Python version of Surface Builder 24/7

Developed by University of Southampton GeoData Institute

on behalf of ONS

v1.0 Jan-Mar 2022 - Initial version
v1.1 Jul 2024 - Usability and file outputs improvements
v1.2 Mar 2025 - Bugfixes and optimisations Jan-Feb 2025
v1.3 Aug 2026 - Bugfix (double count unsatisfied demand) and update to unit tests Jul-Aug 2026

A Python (3.x and above) redevelopment of the original VB code.

For information about the project visit http://pop247.geodata.soton.ac.uk/

A user guide to Surface Builder 24/7 py is available from http://pop247.geodata.soton.ac.uk/software/SurfaceBuilder247Py_User_Guide.pdf

src/ - sources files

sb247_modelRun.txt - Pseudocode descriptions of the algorithms implemented

sb247_python.md - Documentation of the Python structure and code

main.py - A sample main Python entry program

sb247.py - The main SB247 Class, the container for all functionality and data

projectParams.py - Stores all Project parameters

modelRun.py - Run the model including the main algorithms

locationIndex.py - Structures and methods to rapidly identify data within a bounding area

gridCreate.py - Create gridded data from model run outputs

unit_tests.py - Perform a series of validations (requires sample Data)

e.g. run:

python main.py

Unit tests:

python unit_tests.py

Using Docker

docker/ - Dockerfile to build a suitable Python container (e.g. docker build -t sb2472py_docker .)

e.g. run:

docker run -it --rm --name sb2472py_docker -v "$PWD":/opt -w /opt sb247-docker:latest ./main.py

Unit tests (requires sample Data - download and unzip DataLibrary.zip from https://reshare.ukdataservice.ac.uk/853950/ into src directory)

docker run -it --rm --name sb2472py_docker -v "$PWD":/opt -w /opt sb247-docker:latest python ./unit_tests.py

Using published Python package

Package home at PyPI: https://pypi.org/project/SurfaceBuilder247/

pip install SurfaceBuilder247

In Main.py:

from SurfaceBuilder247 import SB247