Choosing an HVAC System 225

manufacturing plants, medical facilities, motels, multi-occupancy

dwellings, nursing homes, office buildings, schools, shopping
centers, and other buildings with limited life or limited income
potential. However, package units are also used in applications
where dedicated, high performance levels are required, such as
computer rooms, laboratories and cleanrooms.

WINDOW-MOUNTED AIR
CONDITIONERS and HEAT PUMPS

Window-mounted air conditioners and heat pumps cool or

heat individual conditioned spaces. They have a low initial cost
and are quick and easy to install. They are also used to supple-
ment a central heating or cooling system or to condition se-
lected spaces when the central system shuts down. When used
with a central system, the units usually serve only part of the
spaces conditioned by the central system. In such applications,
both the central system and the window units are sized to cool
the particular conditioned space adequately without the other
operating. In other applications, where window units are added
to supplement an inadequate existing system, they are selected
and sized to meet the required capacity when both systems
operate. Window units require outside air and cannot be used
for interior rooms. Window units are factory-assembled with
individual controls. However, when several units are used in a
single space, the controls may be interlocked to prevent simul-
taneous heating and cooling. For energy management in hotels,
motels or other hospitality applications, a central on/off control
system may be used to de-energize units in unoccupied rooms.
Another factor to consider when selecting window unit systems
is that window units are built to appliance standards, rather
than building equipment standards, so they may have a rela-
tively short life and high energy usage.
226 HVAC Fundamentals

THROUGH-THE-WALL MOUNTED
AIR CONDITIONERS, HEAT PUMPS,
PTACs and PTHPs

Through-the-wall air conditioners, package terminal air con-

ditioners (PTACs), heat pumps, and package terminal heat pumps
(PTHPs) incorporate a complete self-contained air-cooled, direct
expansion (DX) cooling system, a heating system (gas, electric,
hot water, or steam), controls, and fan in an individual package.
They are designed to cool or heat individual spaces. Each space is
an individual occupant-controlled zone into which cooled or
heated air is discharged in response to thermostatic control to
meet space requirements. These systems are usually installed in
apartments, assisted-living facilities, hospitals, hotels, motels, of-
fice buildings, and schools. Units range from appliance grade to
heavy-duty commercial grade.

UNITARY SYSTEM
SELECTION GUIDELINES

Unitary systems are selected when it is decided that a cen-

tral HVAC system is too large or too expensive for a particular
project, or a combination system (central and unitary) is
needed for certain areas or zones to supplement the central
system. For example, unitary systems are frequently used for
perimeter spaces in combination with a central all-air system
that serves interior building spaces. This combination will usu-
ally provide greater temperature and humidity control, air
quality, and air (conditioned air and ventilation air) distribution
patterns, than is possible with central or unitary units alone. As
with any HVAC system, both the advantages and the disadvan-
tages of unitary systems should be carefully examined to en-
sure that the system selected will perform as intended for the
particular application.