Light Commercial HVAC

Light commercial HVAC covers rooftop units, split systems, and packaged terminal units for small commercial buildings. They are rated by IEER (integrated energy efficiency ratio) for cooling, which weights performance across four load levels rather than measuring only full capacity. A higher IEER reflects better part-load efficiency, which is how the unit runs most of the time.

Capacity is measured in tons of cooling (1 ton = 12,000 BTU/hr) or MBH for heating. Sizing matters: an oversized unit short-cycles, wasting energy and failing to dehumidify; an undersized unit runs continuously without reaching setpoint. A Manual J load calculation determines the right size for the building.