ASHRAE Journal is celebrating the 50th anniversary of merging two engineering societies into ASHRAE by republishing articles of historical significance to the HVAC&R industry. More importantly, the merger was a defining moment in the world’s economic acceptance and demand for comfort in its residential, office, and retail buildings. This article, the first in the series, takes a scientific approach with designing units by measuring first costs, operating costs, interest rates on invested capital, inflation, payback period, and equipment life. This article received wide recognition for its practical and useful guidance when it first appeared in the June 1977 issue of ASHRAE Journal.

Units: I-P