scope:

Preface

The 2017 ASHRAE Handbook-Fundamentals covers basic principles and data used in the HVAC&R industry. The ASHRAE Technical Committees that prepare these chapters provide new information, clarify existing content, delete obsolete materials, and reorganize chapters to make the Handbook more understandable and easier to use. An accompanying CD-ROM contains all the volume's chapters in both I-P and SI units.

This edition includes a new chapter:

• Chapter 36, Moisture Management in Buildings, presents data on indoor vapor release and measured indoor/outdoor vapor pressure/ concentration differences, and discusses moisture sources and sinks that can reduce materials' durability, as well as the negative effects of insufficient or excessive indoor relative humidity.

Other selected highlights include the following:

• Chapter 7, Fundamentals of Control, has new content on thermostatic valve actuators, placement of sensors, auxiliary control devices, and network architecture.

• Chapter 9, Thermal Comfort, has new content from ASHRAE research project RP-1504 on nonwestern clothing; combined chilled-ceiling, displacement ventilation, and vertical radiant temperature asymmetry effects on sedentary office work; and updates to align with ASHRAE Standard 55-2013.

• Chapter 10, Indoor Environmental Health, has updates on bioaerosols, plus new content on electronic cigarettes and on climate change.

• Chapter 11, Air Contaminants, has new content on particle sizes and settling times, particulate contaminant effects, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) measurement, volatility, mercury, e-cigarettes, and 3D printers.

• Chapter 14, Climatic Design Information, includes new data for 8118 locations worldwide-an increase of 1675 locations from the 2013 edition of the chapter-as a result of ASHRAE research project RP-1699.

• Chapter 15, Fenestration, has updated discussion on U-factor, solar-optical glazing properties, complex glazings and window coverings, tubular daylighting devices (TDDs), and spectrally selective glazing.

• Chapter 16, Ventilation and Infiltration, has been updated and revised for clarity throughout, including recent research results on envelope air leakage.

• Chapter 17, Residential Cooling and Heating Load Calculations, has updates for 2017 climate data and current standards.

• Chapter 18, Nonresidential Cooling and Heating Load Calculations, has new design data for lighting power densities, motors, kitchen equipment, LED lighting, walls and roofs, and an updated example calculation.

• Chapter 19, Energy Estimating and Modeling Methods, extensively revised, has new sections on method development history, using models, uncertainty, thermal loads and model inputs, envelope components, HVAC components, terminal components, low-energy systems, natural and hybrid ventilation, daylighting, passive heating, hybrid inverse method, and model calibration.

• Chapter 20, Space Air Diffusion, has new content on outlet types and characteristics, air curtains, thermal plumes, and air movement in occupied zones.

• Chapter 21, Duct Design, was reorganized for ease of use, and updated for data from the latest version of the ASHRAE Duct Fitting Database.

• Chapter 22, Pipe Design, has a new title and now incorporates the content of its sister chapter, Pipes, Tubes, and Fittings, from HVAC Systems and Equipment. Also added are content on PEX pipe, plus expanded applications.

• Chapter 24, Airflow Around Buildings, has new content on flow patterns around building groups and isolated buildings, environmental impacts, pollutant dispersion and exhaust reentrainment, pedestrian wind comfort and safety, and wind-driven rain.

• Chapter 30, Thermophysical Properties of Refrigerants, has new or revised data for R-1233zd(E), R-245fa, R-1234ze(E), and R- 1234yf.

• Chapter 34, Energy Resources, has extensive updates for new statistics on worldwide energy use and resources.

• Chapter 35, Sustainability, has new content on the water/energy nexus, embodied energy, and climate change.

This volume is published, as a bound print volume and in electronic format on CD-ROM and online, in two editions: one using inch-pound (I-P) units of measurement, the other using the International System of Units (SI).

Corrections to the 2014, 2015, and 2016 Handbook volumes can be found on the ASHRAE website at www.ashrae.org and in the Additions and Corrections section of this volume. Corrections for this volume will be listed in subsequent volumes and on the ASHRAE website.

Reader comments are enthusiastically invited. To suggest improvements for a chapter, please comment using the form on the ASHRAE website or, using the cutout page(s) at the end of this volume's index, write to Handbook Editor, ASHRAE, 1791 Tullie Circle, Atlanta, GA 30329, or fax 678-539-2187, or e-mail mowen@ashrae.org