The air inside a building receives heat from a number of sources during the cooling season.

If the
temperature and humidity of the air are to be maintained at a comfortable level, this heat must be re
moved. The amount of heat that must be removed is called the cooling load.

The cooling load must be determined because it is the basis for selection of the proper size air
conditioning equipment and distribution system. It is also used to analyze energy use and conservation.

COOLING LOAD CALCULATION PROCEDURES

In Chapter 3, we noted that the heat loss from a room at any instant was equal to the heating load at
that time. With cooling, the situation is more complex. The amount of heat that must be removed (the
cooling load) is not always equal to the amount of heat received at a given time.

This difference is a result of the heat storage and time lag effects. Of the total amount of heat entering the
building at any instant, only a portion of it heats the room air immediately; the other part (the radiation)
heats the building mass-the roof, walls, floors, and furnishings. This is the heat storage effect. Only at a
later time does the stored heat portion contribute to heating the room air. This is the time lag effect, as
shown in Figure 6.1. The room cooling load is the rate at which heat must be removed from the room air
to maintain it at the design temperature and humidity.
The thermal storage effect and resulting time lag cause the cooling load to often be different iu
value from the entering heat (called the instantaneous heat gain). An example is shown in Figure 6.2.
Note that during the time of day at which the instantaneous heat gain is the highest (the afternoon), the
cooling load is less than the instantaneous heat gain. This is because some of this heat is stored in the
building mass and is not heating the room air. Later in the day, the stored heat plus some of the new
entering heat is released to the room air, so the cooling load becomes greater than the instantaneous heat
gain.
This effect is noticed in the huge southern European cathedrals built of massive, thick stone walls. Even
on a sunny, very hot day the church interior remains quite cool, though it is not air-conditioned. The
entering heat doesn't reach the interior, it merely heats the walls (heat storage). By the time the heat
reaches the interior (time lag), night has come. In this extreme example of time delay, the building may
even have a reverse heat flow at night-heat flows out from the hot walls to the cool outdoors.
There are a few different, acceptable procedures for calculating cooling loads that take into account the
phenomena we have discussed. All of them are more accurate than past methods and are often required in
state energy codes and standards. These methods .often lead to use of smaller equipment and sometimes
result in less energy use. The cooling load calculation procedure that will be explained here is called the
CLF/CLTD method. This procedure is relatively easy to understand and use. One of its valuable features
is that in learning it, one may understand better the effects we have been discussing. The CLF/CLTD
method can be carried out manually or by using a computer. The software bibliography in the rear of this
text lists some of the available computer software for cooling load calculations.

ROOM HEAT GAINS

The heat gain components that contribute to the room cooling load consist ofthe following (Figure 6.3):

1. Conduction through exterior walls, roof, and glass

2. Conduction through interior partitions, ceilings, and floors

3. Solar radiation through glass

4. Lighting

5. People

6. Equipment

7. Heat from infiltration of outside air through openings

It is convenient to arrange these heat gains into two groups-those from external sources outside
the room, and those internally generated.
From the earlier description, it is seen that items1I through 3 are external heat gains, and items 4 through
6 are internal heat gains. Infiltration can be considered as a separate class. It is also convenient to arrange
the heat gains into a different set of two groups: sensible and latent heat gains. Sensible heat gains result
in increasing the air temperature; latent heat gains are due to addition of water vapor, thus increasing
humidity.

Items 1 through 4 are solely sensible gains. Items 5 and 7 are part sensible and part latent and item 6
can fall in either category Or both, depending on the type of equipment. As will be noted in the study of
psychometrics (Chapter 7), it is necessary to separate the sensible and latent gains because the selection of
cooling equipment depends on their relative values.

