Quick Start

This guide walks you through creating your first HVAKR project. By the end, you’ll have a working building model with load calculations.

Step 1: Create a Project

The Create Project dialog is a guided flow of two or three steps:

1. From the home screen, click Create Project
2. On Project Info, enter a project name and address — Next stays disabled until both have a value. The address pulls ASHRAE design weather data for the location. Choose the project type (Commercial or Residential) and the construction type (New or Retrofit), then click Next
3. On Upload Sheets (shown for New construction only), optionally drop your floor plan PDF or DXF files, then click Next. You can skip this and upload them in Step 2 below
4. On Data Sources, choose which space type, envelope, and duct type templates to include. For a Residential Retrofit project, Include Map-Based Takeoff is on by default — it adds a satellite map and traces the building footprint. Then click Create Project

Tip

If your plan includes HVAKR AI, use Create with AI in the dialog header to describe the building in plain language and have it set up the project for you.

On a residential retrofit project with Include Map-Based Takeoff left on, HVAKR opens Building Model → Spaces and traces the footprint from the map. Skip Step 2 until you have a floor plan to overlay, and start Step 3 by reviewing the generated space.

Step 2: Upload Floor Plans

1. Navigate to Basis of Design > Sheet Library
2. Click Upload Files and select your floor plan files (PDF or DXF)
3. When processing finishes, check the Sheet Type and Scale that HVAKR filled in for each sheet. Correct a wrong scale from the Scale column or with the Calibrate Scale tool — see Sheet Library

Step 3: Define Spaces

1. Go to Building Model > Spaces
2. Select the level you want to work on from the level control in the toolbar
3. If map takeoff already created a space, review it and assign a space type. Otherwise use the polygon tool to trace around each space on the floor plan
4. Assign a space type to each space (e.g., Office, Conference Room, Corridor)

Tip

Use Auto Takeoff Spaces (the sparkles icon in the toolbar) to automatically detect and create spaces from your floor plan.

Step 4: Configure the Envelope

1. Navigate to Building Model > Envelope
2. Assign wall types to exterior walls — skip this if map takeoff already applied climate-zone wall, roof, and slab types
3. Add windows and doors to the envelope
4. Define the roof and slab for each space that still needs them

Step 5: Group Spaces into Zones

1. Go to Building Model > Zones
2. Create zones and assign spaces to each one — a zone is a group of spaces served by a single thermostat or terminal unit
3. Each space belongs to exactly one zone

Tip

Use Auto Create Zones to generate zones from your spaces automatically.

Step 6: Create Systems

1. Go to Building Model > Systems
2. Create an HVAC system (e.g., VAV, RTU, Split System)
3. Assign zones to the system

Step 7: View Results

1. Navigate to Reports > Loads
2. View cooling and heating loads for each space and system
3. Ventilation and outdoor air (OA) requirements appear in the airflow tables within the same view

Next Steps

• Creating Projects - Learn more about project setup options
• Navigation - Understand the HVAKR interface
• Basis of Design - Configure project-wide settings