About

What is this?

The CBE Chart Library is a collection of reusable data visualizations for research in the built environment. It provides ready-to-use code templates for common plot types used in thermal comfort, indoor environmental quality (IEQ), and occupant satisfaction research.

How to use this library

Copy and adapt the code

Each chart page includes:

  1. A preview of the visualization
  2. Complete R code that you can expand and copy
  3. Data requirements explaining the expected input format
  4. Sample data demonstrating the required structure

To use a chart in your own analysis:

  1. Click on a chart in the Gallery
  2. Expand the code block by clicking “Code”
  3. Copy the code into your R script
  4. Replace the sample data with your own data (following the documented structure)
  5. Adjust labels, colors, and dimensions as needed

Color palettes

Visit the Color Palettes page for standardized color schemes used across CBE publications. Using consistent palettes helps maintain visual coherence across research outputs.

How to contribute

We welcome contributions from CBE researchers. Here’s how to add your own charts:

1. Prepare your code

Create a self-contained R script in src/R/plots/ that includes:

  • A header comment explaining the chart’s purpose
  • Documentation of data requirements
  • Sample data generation
  • The complete plotting code

See existing scripts (e.g., tpv.R, tsv.R) as templates.

2. Create a gallery page

Add a new .qmd file in pages/plots/ with:

---
title: "Your Chart Title"
description: "Brief description of the chart."
categories: ["Category1", "R"]
code-r: "https://github.com/CenterForTheBuiltEnvironment/chart-library/blob/main/src/R/plots/your-script.R"
code-contributor: "Your Name"
---

Then include the code block referencing your script:

```{r}, fig.width = 89/25.4, fig.height = 60/25.4
#| file: "../../src/R/plots/your-script.R"
#| code-fold: true
#| echo: true
#| eval: true
```

3. Submit a pull request

Push your changes to a new branch and open a pull request on GitHub. Include a screenshot of your chart in the PR description.

Technical details

Contact

For questions or suggestions, open an issue on GitHub or contact the CBE research team.