SNRG 154 04

Heat Gain/Loss and
Equipment Sizing
SNRG 154 – Building Systems
Sustainable Energy and Building Technology Program
Humber College – School of Applied Technology
Dragos Paraschiv, P.Eng.

[email protected]
Course Outline
 Module 1: Introduction and terminology
 Module 2: Thermal Comfort
 Module 3: Indoor air quality
 Module 4: Basics of Heat Loss/Gain
and Equipment Sizing
 Module 5: Wall and Roof Systems
 Module 6: Moisture and Thermal protection
 Module 7: Doors and Windows
 Mid Term
 Module 8: Active climate controls
 Module 9: Heating Equipment
 Module 10: Cooling Equipment
 Module 11: Air Handling Equipment and Systems
 Module 12: Piping Equipment and Systems
 Module 13: HVAC for Small Buildings
 Module 14: HVAC for Large Buildings
 Module 15: Plumbing Systems
 Module 16: Fire Protection
 Final Exam
2
Outline
Heating and Cooling loads
Equipment Sizing Considerations
Purpose:
•Determine accurate cooling and heating requirements
•Optimize load requirements
•Select most economical equipment
•Use most efficient distribution system
3
SNRG 311 – MECHANICAL SYSTEM
Heat Gain / Loss
 A load estimate may be utilized during preliminary
design.
 Detailed calculation should follow at a later point.
 These values will be used for the sizing of all mechanical
equipment (packaged rooftop units and split systems,
and/or chillers, boilers and air handlers) along with the
distribution systems and terminal devices.
 These calculated values are expressed in Btu/h.

(notations also used in practice: btuh, MBH)
4
Load Estimate vs Load Calculation
 A load estimate is based on quick approximation

methods that are not detailed, known as ‘rules of thumb’,
‘check figures’ or assumed loads.
 Example: using common ‘assumed’ figures representing

cooling in sq. ft/ton and people density as sq. ft/person.
5
Load Estimate vs Load Calculation
 A load calculation is a more detailed analysis of the

load components based on actual building design
knowledge and is generally performed by computer
software programs.
 Even if this is a more detailed analysis, not all inputs
(values) are known and therefore good judgment
must still be relied upon by the designer.
 Estimate is still an appropriate description for the
results.
6
Rules of Thumb
 Cooling needs:
building gross area * cooling sq. ft./ton
 Electrical space load component:
building gross area * (lights + equipment watts)/sq. ft.
 Outdoor air requirement:
building gross area / (sq. ft./person) * (ventilation
cfm/person).
7
Space, Zone and Block Loads
 Block Load – a total building load is used for sizing of

central cooling and heating plant equipment.
 Zone Load – a zone load is used in the selection of
smaller equipment such as rooftop units or air handlers.
 Space Load – a space load is used in the selection of
the VAV box and diffuser size, terminal unit (wall heating
terminal).
8
External Space Loads
 Weather Related – made up of predominantly solar gain

through glass, along with heat transfer through walls and
roof.
 Infiltration Related – Infiltration (and ex-filtration) occurs
through any opening in the building envelope. Planned
items such as doors and windows and unplanned items
such as gaps.
 Adjacent-Space Related – made up of heat transfer
across any interior partition with a temperature
differential across the material assembly.
9
Solar Heat Gain through Glazing
 The amount of radiant energy transmitted to the space

