TABLE OF CONTENTS Interior furnishings and modular partitions introduce an interesting twist in a load calculation procedure. Since rooms are seldom empty, some method of estimating the effect of furnishings on the zone cooling load is desirable. From a theoretical point of view, furnishings impact the inside heat balance in two ways: First, they passively participate in the radiant exchange between zone surfaces. A significant fraction of the energy radiating from a roof or an exterior wall is intercepted by furniture and modular partitions in a typical office setting. Second, they provide additional surface area for convective heat transfer to the zone air. The combined effect of additional surface area for convection and passive participation in the radiant exchange can be thought of as a radiative fin. The furnishings short-circuit the radiant exchange between the zone walls and more or less quickly depending on the material properties of the furnishings convect the energy to the zone air. Lightweight furnishings tend to increase and shift the peak cooling load.
The ASHRAE cooling load procedure uses a parameter called "thermal mass" to approximate furnishings and modular partitions. From a computational point of view, the combined thermal mass in the room is represented as an additional surface in the heat balance as shown in Table 3.12.
| Facing Angle (degrees East from North) | Tilt Angle (degrees from vertical) | Area (ft 2) | Solar Abs Outside | SW Abs Inside | LW Emiss Outside | LW Emiss Inside | Exterior Temp BC |
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