CONDUCTION THROUGH EXTERIOR STRUCTURE

The cooling loads caused by conduction heat gains through the exterior roof, walls, and glass are each
found from the following equation:
 Q = U x A x CLTDc

where
Q =cooling load for roof, wall, or glass, BTU/hr (6.1)
U =overall heat transfer coefficient for roof, wall, or glass, BTU/hr-ft2-F
A =area of roof, wall, or glass, ft2
CLTDc =corrected cooling load temperature difference, F

The cooling load temperature difference (CLTD) is not the actual temperature difference between the
outdoor and indoor air. It is a modified value that accounts for the heat storage/time lag effects. Tables 6.1
and 6.2 list CLTD values for some roof and wall constructions. The CLTD values in Tables 6. I and 6.2
are based on the following conditions:

1. Indoor temperature is 78 F DB.

2. Outdoor average temperature on the design day is 85 FDB.
3. Date is July 21st.
4. Location is 400N latitude.

If the actual condition differs from any of the above, the CLTD must be corrected as follows:

CLTDc = CLTD + LM + (78 - tr) + (ta - 85)

where
CLTDc =corrected value of CLTD, F
CLTD =temperature from Table 6.1, 6.2 or 6.5
LM = correction for latitude and month, from Table 6.4
tr =room temperature, F
ta = average outside temperature on a design day, F
The temperature ta can be found as follows:
ta = to - (DRl2)
where
to =outside design dry bulb temperature, F
DR = daily temperature range, F (6.3)

Both to and DR (the daily temperature range)are found in Table A.9. Tables 6.1 and 6.3 include U-values
for the roofs and walls described. However, it is always advisable to confirm these values by calculation
from individual
R-values, as described in Chapter 3. The hours listed in Tables 6.1 and 6.2 are Solar Time. This is
approximately equal to Standard Time. Add one hour for Daylight Savings Time. The following two
examples illustrate the procedure for finding the cooling load due to conduction heat gain through a roof
and a wall.

CONDUCTION THROUGH INTERIOR STRUCTURE

The heat that flows from interior unconditioned spaces to the conditioned space through partitions,
floors, and ceilings can be found from Equation 3.5:

Q= U x A x TD

Where

Q = heat gain (cooling load) through partition, floor, or ceiling, BTUlhr

U = overall heat transfer coefficient for partition, fioor, or ceiling, BTUlhr-ft2-F
A = area of partition, fioor, or ceiling, ft2
TD = temperature difference between unconditioned and conditioned space, F

If the temperature of the unconditioned space is not known, an approximation often used is to assume
that it is at 5 F less than the outdoor temperature. Spaces with heat sources, such as boiler rooms, may be
at a much higher temperature.

SOLAR RADIATION THROUGH GLASS

Radiant energy from the sun passes through transparent materials such as glass and becomes a heat gain
to the room. Its value varies with time, orientation, shading, and storage effect. The solar cooling load can
be found from the following equation:

Q=SHGF x A x SC x CLF
Where

Q = solar radiation cooling load for glass. BTU/hr

SHGF = maximum solar heat gain factor, BTU/hr-ft2

A = area of glass, ft2.

SC = shading coefficient

CLF = cooling load factor for glass

The maximum solar heat gain factor (SHGF) is the maximum solar heat gain through single clear glass
at a given month, orientation, and latitude. Values are shown in Table 6.6 for the 21st day of each month.

The SHGF gives maximum heat gain values only for the type of glass noted and without any
shading devices. To account for heat gains with different fenestration arrangements, the shading
coefficient SC is introduced. Table 6.7 lists some values of SC.
The cooling load factor CLF accounts for the storage of part of the solar heat gain. Values of CLF to be
applied to the solar load calculation are shown in Tables 6.8, 6.9, and 6.10. Note that there are separate
listings for Light (L), Medium (M), and Heavy (H) construction, as described. Table 6.8 is used without
interior shading devices and with carpeting. Table 6.9 is used without interior shading devices and no
carpeting. Table 6.10 is used with interior shading devices (in this case the carpeting has no storage
effect).

