via the contact form.