is a calculation program

SP-method A3 528 SPA3 528 is a calculation program that is used to calculate the seasonal performance factor and energy saving over the year for houses having a defined heating requirement. It can be used for air/air heat pumps, air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps. The heat loss from the house is defined in the program and given as the total loss factor, k-value, of the house [W/K]. The method can be used to calculate the energy requirement of a building with a k-value of either 109 W/K or 199W/K. A duration diagram of the outdoor temperature can be calculated from the mean annual temperature and together with the loss factor, the area under the duration curve gives the actual power requirement.
The heat pump is tested in accordance to EN 14511 at outdoor temperatures of -15°C, - 7°C, +2°C and +7°C with an indoor temperature of +20°C. The heat pump is also tested in part load conditions according to CEN/TS 14825 at +7°C (75% and 50%) and at +2°C (50%). The lowest ambient temperature is assumed to be -15 °C and no heating is assumed to be required for ambient temperatures above +17 °C. The output data from the tests, thermal heat capacity and electrical input power, is used as input to the calculation