External Shading Effect

The values for the SHGF shown in Table 6.6 are for direct solar radiation-when the sun shines on the
glass. External shading from building projections (or other objects) may shade all or part of the glass.
In these cases, only an indirect radiation reaches the glass from the sky and ground. The SHGF values for
any shaded glass is the same as the N (north) side of the building, which also receives
only indirect radiation.
In order to find the total radiation through partly shaded glass, the shaded area portion must first be
found. Table 6.11 can be used to find the shading from overhead horizontal projections. The values
in the table are the vertical feet of shade for each foot of horizontal projection. The following example
illustrates the use of Table 6.11.

DESIGN CONDITIONS

The cooling load calculations are usually based on inside and outdoor design conditions of temperature
and humidity. The inside conditions are those that provide satisfactory comfort. Table 1.1 lists some
suggested values. The outdoor summer design conditions are based on reasonable maximums, using
weather records. Table A.6 lists these conditions for some cities. These temperatures are exceeded on
average 35 hours in a year. The DB (dry bulb temperature) and coincident WB (wet bulb temperature)
occurring at the same time are listed together and should be used as the corresponding design values.
The separate design WB column listed does not usually occur at the same time as the DB listed and
therefore should not be used in load calculations.
Previous weather data tables showed this value, which if used, would result in too large a design
cooling load. The separate WB value may be needed, however, in selecting a cooling tower or
for special applications. Definitions of DB and WB are given in Chapter 7.

The table also lists latitudes and mean daily DB temperature ranges (DR). June to September can be used
as months for summer outdoor design temperatures in the northern hemisphere. Occasionally, maximum
cooling loads occur in other months due to solar radiation, and therefore it is necessary to know the
expected design conditions at those times. Table 6.12 lists appropriate values.

LIGHTING

The equation for determining cooling load due to heat gain from lighting is

Q=3.4x W x BF x CLF

Where

Q = cooling load from lighting, BTU/hr

W = lighting capacity, watts
BF = ballast factor
CLF = cooling load factor for lighting

The term W is the rated capacity of the lights in use, expressed in watts.
In many applications, all of the lighting is on at all times, but if it is not, the actual amount should be
used. The value 3.4 converts watts to BTU/hr. The factor BF accounts for heat losses in themballast in
fluorescent lamps, or other special losses.

A typical value of BF is 1.25 for fluorescent lighting. For incandescent lighting, there is no extra
loss, and BF = 1.0.

The factor CLF accounts for storage of part of the lighting heat gain. The storage effect depends
on how long the lights and cooling system are operating, as well as the building construction, type of
lighting fixture, and ventilation rate.

No storage effect can be allowed for any of the following conditions:

1. Cooling system operates only during occupied hours

2. Cooling system operates more than 16 hr

3. Temperature of the space is allowed to rise during non-occupied hours (temperature swing)

These conditions cover so many possible situations that it is suggested that heat storage effects for
lighting should be used with extreme caution. Building use patterns often change and may be
unpredictable.
Energy conservation operating techniques may also result in one of the conditions discussed earlier, even
though not planned for originally. For these reasons, the CLF tables for lighting are not presented here.
For those cases where they are applicable, they may be found in the ASHRAE Fundamentals Volume.
Otherwise use a value of

CLF= 1.0.

PEOPLE

The heat gain from people is composed of two parts, sensible heat and the latent heat resulting
from perspiration. Some of the sensible heat may be absorbed by the heat storage effect, but not the latent
heat. The equations for cooling loads from sensible and latent heat gains from people are
Qs= qs x n x CLF

Q[=ql x n

Qs, Ql =sensible and latent heat gains (loads)

qs, ql =sensible and latent heat gains per person

n =number of people

CLF =cooling load factor for people

The rate of heat gain from people depends on their physical activity. Table 6.13 lists values for
some typical activities. The rates are suitable for a 75 F DB room temperature. Values vary slightly at
other temperatures, as noted. The heat storage effect factor CLF applies to the sensible heat gain from
people. If the air conditioning system is shut down at night, however, no storage should be included, and
CLF =1.0. Table 6.14 lists values of CLF for people.

