HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning. Aside from HVAC full form, knowledge of key terms like equipment abbreviation and air conditioning symbols is of paramount importance in MEP industry. Having a stronghold over hvac basics is necessary when building a foundation. Here, we have compiled a list of 250 of the most commonly used acronyms in the HVAC industry (mainly in hvac design). These abbreviations and hvac full forms may appear in daily use situations and hence any passionate HVAC engineer must be familiar with these terms.
Acronym-Expansion
AAV-Automatic Air Vent
ABC-Above Ceiling
ACH-Air Changes per Hour
A/C-Air Conditioning/Air Curtain
AFF-Above Finished Floor
AFG-Above Finished Grade
ACD-Automatic Control Damper
AD-Access Door
AMB-Ambient
AF-Air Foil
AFU-E-Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency
AHR-I-Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute
AHU-Air Handling Unit
ASHRAE-American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
ASME-American Society of Mechanical Engineers
ASTM-American Society for Testing and Materials
ATC-Automatic Temperature Control
ATM-Atmosphere
AUX-Auxiliary
B & S-Bell And Spigot
BBD-Boiler Blowdown
BDD-Back-Draft Damper
BG-Barrier Grill
BHP-Brake Horsepower
BOD-Bottom Of Duct
BOP- Bottom Of Pipe
BP-Back Pressure
BI-Backwards Inclined
BSMT-Basement
BTU-British Thermal Unit
BTUH-British Thermal Unit Per Hour
BU-Blower Unit
BV-Butterfly Valve
oC-Celsius
C-Condensate Line
C to C-Centre To Centre
CA-Compressed Air
CAP-Capacity
CAV-Constant Air Volume
CCU-Closed Control Unit
CDR-Condensate Drain Line
CF-Cubic Feet
CFH-Cubic Feet Per Hour
CFM-Cubic Feet Per Minute
CH-Chiller
CI-Cast Iron
CL-Centre Line
CO-Clean Out
COL-Column
CONN-Connection
CONT-Continuation
CR-Condenser Return
CS-Condenser Supply
CHWS-Chilled Water Supply
CHWR-Chilled Water Return
CV-Check Valve
CW-Cold Water
C/W-Complete With
CWR-Cold Water Riser
CU-Cubic/Cooling Unit
CT-Cooling Tower
CTBD-Cooling Tower Blow Down
D/DR-Drain
DBT-Dry Bulb Temperature
DDC-Direct Digital Control
DELTA T-Temperature Difference
DIA-Diameter
DIM-Dimension
DL-Door Louver
DP-Differential Pressure
DPT-Dew Point Temperature
DRV-Double Regulating Valve
DWG-Drawing
EA-Exhaust Air
EAD-Exhaust Air Duct
EAG-Exhaust Air Grill
EAHU-Exhaust Air Handling Unit
EAL-Exhaust Air Louver
EAR-Exhaust Air Register
EAT-Entering Air Temperature
EATR-Exhaust Air Transfer Ratio
ECG-Exhaust Ceiling Grill
ECD-Exhaust Ceiling Diffuser
EDH-Exhaust Duct Heater
EER-Energy Efficient Ratio
EF-Exhaust Fan
EG-Extract Grill
EJ-Expansion Joint
EL-Elevation
ELB-Elbow
ELSD-Exhaust Linear Slot Diffuser
ERV-Energy Recovery Ventilator
ESP-External Static Pressure
ET-Expansion Tank
EVAP-Evaporator
EVV-Exhaust Venture Valve
EXST-Existing
EXF-Exhaust Fan
EXT-External
E-FCU-Exposed Fan Coil Unit
F-Fahrenheit
FA-Free Area, Fire Alarm, From Above
FAF-Fresh Air Fan
FAHU-Fresh Air Handling Unit
FAI-Fresh Air Intake
FAL-Fresh Air Louver
FAD-Fresh Air Duct
FAF-Fresh Air Fan
FAR-Fresh Air Register
FB-From Below
FC-Flexible Connection
FCO-Floor Clean Out
FCU-Fan Coil Unit
FD-Floor Drain, Fire Damper, Fire Department
