HeatingCooling

Heatingcooling refers to the integrated management of heating and cooling in buildings to maintain comfortable indoor conditions across seasons. It encompasses the selection, installation, operation, and maintenance of equipment, controls, and subsystems that deliver thermal energy as needed while prioritizing efficiency and indoor air quality.

Common technologies include centralized systems such as chillers and boilers, heat pumps, air- and ground-source units, radiant heating and cooling, and ducted or ductless split systems. In many buildings, a single system provides both heating and cooling (e.g., a reversible air-source heat pump or a combined boiler-chiller plant), while others use separate subsystems.

Performance is assessed with metrics such as seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) and energy efficiency ratio (EER) for cooling, and annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) or integrated coefficient of performance (COP) for heating. Modern systems use variable-speed compressors, refrigerants with lower global warming potential, and advanced controls to modulate output according to load.

Controls range from simple thermostats to building automation systems and smart thermostats that optimize scheduling, occupancy, and weather response. Zoning, air distribution, humidity control, filtration, and ventilation are important for comfort and health.

Designers consider occupant comfort, energy prices, climate, building envelope, and refrigerant impacts. Emerging trends include geothermal or biomass heat sources, solar-assisted heating, district heating, and energy storage, as well as demand-response programs that shift usage to off-peak periods.