Zones

Zones group spaces that share common HVAC equipment. A zone typically represents all the spaces served by a single thermostat or terminal unit.

Views

Switch between three views with the view icons next to Zones in the left sidebar:

• Canvas (default) - Draw zone boundaries and assign spaces visually
• Table - Edit zones in a sortable table docked beside the canvas; expand it to fill the pane, or collapse it back
• Kanban - Space cards sit in columns by zone, including an Unassigned column; drag a card to a different column to reassign its zone. See Kanban View

HVAKR remembers the last view you used for this page.

Kanban View

Each zone column header lists the zone’s Spaces count, Levels, Total Area, Peak Time, and Total Peak Cooling. The column footer lists the zone’s space Types. The Unassigned column has no summary.

If the project has no zones, the view shows No Zones. Click Create Zones to return to the Canvas view.

Click a space card to open its detail panel at the bottom of the pane. Click the card again or close the panel to dismiss it. Drag the top edge of the panel to resize it. The panel header shows the space name and, for an assigned space, a tag with its zone name. The panel has three sections:

• Cooling Load Profile - The space’s hourly cooling loads for one month, with a line at the month’s peak. The month selector opens on the peak month. Without calculated loads, the chart reads No Cooling Loads
• Cooling - Peak Cooling, Peak Time, Sensible Heat Ratio, Load Distribution (area per unit of peak cooling), and Peak Heating. For a space in a zone, the list adds the zone’s peak time (Zone name Peak Time), Load at Group Peak (the space’s cooling load at that hour), and Coincidence (that load as a percentage of the space’s own peak)
• Space & Airflow - Area, Occupancy, Cooling Setpoint, Supply Airflow, Supply Density, Outside Airflow, Wall Area, Window Area, and Roof Area

Use the coincidence values to decide if a space peaks with the rest of its zone.

Zone Concepts

What is a Zone?

A zone is a collection of one or more spaces that are:

• Controlled together by a single thermostat
• Served by a common terminal unit (VAV box, fan coil, etc.)
• Expected to have similar thermal conditions

Single-Space Zones

Many designs use one zone per space for:

• Maximum control flexibility
• Spaces with varying loads
• Critical comfort requirements

Multi-Space Zones

Combine spaces into zones when:

• Spaces have similar loads and schedules
• Cost constraints limit the number of zones
• Spaces are thermally connected (open plan)

Creating Zones

Automatic Zone Creation

HVAKR can automatically create zones from unzoned spaces:

1. Navigate to Building Model > Zones
2. Click Auto Create Zones (the sparkles icon) in the toolbar
3. HVAKR groups unzoned spaces into zones immediately (there is no strategy dialog). The Project jobs list in the toolbar shows how many zones were created and spaces assigned, or No spaces were zoned. Only spaces without a zone are grouped.
4. Review the results on the canvas and adjust zone membership as needed

Create a Zone

1. Navigate to Building Model > Zones
2. In the Zones panel, click Create Zone (or press N)
3. A new zone named New Zone is added and selected, and space assignment starts right away: the hint bar reads Click a space to toggle zone assignment
4. Click spaces on the canvas to assign them (see Assigning Spaces), then click Done
5. Rename the zone and set its color in the Zone Data panel

A new zone comes with a default terminal unit already configured: a Cooling Coil enabled in Cooling mode and a Heating Coil enabled in Heating mode, plus a disabled Return Air component. Applying a system preset to the zone’s system replaces that terminal configuration. There is no separate space picker; assignment happens on the canvas.

Assigning Spaces

Assign Spaces to a Zone

1. Select a zone in the Zones panel
2. In the Zone Data panel, click Assign Spaces
3. Click spaces on the canvas to toggle their assignment: the hint bar reads Click a space to toggle zone assignment. Drag a box to assign every space inside it; a box never removes a space
4. Assigned spaces appear in the zone’s Spaces list; remove one with the ✕ button
5. Click Done (or press Enter) when finished. Esc or a click on an empty part of the canvas also ends assignment

Each change applies as you make it. While you assign, each space shows in its zone’s color (or its gradient color, when a loads or airflow gradient is on in the canvas View menu), spaces with no zone are gray, and the spaces in the zone you are editing show as selected. If the zone is deleted during assignment (for example by undo or a collaborator), assignment stops.

A space can only belong to one zone. Clicking a space that belongs to another zone moves it to this one.

Unzoned Spaces

Outside assignment, the Zones canvas still draws spaces that have no zone, in muted gray under a No zone assigned label, so you can see what is left to zone.

Zone Data

Select a zone in the Zones panel to edit it in the Zone Data panel:

• Name - Rename the zone. Use descriptive names that indicate location (East Wing, Floor 2), function (Conference Rooms, Open Office), or the assigned system (AHU-1 Zone 3)
• Total Area - Combined floor area of the zone’s spaces (read-only)
• Color - Display color for the zone on the canvas
• Spaces - The spaces assigned to the zone (see Assigning Spaces); click a space to open it. The list shows space names only
• System - The system this zone is assigned to (see Assigning Zones); click to open it, or (None) if unassigned
• Preview Loads - Show the zone’s aggregated load summary
• Delete - Remove the zone

The Zone Data header carries Locate (or press L), which switches to the zone’s level and fits the canvas around its spaces. A zone that spans levels keeps the current level when one of its spaces is on it, and drops to the lowest level it occupies when none is. Copy Zone Properties and Paste Zone Properties sit next to it.

The terminal unit’s coils and outside air method are not set here. Configure them in the System Design > Configuration pane.

Zone Airflow

Peak Airflow

The maximum airflow required by the zone, based on:

• Peak cooling load
• Minimum ventilation requirements
• Heating airflow (if applicable)

Minimum Airflow

The lowest airflow the zone can receive:

• Ventilation requirements (ASHRAE 62.1)
• Minimum turndown ratio
• Heating airflow in VAV systems

Diversity

When zones peak at different times:

• System airflow may be less than sum of zones
• Diversity factor accounts for this
• Important for central equipment sizing

Zone Types

Interior Zones

Zones with no exterior exposure:

• Cooling-only in most climates
• Dominated by internal loads
• Relatively constant load

Perimeter Zones

Zones along the building exterior:

• Both heating and cooling loads
• Affected by solar and transmission
• Variable loads throughout the day

Special Zones

Zones with unique requirements:

• Conference rooms (variable occupancy)
• Server rooms (high cooling load)
• Laboratories (special ventilation)

Best Practices

1. Match controls - Zones should correspond to control zones
2. Consider orientation - Separate perimeter zones by exposure
3. Account for load diversity - Similar spaces can share zones
4. Plan for flexibility - Future changes may require zone modifications
5. Check ventilation - Ensure zones meet outdoor air requirements