EQUIPMENT AND APPLIANCES

The heat gain from equipment may sometimes be found directly from the manufacturer or the nameplate
data, with allowance for intermittent use. Some equipment produces both sensible and latent heat. Some
values of heat output for typical appliances are shown in Table 6.15. CLF factors (not shown) apply if the
system operates 24 hours.

INFILTRATION

Infiltration of air through cracks around windows or doors results in both a sensible and latent heat
gain to the rooms. Procedures and equations for calculating infiltration heat losses were explained in
detail in Chapter 3. The same procedure is used for calculating infiltration heat gains.

Most summer air conditioning systems have mechanical ventilation using some outside air, which
reduces or eliminates infiltration by creating a positive air pressure within the building.

Ventilation air is not a load on the room, but is a load on the central cooling equipment. Many modern
buildings have fixed (sealed) windows and therefore have no infiltration loss, except for entrances.

ROOM COOLING LOAD

The room cooling load is the sum of each of the cooling load components (roof, walls,
glass. solar, people, equipment, and infiltration) in the room.

When calculating cooling loads, a prepared form is useful. A load calculation form is shown in Figure 6.5
and in the Appendix. It can be used for individual rooms or for a small building.

The following abbreviations will be used for convenience.

TCL, SCL, LCL =component total, sensible, latent cooling loads

RTCL, RSCL, RLCL =room total, sensible, latent cooling loads
BTCL, BSCL, BLCL =building total, sensible, latent cooling loads
CTCL, SCSL, CLCL =coil total, sensible, latent cooling loads
ROOM PEAK COOLING LOAD

We have learned how to calculate the cooling loads, but not how to determine their peak (maximum)
value. Because the air conditioning system must be sized to handle peak loads, we must know how to find
them.
The external heat gain components vary in intensity with time of day and time of year because of
changing solar radiation as the orientation of the sun changes and because of outdoor temperature
changes. This results in a change in the total room cooling load. Sometimes it is immediately apparent
by inspecting the tables at what time the peak load occurs, but often calculations are required at a few
different times. Some general guidelines can be offered to simplify this task. From the CLTD, SHGF and
CLF tables we can note the following:

1. For west-facing glass, maximum load is in mid-summer in the afternoon.

2. For east-facing glass, maximum solar load is in early or mid-summer in the morning.

3. For south-facing glass, maximum solar load is in the fall or winter in early afternoon.

4. For southwest-facing glass, maximum solar load is in the fall in the afternoon.

5. For roofs, maximum load is in the summer in the afternoon or evening.

6. For walls, maximum load is in the summer in the afternoon or evening.

These generalizations can be used to localize approximate times of room peak loads. For instance, we
might expect a south-facing room with a very large window area to have a peak load in early
afternoon in the fall-not in the summer! If the room had a small glass area, however the wall and glass
heat conduction might dominate and the peak load time would be a summer afternoon. Once the
appropriate day and time are located. a few calculations will determine the exact time and value of the
peak load.

BUILDING PEAK COOLING LOAD

The building cooling load is the rate at which heat is removed from all air-conditioned rooms in the
building at the time the building cooling load is at its peak value.
If peak cooling loads for each room were added, the total would be greater than the peak cooling load
required for the whole building, because these peaks do not occur at the same time. Therefore, the
designer must also determine the time of year and time of day at which the building cooling load is at a
peak, and then calculate it. A reasoning and investigation similar to that carried out in finding room peak
loads is used. From our previous discussion and a study of the tables, the following guidelines emerge:

1. For buildings that are approximately square shaped in plan with similar construction on all four walls,
the peak load is usually in late afternoon in summer. This is because the outside temperature is highest
then, and there is no differential influence of solar radiation on one side of a building.

2. For buildings with a long south or southwest exposure having large glass areas, the peak
load may occur in the fall, around mid-day, because radiation is highest then. This case requires careful
analysis.

3. For one-story buildings with very large roof areas, the peak load usually occurs in the afternoon in
summer.
These suggestions must be verified in each case because there are so many variations in building
orientation and construction. Once the peak load time is determined, the total building heat gains can be
calculated.

