But does that feel right?
These tables provide (or Btu/h·ft²) ranges for total cooling loads based on building type and glazing percentage. cooling load check figures ashrae pdf
Find your building type. Calculate your W/m². Compare. Adjust. Only then do you have an engineering judgement you can defend. But does that feel right
Let’s say you modeled a 2,000 m² (21,500 ft²) mid-rise office building (perimeter zones). Your software says total cooling load = 280 kW . Calculate your W/m²
We’ve all been there. You’ve spent three hours inputting walls, windows, roofs, and internal loads into your HAP, Trace, or IESVE model. The software spits out a number: 124.7 kW (35.6 tons) .
Stop using 400 ft²/ton (which equals ~85 W/m²). That ignores windows, people, and latitude.
Open your ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals. In the current edition (2021/2025), Chapter 18 (Nonresidential Cooling and Heating Load) contains the gold mine: Table 9 & 10 , typically titled “Cooling Load Check Figures for Typical Commercial Buildings.”