NSRC Cooling Calculator

A faithful port of Bristol Stickney's 2006 NSRC cooling calculator (Cedar Mountain Solar; Governor Richardson Water Innovation Fund, PSC #05-341-1000-0035). Constants are 2006 values — adjust them for today. New Mexico climate zones only.

Model documentation: NSRC Cooling Calculator — Canonical Model · Archived spreadsheet: NSRC New Mexico — Cooling Calculator Spreadsheet

Sample House

Floor area (sq ft)

Heat loss rating (BTU/sq ft/degree day)

NSRC Radiator

Radiator area (sq ft)

Night sky “U value” (BTU/hr·ft²·°F)

Pump & controls (W)

Evaporative Cooler

Fan/pump/controls (W)

Cooling advantage over A/C (×)

Water use (gal/kWh)

Air Conditioner

Fan/compressor/controls (W)

COP

Power Supply

Electricity cost ($/kWh)

Power plant water use (gal/kWh)

NSRC Performance

Avg overnight source temp (°F)

Hours/night available (hrs)

Air–dew temp correlation

Climate zone

Selected zone: Zone 1 — Red River

A/C replacement

kWh needed: 0
kWh saved: 0
% saved: 100%
Water saved (gal): 0
Dollars saved: $0

Evaporative cooler replacement

kWh needed: 0
kWh saved: 0
% saved: 100%
Water saved (gal): 0
Dollars saved: $0

All climate zones

Cooling energy, savings, water, and dollars for each New Mexico climate zone, for both replacement paths.
Zone	City	CDD	A/C replacement					Evaporative cooler replacement
Zone	City	CDD	kWh needed	kWh saved	% saved	Water saved (gal)	Dollars saved	kWh needed	kWh saved	% saved	Water saved (gal)	Dollars saved
1	Red River	0	0	0	100%	0	$0	0	0	100%	0	$0
2	Chama	37	46	39	85%	29	$3	13	11	85%	111	$1
3	Gallup	395	490	416	85%	308	$35	136	116	85%	1184	$10
4	Santa Fe	537	666	566	85%	419	$48	185	157	85%	1610	$13
5	Farmington	864	1072	912	85%	675	$77	298	253	85%	2593	$22
6	Bloomfield	878	1090	926	85%	685	$79	303	257	85%	2635	$22
7	Corona	392	485	412	85%	305	$35	135	114	85%	1172	$10
8	Silver City	760	942	801	85%	593	$68	262	222	85%	2278	$19
9	Albuquerque	1269	1573	1275	81%	943	$108	437	354	81%	3626	$30
10	Truth or Consequences	1878	2331	1637	70%	1211	$139	647	455	70%	4655	$39
11	Carlsbad	2153	2668	1555	58%	1150	$132	741	432	58%	4422	$37