Cooling loads for nonresidential buildings based on programmable, charted, look-up-tabulated radiant time series procedure.

The power consumed by air-conditioning systems (AC) in hot and dry climates can reach 60% of the generated energy. One important reason is the frequent over-sizing of heating ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. It is therefore essential to provide practitioners with simple, easy-to-use, yet accurate tools for estimating cooling loads. The Radiant Time Series (RTS) is a newer, more accurate method that is derived from the exact Heat Balance (HB) method. In this work, the procedure is programmed using several Matlab subroutines to furnish a collection of charts and tables that could be used by engineers and practitioners to accurately predict cooling loads for a variety of situations. These include a wide range of locales; external/internal and ventilation/infiltration loads; building constructions; internal heat gain (people, lighting, equipment, etc.); ventilation systems; and so on. In addition to charts and tables, the procedure can also generate sets of Cooling Load Temperature Difference, Solar Cooling Load, and Cooling Load Factor (CLTD/SCL/CLF) derived from the RTS, for any combination. Moreover, enhancements in the finite volume (FV) calculation procedure of the RTS conduction time series and radiant time factors were made. Results are presented, in graphical/tabular formats, ready to be used/read by practitioners with minimal to no effort. Examples of different climate types are given. The program provides good, inexpensive, and accurate load-estimates which help prevent both energy waste due to over-sizing as well as thermal discomfort due to under-sizing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]