Basis of Design Overview
The Basis of Design section contains project-wide settings that affect how HVAKR calculates loads, airflows, and equipment sizing. These settings establish the design parameters for your project.
Sections
Section titled “Sections”General Information
Section titled “General Information”Basic project details including name, description, building type, and project contacts. This information appears on reports and helps organize your projects.
Weather
Section titled “Weather”Weather station selection and design conditions. HVAKR uses ASHRAE weather data to determine outdoor design temperatures for heating and cooling calculations.
Building Properties
Section titled “Building Properties”Define the thermal properties of your building envelope:
- Wall types with U-values and construction details
- Window types with solar heat gain coefficients
- Roof types with insulation values
- Slab types with edge and under-slab insulation
Space Types
Section titled “Space Types”Configure typical space characteristics:
- Occupancy density (people per square foot)
- Equipment and lighting loads
- Usage schedules
- Exhaust requirements
System Types
Section titled “System Types”Define HVAC system configurations:
- Central unit types (AHU, RTU, etc.)
- Terminal unit types (VAV boxes, fan coils, etc.)
- Duct types and sizing methods
- Register and grille types
Sheet Library
Section titled “Sheet Library”Manage floor plan drawings:
- Upload PDF, PNG, or JPG files
- Calibrate scale for accurate measurements
- Organize sheets by floor or building area
Impact on Calculations
Section titled “Impact on Calculations”Changes to the Basis of Design automatically update calculations throughout your project:
- Weather changes affect heating and cooling loads
- Envelope properties affect transmission losses and solar gains
- Space type changes affect internal gains and ventilation requirements
- System type changes affect airflow and equipment sizing
Best Practices
Section titled “Best Practices”- Configure weather first - This ensures accurate design conditions
- Define envelope types - Set up wall, window, and roof types before modeling
- Create space types - Define typical spaces for your building type
- Set up system types - Configure HVAC systems before assigning to spaces
Libraries
Section titled “Libraries”Many Basis of Design elements can be saved to libraries for reuse:
- Building envelope types are saved in the Building library
- Space types are saved in the Space Types library
- System types are saved in the System Types library
Libraries are shared across your organization, so team members can reuse common configurations.