Cooling Load Calculator
Estimate the kW cooling capacity a room needs based on its physical characteristics. This helps you recommend the right-sized unit and justify your selection to the customer.
Room conditions
Enter the following for each room:
- Floor area (m²) — length × width
- Ceiling height (m) — standard is 2.4m
- Insulation level — well insulated, average, poor, or none
- Window area — small, medium, large, or floor-to-ceiling
- Window orientation — north, south, east, west (sun exposure matters)
- Number of occupants — people generate heat
How it calculates
Sortinal uses a simplified cooling load formula that accounts for:
- Room volume
- Heat gain through walls and ceiling (insulation factor)
- Solar gain through windows (area × orientation factor)
- Internal heat loads (people, appliances)
- Climate zone adjustments
The result is an estimated cooling capacity in kW.
Using it in quotes
The cooling load feeds directly into the quoting workflow. When you select equipment, the recommended capacity is shown alongside the calculated load — so you can see at a glance whether the unit is adequate.
Room condition presets
In Settings → Room Conditions, you can create presets for common scenarios (e.g. "Standard bedroom — good insulation" or "West-facing living room — single glazing") to speed up data entry.
Tips
- Always round up to the next available unit size — undersizing leads to complaints
- West-facing windows in Australia are the biggest heat gain factor — don't underestimate them
- Show the customer the calculation — it builds trust in your recommendation