Glossary · Climate

Heating-dominated vs cooling-dominated climate

Also called: heating-dominated climate · heating-dominated · cooling-dominated climate · cooling-dominated · mixed-humid · mixed-dry

Whether a place needs more energy for heating or for cooling over a year, which changes which upgrades and equipment matter most.

What it means

Heating-dominated climates, such as nearly all of Canada and the northern US, have far more heating degree days than cooling degree days; cooling-dominated climates, such as the US Gulf Coast and desert Southwest, are the reverse, and mixed climates need both. Priorities shift accordingly: insulation, air sealing and cold-climate heat pumps in the north; shading, low-SHGC windows, duct sealing and high SEER2 in the south.

Why it matters in an audit

Advice written for one climate can be wrong for another, for example on radiant barriers and vapor barriers, so make sure guidance matches your region.

Typical numbers

Reference values with their sources. Your auditor’s report gives the figure for your own house.

What	Value	Source
Building America regions (DOE)	Mixed-humid and mixed-dry: about 5,400 HDD (°F) or fewer with cold winter months; cold: 5,400–9,000; very cold: 9,000–12,600	energy.gov ↗
US regional AC standards	'North' = states with 5,000+ population-weighted heating degree days; Southeast and Southwest have higher minimum SEER2	www1.eere.energy.gov ↗

Sources

Learn more here

Related terms

Heating degree days (HDD) A measure of how cold a place is: each day adds how far its average temperature falls below 65°F. More degree days means more heating.
Cooling degree days (CDD) A measure of how hot a place is: each day adds how far its average temperature rises above 65°F. More degree days means more air conditioning.
IECC climate zone The US energy code's climate map: zones 0 (hottest) to 8 (coldest), plus a moisture letter — A for moist, B for dry, C for marine.
Hot-humid climate A climate with long, hot, muggy summers, like the US Gulf Coast and Florida, where controlling humidity matters as much as temperature.
Marine climate A mild coastal climate with cool, wet winters and dry summers, like the US Pacific Northwest and coastal British Columbia.
Radiant barrier A shiny foil layer, usually in attics, that reflects the sun's radiant heat; it helps most in hot, sunny climates.

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