The search for the time and value of peak room and building cooling loads is greatly simplified by using
computer software programs. After the necessary data are entered, a complete time profile of loads for
many hours can be developed in a few minutes.

Diversity
On some projects, the actual building peak load may be less than the calculated value because
of load diversity. In some buildings, at the time of peak load, usage practice may be such that all of the
people are not present and some of the lights and equipment are not operating. In these cases, a diversity
factor or usage factor is sometimes estimated and applied to the calculated building peak load in order to
reduce it.
For example, if it is estimated that only 90% of the lighting is actually on at peak load time, the calculated
lighting load would be multiplied by a factor of 0.90. Choosing proper diversity factors requires both
experience and judgment about building use practices.

COOLING COIL LOAD

After the building cooling load is determined, the cooling coil load is found.

The coolillg coil load is the rate at which heat must be removed by the air conditioning equipment
cooling coil(s).
The cooling coil load will be greater than the building load because- there are heat gains to the air
conditioning system itself. These gains may include:

1 Ventilation (outside air)

2. Heat gains to ducts
3. Heat produced by the air conditioning system fans and pumps
4. Air leakage from ducts

VENTILATION

Some outside air is generally brought 'into a building for health and comfort reasons. The sensible and
latent heat of this air is usually greater than that of the room air, so it becomes part of the cooling
load. The excess heat is usually removed in the cooling equipment, however, so it is part of the
cooling coil load but not the building load.

The equations for determining the sensible and latent cooling loads from ventilation air, explained in
Chapters 3 and 7, are

Qs = l.l x CFM x TC

Ql = 0.68 x CFM x (Wo' - W/)

where

Q" Q/ = sensible and latent cooling loads from ventilation air, BTU/hr

CFM = air ventilation rate, ft3/min

TC = temperature change between outdoor and inside air, F

Wo', W/ = outdoor and inside humidity ratio, gr w./lb d.a.

The total heat Qt removed from the ventilation air is

Qt =Q, + Q/.

Recommended outdoor air ventilation rates for some applications are listed in Table 6.17. This
table has ventilation rates similar to many state codes and standards.
The ventilation rates in Table 6.17 are often higher than the minimum listed in earlier standards. For
instance, it requires 15 CFM per person in an office space. An earlier standard permitted a
minimum of 5 CFM per person.
In order to save energy, beginning in the 1970s many designers and operating personnel often provided
only the minimum CFM required. At the same time, outside infiltration air was being reduced by
improved weather fitting in both existing and new buildings. This contributed to a deterioration in indoor
air quality. The new requirements improve this situation.
There are still further changes in ventilation requirements that are being considered. For instance, the
values shown in Table 6.17 do not make special allowances for the amount of indoor air pollutants being
generated. Undoubtedly new standards will reflect this and other information that IS being found in this
rapidly developing field. If the peak load does not occur at the time of the day that the outdoor
temperature is at a maximum. a correction must be made to the outdoor temperature used for calculating
ventilation and infiltration loads. Table 6.18 lists this correction.

HEAT GAIN TO DUCTS

The conditioned air flowing through ducts will gain heat from the surroundings. If the duct passes
through conditioned spaces, the heat gain results in a useful cooling effect, but for the ducts passing
through unconditioned spaces it is a loss of sensible heat that must be added to the BSCL. The heat gain
can be calculated from the heat transfer Equation 3.5:

Q=U x A x TD

where
Q =duct heat gain, BTU/hr
U =overall coefficient of heat transfer, BTU/hr
A = duct surface area, ft2
TD = temperature difference between air in duct
and surrounding air, F
It is recommended that cold air ducts passing through unconditioned areas be insulated to at least an
overall value of R-4 (U =0.25)

If there is significant heat gain to return air ducts, it should also be calculated, but it is only
added to the CSCL, not the BSCL.
Although the heat gain to supply ducts in conditioned spaces is not wasted, care should be taken that it
does not affect the distribution of cooling. If there is a long run of duct with a number of outlets the heat
gains in the first sections of duct might be enough so that the air temperature at the last outlets
is too high. In this case, it might be useful to insulate the duct even though it is in the conditioned area.
Some designers find it reasonably accurate to add a percentage to the supply duct heat gain, rather than
going through elaborate calculations. For insulated supply ducts, 1-3% of the building sensible load
(BSCL) is suggested, depending on the extent of ductwork.

