An advanced performance rooftop unit (RTU) provides all the accessible convenience of a neatly packaged standard RTU, but without the wasted energy. Installed on a building’s roof in the same way as a standard RTU, advanced performance RTUs come in a variety of forms, each of which improves HVAC efficiency while continuing to achieve the building’s thermal comfort requirements.

Recent field and lab testing from Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) demonstrates that among the approaches to advanced performance RTUs, there are two discrete performance tiers, along with two separate pathways to achieve the most advanced performance RTU performance available.

While all advanced performance RTUs improve upon a standard RTU in efficiency and durability, there are two tiers of efficiency in this high-performance product category.

Tier 1

Tier 1 units provide better efficiency than standard RTUs, including at least 80% Thermal Efficiency (TE) and additional energy efficiency gains via increased insulation and reduced damper leakage. This makes them up to 15% more efficient than a standard RTU (depending on climate zone and building type).

Tier 2

Tier 2 units include some of the highest performing gas RTUs available. These units include everything in Tier 1, plus an energy recovery ventilator (ERV). These upgrades can result in units that are up to 40% more efficient than a standard RTU. Tier 2 units are particularly ideal for buildings with higher occupancies and/or higher than average heating needs.

While a Tier 1 advanced performance RTU is always preferable to a standard RTU, Tier 2 offers the highest standard in RTU efficiency. And for those who prefer the flexibility of a performance path without prescriptive measures, the NEEA-developed Total Heating Season Coefficient of Performance (TCOP_HS) calculator determines a product’s TCOP_HS value using existing test results and unit characteristics.

Both tiers of advanced performance gas RTUs are ideal for a variety of commercial building applications, including:

• Small-to-medium commercial buildings
• Retail, small office, grocery and schools
• Existing buildings with a standard RTU already in place