HVAC Tonnage

HVAC tonnage is how the capacity of a heating and cooling system is measured. A typical office is designed around one ton of cooling for every 300 to 400 square feet, but that rule of thumb often falls short for healthcare space. Equipment that gives off heat, tighter temperature and humidity requirements, and rooms that need their own control all push the demand higher.

If the existing system does not have enough tonnage for your use, you may need to add or upgrade units, which is a significant build-out cost and sometimes a roof or structural issue too.

HVAC that looks fine for an office can be undersized for a practice full of heat-producing equipment and rooms that each need their own control. An upgrade is expensive and easy to miss on a walkthrough. Have the existing tonnage and zoning checked against your actual use before you commit to a space.

A med spa with lasers and multiple treatment rooms needs more cooling than the suite's existing rooftop unit provides. Adding tonnage and extra zoning costs about 35,000 dollars, a number that would have changed the rent negotiation had it been caught before signing.