FAN AND PUMP HEAT

Some of the energy from the system fans and pumps is converted into heat through friction and
other effects, and becomes part of the sensible heat gain that should be added to the load.

For a draw-through fan arrangement (fan downstream from the cooling coil), the heat is added to the
BSCL, whereas for a blow-through arrangement (fan upstream from the coil) the heat added to the CSCL
load. An approximate allowance for fan heat can be made as follows:
For I1in. w.g. pressure add 2.5% to BSCL
For 2 in. w.g. pressure add 5% to BSCL
For 4 in. w.g. pressure add 10% to BSCL

The heat from the chilled water pump on small systems is generally small and may be neglected,
but for large systems it may range from 1-2% of sensible load. For central systems with remote chilled
water cooling coils, the pump heat is a load on the refrigeration chiller, but not the cooling coil. This leads
to a new term, the refrigeration load.

The refrigeration load (RL) is the load of the refrigeration equipment.

For a direct expansion system, the refrigeration load and cooling coil load are equal. For a chilled water
system, the refrigeration load is the cooling coil(s) load plus the chilled water pump heat

DUCT AIR LEAKAGE

Duct systems will leak air at joints. Unfortunately, many systems have unnecessarily high air leakage
due to sloppy installation. However, a careful job should limit duct leakage to 5% or less of the total
CFM. If ducts are outside the conditioned space, the effect of leakage must be added to the BSCL and
BLCL. If the air leaks into the conditioned space, then it does useful cooling, but care should be taken that
it is not distributed to the wrong location.

SUPPLY AIR CONDITIONS

After the sensible and latent heat gains are calculated, the required supply air conditions (flow rate,
temperature, and humidity) necessary to satisfy room conditions are determined. This subject is
covered in Chapter 7.

SUMMARY OF COMMERCIAL COOLING LOAD

CALCULATION PROCEDURES

The steps in determining commercial cooling loads can be summarized as follows.

1. Select indoor and outdoor design conditions from Tables 1.I and A.9.

2. Use architectural plans to measure dimensions of all surfaces through which there will be external heat
gains, for each room.

3. Calculate areas of all these surfaces.

4. Select heat transfer coefficient V-values for each element from appropriate tables, or calculate from
individual R-values.

5. Determine time of day and month of peak load for each room by calculating external heat
gains at times that they are expected to be a maximum. Search Tables 6.1. 6.2, 6.6, and 6.8 to find
maximum values. Often calculations at a few different times will be required, but the suggestions in
Section 6.13 should be helpful.

6. Calculate each room peak load, using the values for the external heat gains determined above and by
calculating and adding the internal heat gains from people, lights, and equipment. The architect or
building owner will furnish the data needed for the calculations. If there is infiltration, this must be added
to the room load.

7. Find the time of building peak load using a similar search process as in item 5 and the suggestions in
Section 6.14.

8. Calculate the building load at peak time, adding all external and internal gains and infiltration, if any.
Add supply duct heat gain (Section 6.17), duct heat leakage (Section 6.19), and draw-through supply fan
heat gain (Section 6.18), if significant.

9. Find the cooling coil and refrigeration load by adding the ventilation loag (Table 6.17) to the building
heat gains; add blow-through fan, return air fan, and pump heat gains, if significant. 10. Calculate
required supply air conditions (Chapter 7). Example 6.17 will illustrate these procedures.

