Calculating heat loss from a room

Before we can consider selecting radiators or heat emitters for a particular area it is necessary to be able
to calculate the heat loss from that area. A radiator can then be selected which provides an output,
(under a set of predetermined conditions), to match the heatloss from the area under the same
conditions. This process can then be repeated for other areas eventually leading to a heat loss calculation
for the whole building. With the addition of an allowance for domestic hot water and possibly intermittent
usage a suitably sized boiler can then be selected. In order to establish the radiator output and hence
size required we need to consider the following: -

Fabric Heatloss
Ventilation Heatloss
Fabric heatloss
Where a temperature difference occurs between the inside and outside of a property, heat will flow
through the structure towards the lower of the temperatures. This heat flow (loss) will occur through
walls, floors, roofs, and windows, and even between rooms of dissimilar temperatures. It is important to
know how much heat is lost through each structure so that calculations can be made to heat a building to
the desired temperature. The transfer of heat is calculated using 'U Values' together with the surface
areas of the various structural components and the temperature difference between the two sides of the
structure concerned. For ease of calculation it is assumed that heat is lost at a uniform rate through each
surface.
The 'U Value' of a building element is the rate of loss of heat in watts per square meter of that element
per degree centigrade temperature difference across that element. Thus the rate of loss of heat through
a building element is give by: Fabric Heat
Loss
( Watts )

U Value

( w/m2 0C )

Area

Temperature Difference

( m2 )

( oC )

Complete tables of pre calculated "U" Values, are published by British Standards Institute.

Ventilation heatloss
The requirements for the provision of ventilation in dwellings detailed in the Building Control Regulations
are to restrict the build up of moisture and pollutants, which would otherwise be a hazard to health. This
ventilation air, flowing through the building, loses heat. Ventilation rates are usually quoted as 'air
changes per hour' defined as the volume of ventilation air moving through the room per hour, divided
by the volume of the room itself. The air will be heated by the heating system and the heat needed is
calculated by multiplying the room volume, by the air change rate, by the temperature rise the air needs,
and by the ventilation factor. Thus the rate of loss of heat through ventilation loss is given by: Ventilation =
Heat Loss

Room
Volume

X Air Change X
Rate

Temperature
Difference

( Watts )

( m3 )

( Qty)

( oC )

Ventilation
Factor
( w / m3 0C )

The ventilation factor is taken as the specific heat of air at 200C which is 0.33 W / m3 0C and is used
to calculate the heat loss to the air changing within the rooms due to infiltration or mechanical
ventilation.

Internal design temperatures and ventilation rates

The following internal design temperatures and air change rates are recommended for the design of full
and part central heating systems and are based on providing the customer with acceptable comfort levels

throughout. The minimum design temperature and air change rates required by BS 5449: 1990 are set
out in the table below.
Room

Temp

Air Change

Lounge sitting room

21

1.5

Living room

21

1.5

Dining room

21

1.5

Kitchen

18

2.0

Breakfast room

21

2.0

Kitchen/Breakfast

21

2.0

Hall

18

2.0

Cloakroom

18

2.0

Toilet

18

2.0

Utility Room

18

1.5

Study

21

1.5

Games Room

21

1.5

Bedroom

18

1.0

Bedroom/en suite

18

2.0

Bedsitting

21

1.5

Bedroom/Study

21

1.5

Landing

18

2.0

Bathroom

22

2.0

Dressingroom

21

1.5

Storeroom

16

1.0

The air change rates above are for modern buildings. When designing for older properties, consideration
should be given to increasing the air change rates to allow for ill fitting doors, windows etc
Where mechanical extraction ventilation is installed in a room it is possible for the minimum fan duty to
exceed the minimum air change rate. In such cases it is advisable to allow for the increased air change in
the heat loss calculation for both the room and the connecting rooms from which the air will be drawn.
Where a shower or bath is fitted into a bedroom or where an opening without doors exists between the
bedroom and the en-suite facility, then the air change rate of the bedroom should be increased
accordingly to allow for the movement of air caused by the extract fan.

Example : heatloss calculation

Consider a simple heatloss calculation for a typical bedroom shown in the drawing below.

