Technical Bulletin

Number 005
Subject Rules of Thumb
Date Thursday, 03 May 2007

The following data is to be used when making assumptions on cooling loads when the
customer has not issued this data directly.

This information has been compiled from industry sources including Ashrae, CIBSE and
BSRIA.

All Logicool projects must use these assumptions when the required data is not made
available.

Cooling loads

For use when information from the customer is insufficient. All of the following is sourced from
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BSRIA Rules of Thumb (UK 3 Edition)

Design Area Application Rule of thumb

Banks 160 w/m²

Computer Suites 400 w/m²

Offices General – low occupancy and solar gain 125 w/m²

General – medium occupancy and solar

Offices 140 w/m²
gain
General – high occupancy and solar
Offices 160 w/m²
gain

Call Centres Very high occupancy 180 w/m²

Restaurants 220 w/m²

Retail buildings 140 w/m²

Fitness suite 160 w/m²

Heating loads for all of the above are significantly lower. Heat Pump systems generally offer
higher heating capacities compared to their nominal cooling capacity.
 Technical Bulletin

Room Design Temperatures

Logicool should design at the minimum temperature detailed below. The maximum
temperature is there as a guide for a discussion with the customer. It is the customer who
should decide if the higher temperature should be used.
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All of the following is sourced from BSRIA Rules of Thumb (UK 3 Edition)

Building Type Design temperatures

Offices 24ºC (or lower)
Retail
Hotels
Factories
Education
21ºC - 23ºC
Computer Rooms
Museums
Cinemas
Exhibition hall/Conference facilities
Hospitals 23ºC - 25ºC
Swimming Pools 23ºC - 26ºC
Fitness/Health Clubs >18ºC

Additional considerations

To be used when designing plant but where relevant information has not been given.

Design Area Other Information Rule of thumb

12 litres per second

Fresh Air As per latest building regulations
per person
0.5 Air changes per
Infiltration Internal door – office type application
hour
2.0 Air changes per
Infiltration External door – retail type application
hour

Lighting Type 3 and Type 4 as per BSRIA 20 w/m²

Metabolic Personnel 1 person per 10m²

Metabolic Personnel – total watts per person 130 watts

Includes small unaccounted for office

Small Power equipment such as fax machines, phones, 5 w/m²
kettles etc:
Includes all office equipment including
Small Power computers where no project data has been 20 w/m²
given
 Technical Bulletin

Additional rule of thumb assumptions

These are to be used when the information issued by the customer is not sufficient.

Window type Single Glazed 6mm, no tint

Window height 1.8m
Door dimensions 1m(w) x 2m(h)
Internal walls Stud partition and insulation exposed to
ambient (no solar exposure)

Control Zone

To be used when selecting number of units for a ballpark quotation

One unit per 36m² (typically 6m x 6m area.)

Airflow

Refer to Vent Axia documentation