The data and results are tabulated on a Commercial Cooling Load Calculation form (Figure 6.5), which
should be carefully studied in relation to the explanations in the example

Residential Cooling Loads

The procedures described previously are used for calculating cooling loads for commercial and industrial
buildings. The procedures for determining cooling loads for residences are based on the same heat
transfer principles, but are simplified somewhat. There are a number of reasons for this. Residential air
conditioning equipment and controls usually do not have refined provisions for zoning, humidity control.
and part load operation. Homes are often conditioned 24 hours a day. These factors all lead to a
simplification of load calculations. Only sensible loads are calculated. An allowance is made for latent
loads, and lighting loads are neglected. Approximations are used for people and infiltration loads. The
procedure does not require determination of peak time of load or of heat storage effect, this being
included in the data.

COOLING LOAD FROM HEAT GAIN THROUGH STRUCTURE

The cooling loads from walls, roof, ceiling, and floor are each calculated by use of the following
equation:

Q= U x A x CLTD

where

Q =sensible cooling load, BTU/hr

U =overall heat transfer coefficient, BTU/hr-ft -F
2

A = area, ft2

CLTD '= cooling load temperature difference, F

The CLTD values are listed in Table 6.19. The L
(low), M (medium), and H (high) outdoor temperature ranges are listed in the footnotes to the table:
these are found from Table A.6.
The CLTD table is based on an indoor temperature of 75 F. For other indoor temperatures, the CLTD
should be corrected by I F for each 1 F temperature difference from 75 F. The CLTD values should also
be interpolated between the listed outdoor temperature values. Colors of all exposed surfaces are assumed
dark.
COOLING LOAD FROM HEAT GAIN THROUGH WINDOWS

The sensible cooling load due to heat gains through glass (windows and doors) is found by using glass
load factors (GLF). These are listed in Table 6.20.

The GLF values account for both solar radiation and conduction through glass. Values should be
interpolated between listed outdoor temperatures.
The glass sensible cooling load is determined from Equation 6.11 :

Q=A X GLF

where

Q= sensible cooling load due to heat gain through glass, BT/lhr

A =area of glass, ft2
GLF = glass load factor, BTU/hr-ft
If the glass is shaded by permanent outside overhangs, the calculation is carried out differently. First, the
extent of shading is determined. This can be done with the aid of Table 6.21.
The shade line factors listed in the table are multiplied by the width of the overhang to find the
vertical length of shading. For that part of the glass which is shaded, the values from Table 6.20,
north facing glass, are used.
No shade line factors for northwest and northeast are shown, because it is not feasible to shade
those orientations with overhangs shaded. Note how effective the overhang is. Look what would
happen if the wall faced southwest, however.

The shade extends vertically 1.6 x 2 =3.2 ft, and barely covers one foot of glass.

The orientation and design of the building can have a major effect on energy

PEOPLE AND APPLIANCES

The sensible heat gain per person is assumed to be an average of 225 BTU/hr. If the number of occupants
is not known in advance, it can be estimated as two times the number of bedrooms. Because the
maximum load usually occurs in late afternoon, it is usual to assume that the occupants are in living
and dining areas for purposes of load distribution. A sensible heat gain allowance of 1200-1600
BTU/hr is typical for kitchen appliances. If the kitchen is open to an adjacent room, 50% of this
load should be assigned to that room. If large special appliances are used, their output should be
individually evaluated.
INFILTRATION AND VENTILATION

Infiltration rates are listed in Table 6.22 in air changes per hour (ACH). Three categories of construction
tightness are shown, described as follows:

Tight. Well-fitted windows and doors, weather stripping, no fireplace

Medium. Average fit windows and doors, fireplace that can be closed off.

Loose. Poorly fitted windows and doors, fireplace without shut-off.

The quantity of air infiltrating into the room is found from Equation below where,

CFM=ACHx V/60

CFM = air infiltration rate into room, CFM

ACH = number of air changes per hour

V = room volume, ft3

The heat gain due to the infiltrating air is found from Equation

Q = 1.1 x CFM x TC
where

Q = sensible cooling load due to infiltrating air

CFM = from Equation 3.12
TC = temperature change between inside and outdoor air

If the infiltration air is expected to be less than 0.5 ACH, indoor air quality may be unsatisfactory. In
this case, some outdoor air should be introduced through the air conditioning equipment, with its sensible
heat contribution evaluated from above Equation
ROOM, BUILDING, AND AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT
LOADS

Room Sensible Cooling Load. The sensible cooling load for each room (RSCL) is found by adding up
each of the room's cooling load components described.