FDW-Feed Water
FEC-Fire Extinguisher Cabinet
FF-Finish Floor
FG-Finish Grade
FHC-Fire Hose Cabinet
FJ-Flexible Joint
FLR-Floor
FM-Flow Meter
FPM-Feet Per Minute
FOV-Flush Out Valve
FRP-Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic
FS-Flow Switch
FTG-Fitting
FTR-Fin Tube Radiation
FU-Fixture Unit
FV-Flush Valve
GA-Gauge
GV-Globe Valve/Gate Valve
GPM-Gallons Per Minute
GR-Grade
HB-Hose Bib
HD-Head
HF-Hepa Filter
HP-Horsepower, High Point
HRU-Heat Recovery Unit
HRV-Heat Recovery Ventilator
HU-Humidistat
HVAC-Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning
HWS-Hot Water Supply
HWT-Hot Water Tank
ID-Inside Diameter
IV-Isolating Valve
J-Joule
K-Kelvin
KPA-Kilo Pascal
KW-Kilowatt
LAT-Leaving Air Temperature
LD-Linear Diffuser
LL-Low Level
LPD-Lift Pressurization Duct
LSD-Linear Slot Diffuser
LVR-Louver
LVL-Level
MAU-Makeup Air Unit
MU-Make-Up Water
MSD-Motorized Smoke Damper
MSFD-Motorized Smoke Fire Damper
MSIU-Mini Split Indoor Unit
NA-Not Applicable
NC-Noise Criteria, Normally Closed
NPHP-Name Plate Horsepower
NPS-Nominal Pipe Size
NPSH-Net Positive Suction Head
NRD-Non-Return Damper
NRV-Non Return Valve
NTS-Not To Scale
OA-Outside Air
OAT-Outside Air Temperature
OED-Open End Duct
OF-Overflow
PCR-Pounds Per Cubic Foot
PD-Pressure Drop
PICV-Pressure Independent Control Valve
PG-Pressure Gauge
PP-Primary Pump
PRD-Pressure Relief Damper
PRV-Pressure Reducing Valve
PSI-Pounds per Square Inch
PSIA-Pounds per Square Inch Absolute
PTAC-Packaged Terminal Air Conditioner
R/E-Return and Exhaust
RA-Return Air
RAD-Return Air Duct
RAG-Return Air Grill
RCD-Return Ceiling Diffuser
RD-Roof Drain
RH-Relative Humidity
RL-Refrigerant Liquid
RLA-Rated Load Amperes
RLBG-Return Linear Bar Grille
RLF-Relief
RLSD-Return Linear Slot Diffuser
RM-Room
RTU-Roof-Top Unit
RV-Relief Valve
SA-Supply Air
SAD-Supply Air Duct
SAG-Supply Air Grill
SAT-Supply Air Temperature, Sound Attenuator
SCD-Supply Ceiling Diffuser
SD-Smoke Detector, Smoke Damper
SE-Smoke Exhaust
SED-Smoke Extract Duct
SEG-Smoke Extract Grille
SEER-Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio
SF-Service Factor
SFD-Combination Smoke / Fire Damper
SHC-Sensible Heat Capacity
SI-International Systems of Units
SLBG-Supply Linear Bar Grille
SLSD-Supply Linear Slot Diffuser
SP-Secondary Pump
SPD-Stair Pressurization Duct
SS-Stainless Steel
SSH-Static Suction Head
SST-Saturated Suction Temperature
ST-Strainer
STH-Static Total Head
SVH-Static Velocity Head
T-Temperature, Thermostat
TA-To Above
TAB-Testing, Adjusting and Balancing
TB-To Below
TDH-Total Dynamic Head
TE-Toilet Exhaust
TED-Toilet Extract Duct
TEFC-Totally Enclosed Fan Cooled
TEWI-Total Equivalent Warming Impact
TON-12,000 Btuh
TSP-Total Static Pressure
TXV-Thermostatic Expansion Valve
UF-Under Floor
UH-Unit Heater
VAV-Variable Air Volume
VCD-Volume Control Damper
VD-Volume Damper
VFD-Variable Frequency Drive
VSD-Variable Speed Drive
VTR-Vent Through Roof
VVT-Variable Volume Variable Temperature
WB-Wet Bulb Temperature
WC-Water Column
WCO-Wall Clean Out
WG-Water Gauge
WH-Water Heater
ZV -Zone Valve
Next time you wonder what does hvac stand for, you’ll have the answer and more.
