ACCA and ASHRAE to Co-publish Load Calculation Standard

The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) and the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) will co-publish a new standard for determining load calculations.

Proposed Standard 183P, Methods and Procedures for Performing Peak Heating and Cooling Load Calculations, released by ASHRAE for public comment in May, will be processed through ASHRAE's standards writing procedures as an American National Standard. As part of the agreement to cooperate, the membership of the ASHRAE 183P committee will be expanded to include three members nominated by ACCA. The proposed standard will reference the cooling load temperature difference (CLTD) load calculation method provided in ACCA's Manual N.

"A single standard for nonresidential load calculation procedures will improve the accurate determination of system and equipment sizes for all types of buildings," says ASHRAE President Ronald P. Vallort, P.E.

The proposed standard will be designated ANSI/ASHRAE/ACCA Standard 183 when approved.

"ACCA's goal is to ensure that contractors have access to the most accurate, efficient and effective design standards," says Greg Leisgang, ACCA 2005-2006 Chairman. For more information, visit www.acca.org or www.ashrae.org.