The 400 sq ft/ton Rule is Dead: How to Use ASHRAE Fundamentals to Sanity Check Your Cooling Loads
Let’s look at how to use the cooling load check figures to validate your model in under 10 minutes. cooling load check figures ashrae pdf
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.” The 400 sq ft/ton Rule is Dead: How
Also, They are ±20% accurate at best. They are a filter , not a scale . They are a filter , not a scale
“ASHRAE Cooling Load Check Sheet (PDF)” – A one-page checklist comparing W/m² for 12 building types. (Note: Create this as a lead magnet or internal tool.) Author Note: Always refer to the current ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals for official tables. Values cited here are for educational illustration of the methodology.
These tables provide (or Btu/h·ft²) ranges for total cooling loads based on building type and glazing percentage.