ASHRAE Research Project 1237 developed an interactive Web-based database focusing on HVAC equipment service life and annual maintenance costs for a variety of building types and HVAC systems. The database was seeded with an initial data set consisting of 163 office buildings.This paper presents an analysis of the service life data collected in this initial data set. Data tables are presented with all of the collected data for air distribution systems, cooling and heating plant equipment, pumps, control systems, and miscellaneous equipment. Survival curves and median service life calculations are provided for the eight HVAC equipment categories that had sufficient data for meaningful analysis. The results are then compared with the existing data presented in chapter 36, “Owning and Operating Costs,” in the 2003 ASHRAE Handbook— HVAC Applications.

Units: Dual