Cooling load temperature difference calculation method
Open-knowledge reference entry
The cooling load temperature difference (CLTD) calculation method, also called the cooling load factor (CLF) or solar cooling load factor (SCL) method, is a method of estimating the cooling load or heating load of a building. It was introduced in the 1979 ASHRAE handbook.
CLTD/CLF/SCL cooling load calculation method
The CLTD/CLF/SCL (cooling load temperature difference/cooling load factor/solar cooling load factor) cooling load calculation method was first introduced in the 1979 ASHRAE Cooling and Heating Load Manual (GRP-158) The CLTD/CLF/SCL Method is regarded as a reasonably accurate approximation of the total heat gains through a building envelope for the purposes of sizing HVAC equipment. This method was developed as a simpler calculation alternative to difficult and unwieldy calculation methods such as the transfer function method and the Sol-air temperature method. Error when using the CLTD/CLF/SCL method tends to be less than twenty percent over and less than ten percent under.
History
After its introduction in the 1979 ASHRAE handbook, research continued on increasing the accuracy of the CLTD/CLF method. Research completed in 1984 revealed some factors which were not accounted for in the original publication of the method; these findings were a result of the ASHRAE research project 359. In 1988 ASHRAE Research Project 472 worked to correct these oversights with the introduction of a classification system for walls, roofs, and zones. Additionally, a weighting factor database was generated to help correct for previous inaccuracies. Additional research in Thermal radiation and appliance heat gain with respect to CLTD data was also completed shortly after the original publication of the method.
The public source identifies “Cooling load temperature difference calculation method” as open-knowledge reference entry. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Cooling, load and temperature.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Cooling load temperature difference calculation method”, the useful work is to connect “open-knowledge reference entry” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
The citation trail is more important than the brevity of the summary: it shows where individual claims can be examined in context. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jan 24, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q5167498. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1979, 1984 and 1988.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Cooling load temperature difference calculation method”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Cooling load temperature difference calculation method primary sources, Cooling load temperature difference calculation method archive and Cooling research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Cooling load temperature difference calculation method”?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Cooling load temperature difference calculation method” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.