Building Sensible Cooling Load. The building sensible cooling load (BSCL) is found by adding up the
room sensible cooling loads for each room.
It still remains to find the air conditioning equipment cooling load. To do this, the duct
heat gains and leakage and the latent heat gain must be accounted for.

Duct Heat Gains. Suggested values for heat gains to ducts are:
Ducts in attics: add 10% to the building sensible cooling load
Ducts in crawl space or basement: add 5% tothe building sensible cooling load

Duct Leakage. An additional 5% is suggested tobe added to the building sensible cooling loaddue to
leakage of air from the ducts.

Equipment Sensible Cooling Load. This is the sum of the building sensible cooling load and the duct
heat gains and leakage.

Latent Cooling Load. The latent loads are not separately calculated when using the abbreviated
residential calculation procedure. Instead the building sensible load is multiplied by an
approximated latent factor (LF) to obtain the building total load.

Figure 6.8 is used to find the LF value, using the outdoor design humidity ratio from the psychrometric
chart (see Chapter 7).

The equipment total cooling load is then found from the following equation:

QT= Qs x LF

where
QT= equipment total cooling load, BTU/hr
Qs =equipment sensible cooling load, BTU/hr
LF = latent factor (Figure 6.8)
The air conditioning unit is then selected on the basis of the calculated equipment total cooling load. The
unitary (packaged) equipment used in residential work may not have quite the sensible and latent heat
proportion removal capacities desired, but it is rare that the resulting room conditions are in an
uncomfortable range. If the loads are such that this is suspected, a more detailed analysis is necessary.

SUMMARY OF RESIDENTIAL COOLING LOAD

CALCULATION PROCEDURES

The steps in determining residential cooling loads can be summarized as follows.

1. Select inside and outdoor design temperatures from Tables 1.1 and A.9.

2. Use architectural plans to measure dimensions of all surfaces through which there will be
external heat gain, for each room.

3. Calculate areas of all these surfaces.

4. Select heat transfer coefficient U for each element from Tables A.7 or A.8, or calculate from individual
R-values.

5. Calculate heat gains through walls, roof, and floors for each room using the CLTD values from Table
6.19.

6. Calculate heat gains through glass, using Tables 6.20 and 6.21, for each room.

7. Determine occupancy and appliance load (Section 6.23).

8. Determine infiltration or ventilation load (Section 6.25).

9. Add individual loads to find sensible load for each room and building.

10. Add duct heat gains and leakage to SCL of building.

11. Multiply the building sensible cooling load by the latent factor LF (Figure 6.8). The result is the air
conditioning equipment total cooling load.

A residential cooling load calculation form is shown in Figure 6.9 and in the Appendix. The following
example illustrates use of the calculation procedure. The student should go through each step
independently to confirm agreement with the values shown in Figure 6.9.
ENERGY CONSERVATION

Reducing the building cooling load provides a major opportunity for energy conservation. Some ways this
can be achieved are:

1. Use high R-value insulation throughout the building.

2. Use the Table A.9 summer outdoor design DB temperature and coincident WB temperature.

3. Use inside design DB temperatures of 78-80 F. These provide adequate comfort for most applications.
Past practice of designing for 75 F or even lower is wasteful.

4. Consider use of heat-absorbing glass.

5. Provide effective interior shading devices.

6. Minimize use of glass in building unless used on the south side for receiving solar heat in the
winter.

7. Consider outside construction features that provide shading of glass.

8. Orient the building so that solar radiation in summer is minimum on sides with large glass
areas.

9. Avoid unnecessarily excessive lighting levels.

10. Use types of lighting that more efficiently convert electrical energy into light.

11. Above all, use proper calculation procedures that account for heat storage and time lag.