through ordinary single pane glass.
 Expressed as Btuh per sq ft of glass area, comprised of both
beam radiation (direct) and diffuse radiation (indirect or
scattered).
 Important information required is the location (latitude and
orientation) of the building site to determine which values to
use from the various data tables.
 Day of year and Time of day also contribute.
 Other factors include shading (external/internal), glass types,
and special coatings.
10
Heat Transmission
 If a temperature difference exists between the inside and
outside surfaces, heat will flow by conduction to the
cooler side.
 Conduction heat transmission is effected by the
equivalent temperature difference.
 Equivalent temperature difference is used to account for
the impact of solar loading on walls and roofs.
 Transmission calculations are performed using the ‘U’
factor.
11
Heat Transmission
 Can be expressed as:
q = U A dt
Where:
q = heat loss/gain (Btu/h, W)
U = "U-factor" (Btu/hr ft2 oF, W/m2K)
A = wall area (ft2, m2)
dt = temperature difference (oF, K)
12
U Factor – thermal conductance
 Thermal Conductivity - k: property of materials
indicating their ability to conduct heat.
 Definition:
U-value (or U-factor) is a measure of the rate of heat loss or gain
through a construction of materials
 Unit of measurement:
British thermal units per hour (Btu/h) for one square foot of surface for
one deg F difference in temperature between the two sides
13
U Factor
 U-Factor is the reverse of R-Value:
U=1/R
where
R = "R-value" - the resistance to heat flow
(hr sq.ft °F /Btu)
14
Example – U Factor
 Non-homogeneous wall:
4” common brick
½” plywood
6” fibreglass pink
- Vapour barrier (plastic)
½” drywall
- Air seal inside
outside
 Calculate R total and U-factor.
15
Example – Heat Flow
 Same non-homogeneous wall
 Area = 1,000 sq.ft.
 Inside design temperature = 72 °F
 Location – Toronto, Ontario
 q summer = ?
 q winter = ?
17
Infiltration
 Infiltration refers to the fact that outside wind pressure
causes air to enter (infiltrate) the windward side of the
building and leave (exfiltrate) the leeward side of the
building.
 As this outside air is non-conditioned air the effect of the
quantity of air must be taken in consideration.
 It adds both sensible and latent loads in calculations.
19
Ventilation
 Ventilation air refers to the required outside air that must be
introduced into the building to ensure the Indoor Air Quality
(IAQ)
 The amount of air is governed by the requirements of
ASHRAE standard 62. This outside air must be conditioned to
the space design requirements and therefore adds both
sensible and latent loads to the calculations.
 Simple rule of thumb would require 15 cfm/person
(this value will change for the various types of occupancies)
 Sensible load Qs [btuh]= 1.08 x cfm x dT [°F].
20
Internal Space Loads
 Lighting
 Building occupants
 Equipment
 Plug loads
22
Lighting
 Lighting generates sensible heat by the conversion of
electrical energy into light and heat. Energy is dissipated
through radiation, conduction and convection.
 Heat gain to space (q) = W(watts) * 3.4 Btuh/watt
23
Building Occupants
 People generate heat by oxidation – known as metabolic
rate.
 Heat is carried to the body’s surface and dissipated
through:
o Conduction – items person touches and surrounding air
o Convection – from the body and respiration
o Radiation – from the body to colder surfaces
o Evaporation – from the body surface and respiration
 Rule of Thumb – 100 people represent 3 to 4 tons of

cooling load
24
Equipment and Plug Loads
 Plug Loads are other devices such as computers,

printers, copy machines and coffee makers.
 Equipment : piping, hot water tanks, humidifiers, pumps,

motors, etc.
 Generally these loads are estimated in tables which

account for the amount of time that the equipment is
running.
25
Equipment Sizing Considerations
 Energy Storage can:

o Reduce size of equipment
o Save operating costs
 Zoning of space
o Residential / commercial applications
o Space is divided in smaller areas
o Load requirement shifts
o Reduce size of equipment
o Save operating costs
26
End of Module 4
27

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Heat Gain/Loss and

Dragos Paraschiv, P.Eng.

 These calculated values are expressed in Btu/h.

 A load estimate is based on quick approximation

 Example: using common ‘assumed’ figures representing

 A load calculation is a more detailed analysis of the

 Block Load – a total building load is used for sizing of

 Weather Related – made up of predominantly solar gain

 The amount of radiant energy transmitted to the space

 Calculate R total and U-factor.

 Sensible load Qs [btuh]= 1.08 x cfm x dT [°F].

 Heat gain to space (q) = W(watts) * 3.4 Btuh/watt

 Rule of Thumb – 100 people represent 3 to 4 tons of

 Plug Loads are other devices such as computers,

 Equipment : piping, hot water tanks, humidifiers, pumps,

 Generally these loads are estimated in tables which

 Energy Storage can:

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