Since our entire application is client-side we include all the Building Science team’s data in CSV files committed directly to git. Although this approach requires a developer to commit and re-release the code anytime the files are updated the simplicity of not having to create and maintain a backend server and database makes the tradeoff worth it (at least initially). Over time we have discovered that the Building Science team does want to make more frequent updates and test revisions more independently. Although the scope and frequency of updates probably still does not warrant creating a backend administrator interface (in terms of programmer time) we are currently exploring options for making the process of adding materials and updating CSV files more seamless and feasible for non-developers to perform.
In addition to user interface controls, the main feature of the application is a highly customized bar graph that allows users to compare different LCA metrics for a variety of façade and flooring materials. With our React apps we typically use Nivo, visx (formerly vx) or SVG. Nivo is a high-level charting library that contains many pre-built charts and graphs for React.