NOTES :
1. Temperature of room above - 1 oC (Roof)
2. Temperature of room below + 23 oC
The total room heat loss from the room / area is given by: Total Room Heat Loss = Fabric Heat Loss + Ventilation Heat Loss

Heatloss calculation for the bedroom example

Surface Element

Area

X Temp/Diff X

U Value

( m2 )

( oC )

(W/m2 oC)

= Design Heatloss Totals

Watts

External wall

5.5

19

0.92

96

Window

2.0

19

190

10.0

2.1

168

Internal wall 1

7.5

Nil

N/A

N/A

Internal wall 2

10.0

-2

1.7

-34

Floor

12.0

-5

1.36

-82

Ceiling

12.0

19

0.34

78

Party Wall

416

Ventilation Heatloss
Air Changes

X Room Volume X Temp/Diff X Vent Factor

( m3 )
2 x

30

(O C )
x

19

= Design Heatloss

( W/m3 OC )
x

0.33

Total Design Heatloss

Watts
=

376

376
792 W

Notes :
1. All "U" values are take from British Standards
2. Heat Gains (#) from adjacent Warmer Spaces
3. Correction factors need to be added to the calculated
Note: Before a radiator can be selected the calculated heatloss figure needs to be adjusted to
compensate for the difference between the tested radiator outputs advertised in the brochures and the
actual output obtained from the radiator after considering the design criteria of the system.

Calculation of actual radiator outputs

Radiator catalogues, list radiator output figures, which have been obtained from controlled laboratory
tests, using a standard installation criteria. Deviate from this criteria and the engineer will need to
calculate a new corrected output figure. The requirement to apply 'correction factors' is more often the
norm.
From July 1st 1997 all radiators manufactured in Europe need to conform to the European standard BS
EN442. Under this standard it is necessary to test radiators with a flow water temperature of 75 C and a
return temperature of 65 C, in a test room with a consistent air temperature of 20 C. In addition the flow
and return connections need to be connected at the same end, normally referred to as 'Top Bottom Same
End' or (TBSE).

At a 75 C flow water temperature, and a 65 C return water temperature the average or 'Mean Water
Temperature' (MWT) is 70C. If we minus the room temperature of 200 C we are left with a temperature
differential of 50 C or a Delta T of 50.
At a 750 C flow water temperature, and a 650 C return water temperature the average or 'Mean Water
Temperature' (MWT) is 700C. If we minus the room temperature of 200 C we are left with a temperature
differential of 500 C or a Delta T of 50.
At the present time to prevent confusion during the transition from the old BS 3528 standard to the new
BS EN442, manufacturers have adjusted the radiator output figures so that catalogues will show outputs
derived from BS EN442 test data yet adjusted up to resemble the previously recognised BS 3528
outputs. That is a flow of 90 C and a return of 70 C respectively, which together with a test room
temperature of 20 C used to provide the more familiar Delta T of 60.
Either way clearly this is not how heating engineers design and install radiator systems in the UK. Most
domestic systems are designed with flow, return and air temperatures which are different from that
tested, therefore irrespective of which outputs are shown in the catalogue an appropriate correction
factor is usually necessary.
For example, if a system were designed with a flow of 81 C and a return of 71 C, then the MWT would be
76 C. If the required room design temperature were 21 C, then the Delta T would be 55 C, and an
appropriate correction factor would need to be obtained from the table listed in the manufacturers
brochure.

By checking the table it can be seen that the correction factor to be used is 0.898. Where the calculated
Delta T falls between the given correction factor listed on the table, you will need to work out the
fractional correction factor, for example: Delta T
Factor

55.0

55.5

56.0

56.5

57.0

57.5

58.0

58.5

59.0

59.5

0.898 0.908 0.918 0.929 0.939 0.949 0.959 0.969 0.979 0.989

Other factors may have to be considered such as whether the radiator is to be recessed, has a shelf
above or is to be painted. Correction factor figures are available for such situations.
The most common occurrence however is for domestic heating system radiators to be connected Bottom
Bottom Opposite End (BBOE). Previous estimates and practice under the BS 3528 standard estimated
that between 4 & 10% of the radiators output was lost when connecting BBOE, and a further correction
factor of 0.91 was recommended. Recent tests however have proved that with increased flow rates and
low water content in modern systems the effect has been reduced to approximately 2%. A correction
factor of 0.98 should now be applied for BBOE connections.
Correction factor application example
Heat loss for a lounge has been calculated at 2000 watts, the radiator will be connected BBOE. The
system has been designed with a MWT of 76.5 C. (i.e. 82 C flow + 71 C return = 153 / 2 = 76.5 C MWT)
and a room temperature of 21 C
Therefore MWT = 76.5 C minus room temperature 21 C = 55.5 C Correction factor required = 0.908
BBOE correction factor required = 0.98
Calculation
2000 watts heat loss divided by 0.908 divided by 0.98 = 2247 watt Radiator output required from the
brochure.
Actual radiator output calculation
To check what output a radiator would give; multiply the correction factors. For example if a 2000 watts
radiator output was chosen from the brochure, then to give the actual output of the radiator.
2000 watts x 0.908 x 0.98 = 1779 watts actual radiator output (clearly too small)