ICS Engineering Inc.
Electrical Consulting | Communications | Automation
Edmonton
HVAC Acronyms
A lot of HVAC units on a mall in Cranbrook, BC. These units require a lot of electricity!
Electrical consultants work closely with mechanical consultants. HVAC units are usually the largest electrical loads in commercial buildings. Here is a list of HVAC acronyms and HVAC abbrevations that we've compiled over the years.
The air conditionings one pertain more for the Okanagan while the heating and ventilation ones are used mainly for our Alberta and interior BC projects.
| Acyronym | What it Stands for |
| AC | Air Conditioning |
| AC | Alternating Current |
| ACH | Air Changes per Hour |
| ACM | Asbestos Containing Material |
| AFUE | Annual Fuel Efficiency Ratio |
| AHU | Air Handling Unit |
| AI | Analog Input |
| AO | Analog Output |
| ASHRAE | American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers |
| B | Boiler |
| BB | Baseboard Heater |
| BBH | Baseboard Heater |
| BACnet | A Data Communication Protocol for Building Automation and Control Networks |
| BAS | Building Automation System |
| BCA | Building Commissioning Association |
| BI | Backward Incline |
| BI | Binary Input |
| BO | Binary Output |
| BSLN | Baseline |
| BTU | British Thermal Unit |
| BTUH | British Thermal Units / Hour |
| BY | Base Year |
| CAV | Constant Air Volume |
| CD | Cold Deck |
| CDD | Cooling Degree Days |
| CEM | Certified Energy Manager |
| CFM | Cubic Feet per Minute |
| CH | Chiller |
| CHW | Chilled Water |
| CHWP | Chilled Water Pump |
| CHWR | Chilled Water Return |
| CHWRT | Chilled Water Return Temperature |
| CHWS | Chilled Water Supply |
| CHWST | Chilled Water Supply Temperature |
| CLF | Cooling Load Factor |
| CLTD | Cooling Load Temperature Difference |
| COP | Coefficient Of Performance |
| CRAC | Computer Room Air Conditioner |
| CT | Cooling Tower |
| CV | Constant Volume |
| CVRMSE | Coefficient of Variation of the Root Mean Square of the Error |
| CWP | Condenser Water Pump |
| CWR | Condenser Water Return |
| CWRT | Condenser Water Return Temperature |
| CWS | Condenser Water Supply |
| CWST | Condenser Water Supply Temperature |
| CY | Current Year |
| DA | Discharge Air |
| DB | Data Base |
| DB | Dry Bulb |
| DC | Direct Current |
| DCV | Demand Controlled Ventilation |
| DD | Degree Day |
| DDC | Direct Digital Control |
| DH | Duct Heater |
| DI | Digital Input |
| DO | Digital Output |
| DP | Dew Point |
| DP | Differential Pressure |
| DX | Direct Expansion |
| EAT | Entering Air Temperature |
| ECM | Electronically Commutated Motor |
| ECM | Energy Conservation Measure |
| ECO | Energy Conservation Opportunity |
| EDH | Electric Duct Heater |
| EEM | Energy Efficiency Measure |
| EER | Energy Efficiency Ratio |
| EF | Exhaust Fan |
| EH | Electric Heater |
| EMS | Energy Management System |
| ESCO | Energy Service Company |
| EUH | Electric Unit Heater |
| EWT | Entering Water Temperature |
| FC | Forward Curve |
| FCU | Fan Coil Unit |
| FF | Force Flow heater |
| FFH | Force Flow Heater |
| FIM | Facility Improvement Measure |
| FLA | Full Load Amps |
| FMS | Facility Management System |
| FPM | Feet Per Minute |
| FW | Feed Water |
| GPM | Gallons Per Minute |
| GUI | Graphical User Interface |
| HD | Hot Deck |
| HDD | Heating Degree Days |
| HEPA | High Efficiency Particulate Arresting |
| HHV | Higher Heating Value |
| HWH | Hot Water Heater |
| HWP | Hot Water Pump |
| HWT | Hot Water Tank |
| HWR | Hot Water Return |
| HHWS | Heating Hot Water Supply |
| HL | High Limit |
| HPS | High Pressure Steam |
| HR | Heat Recovery |
| HRU | Heat Recovery Unit |
| HRV | Heat Recovery Ventilator |
| HSPF | Heating Seasonal Performance Factor |
| HVAC | Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning |
| HWP | Hot Water Pump |
| HWR | Hot Water Return |
| HWS | Hot Water Supply |
| HWRT | Hot Water Return Temperature |
| HWST | Hot Water Supply Temperature |
| HX | Heat Exchanger |
| I/O | Input Output |
| IAQ | Indoor Air Quality |
| IPMVP | International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol |
| IR | Infra-Red |
| LAT | Leaving Air Temperature |
| LHV | Lower Heating Value |
| LL | Low Limit |
| LON | Local Operating Network |
| LP | Low Pressure |
| LPS | Low Pressure Steam |
| LRA | Locked Rotor Amps |
| LWBT | Leaving Wet Bulb Temperature |
| LWT | Leaving Water Temperature |
| M&V | Measurement and Verification |
| MA | Mixed Air |
| MAT | Mixed Air Temperature |
| MCA | Minimum Current Ampacity |
| MCC | Motor Control Center |
| MUA | Make-up Air Unit |
| MX | Metrix Utility Accounting System |
| MZ | Multi-Zone |
| NC | Normally Closed |
| NEMA | National Electrical Manufacturers Association |
| NO | Normally Open |
| NPSH | Net Positive Suction Head |
| OA | Outside Air |
| OAP | Outside Air Percentage |
| OAT | Outside Air Temperature |
| ODP | Open Drip Proof |
| OWS | Operator Work Station |
| P | Pump |
| PC | Performance Contracting |
| PH | Pre-Heat |
| PID | Proportional Integral Derivative |
| PRV | Pressure Relief Valve |
| PRV | Pressure Reducing Valve |
| PTAC | Packaged Terminal Air Conditioner |
| RA | Return Air |
| RF | Return Fan |
| RH | Reheat |
| RPM | Revolutions Per Minute |
| RTD | Resistance Temperature Detector |
| RTU | Roof Top Unit |
| SA | Supply Air |
| SAT | Supply Air Temperature |
| SC | Shading Coefficient |
| SEER | Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio |
| SF | Supply Fan |
| SHFG | Solar Heat Gain Factor |
| SHR | Sensible Heat Ratio |
| SP | Set Point |
| SP | Static Pressure |
| SWP | Steam Working Pressure |
| T | Temperature |
| T | Thermostat |
| TEV | Thermostatic Expansion Valve |
| TOD | Time Of Day |
| TORR | Millimeter of Mercury (mmHg) |
| TXV | Thermostatic Expansion Valve |
| UH | Unit Heater |
| UV | Unit Ventilator |
| VAV | Variable Air Volume |
| VD | Volume Damper |
| VFD | Variable Frequency Drive |
| VSD | Variable Speed Drive |
| VSP | Variable Speed Pump |
| WB | Wet Bulb |
| WC | Water Column |
We'll be adding to this list of HVAC acronyms and abbreviations on an ongoing basis.