HVAC Cooling Load Estimator
Size the cooling load of your space in tons of refrigeration for GCC conditions.
Planning estimate at Gulf peak design conditions. Real load depends on glazing, orientation, fresh-air rate, and equipment. A puniq assessment sizes plant precisely and finds run-time savings.
About this tool
Cooling is the single biggest energy load in almost every GCC building, so getting the cooling load right is the foundation of every chiller, AHU, and BMS decision. This estimator gives you a fast first number in tons of refrigeration (TR), the unit most plant is sized in, from just your floor area, building type, and occupancy.
We apply a base cooling intensity per square metre for your building type (offices are lighter, malls and retail are heavier because of lighting, footfall, and long hours), then add 120 watts per person for occupant heat. The total watts convert to TR, kilowatts, and a watts-per-square-metre intensity so you can sanity-check the result against rules of thumb.
How to read the result
The big number is peak cooling load in TR at Gulf design conditions, the hottest hour you must still cool through. Use the kW figure for electrical and plant sizing, and the W/m² figure to compare your space against typical benchmarks. This is a planning estimate: real load also depends on glazing, orientation, and fresh-air rates. puniq runs a full assessment to size plant precisely and, just as importantly, to find the run-time savings hiding in how that plant is controlled.
Frequently asked
What is a ton of refrigeration?
One ton of refrigeration (TR) equals about 3.517 kilowatts of cooling, roughly the heat needed to melt one ton of ice in 24 hours. It is the standard unit used to size chillers and packaged units in the GCC.
Why is this load higher than in cooler climates?
The estimate uses Gulf peak design conditions, where outdoor temperatures and solar gain are extreme. Cooling typically accounts for 60 to 70% of a GCC building's energy, so peak loads run well above European or temperate benchmarks.
How accurate is a quick estimate like this?
It is a planning-grade first pass. Detailed load calculations also account for glazing, orientation, infiltration, fresh-air rates, and equipment heat. Treat this number as a starting point, not a basis for final plant procurement.
I have the load. How does puniq help reduce it?
Sizing is only half the picture. puniq unifies your HVAC, metering, and controls into one open layer, then optimizes setpoints, scheduling, and staging so plant runs to actual demand. That is where the energy and cost savings come from, often without replacing equipment.
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