Australia: The Australian Institute of Refrigeration Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has issued a statement informing that it has updated its Design Application manual, DA20 Humid Tropical Air Conditioning.

Claiming that it is the most comprehensive technical resource available for Australian air conditioning, cooling and comfort for hot, humid tropical regions, the third edition of DA20 Humid Tropical Air Conditioning, the statement said, provides a holistic approach to design in such climates. The manual, the statement added, is an essential reading for those involved in the design, selection, installation, commissioning, operation, maintenance and assessment of buildings or comfort systems in such regions.

The statement informed that 2016 version of DA20, is the first update since the 1990s.

“The primary purpose of DA20 is to standardise and promote best-practice design, installation, and management of air conditioning and other comfort systems in hot, humid tropical climates,” said Tony Gleeson, Affil.AIRAH, CEO of AIRAH. “DA20 will help to underpin the skills and update the knowledge of HVAC&R system designers, installers, operators, and maintainers, and improve the accessibility of best-practice design, installation and operating information for air conditioning in these challenging conditions.”

Commenting further, Vince Aherne, M.AIRAH, DA20 Editor, said, “DA20 explores the topic of comfort in hot, tropical climates, starting with the very fundamentals of climate, thermal comfort and human response, before moving on to more advanced concepts such as adaptive comfort and hybrid-comfort cooling systems.”

Aherne elaborated that air conditioning receives particular and detailed attention in DA20, with far-reaching information on equipment selection and application, system design strategies, system controls, and detailed design notes all included. He added, “The elements of a building design that affect indoor comfort are also explored, and the comfort systems that are typically applied are comprehensively explained.”

AIRAH informed a copy of DA20, or any of its technical manuals, can be ordered at www.airah.org.au/DAmanuals.