Solar panel

[ProgressiveAir]

Do solar panels affect he load calcs for heating and cooling? I'm told the panels reflect the heat and therefore reduce the amount of cooling necessary.
If the panels do affect the load - is there any load calc software that factor this is in?

[karsthuntr]

Shade.

[dan sw fl]

I'm told the panels reflect the heat and therefore reduce the amount of cooling necessary. If the panels do affect the load - is there a load calc software that factor this in?

subtract 1/4%

[ProgressiveAir]

when you say 1/4%. Do you mean 25%?
And I just ordered wrightsoft manual j.
Do you need to subtract off the total btu's
or in just 1 specific area?

[mbarson]

Unless you have allot of the roof covered by solar panels I doubt it will make any difference. If you want you could select roof covering "light" or "white" for the areas covered by the panels. Insulation levels makes a bigger difference. You can play with these in Wrightsoft and watch the room loads and block loads change. I would do my calcs not factoring the panels, just select roof type and color.