HVAC load
Heat-rejection requirement placed on the room's air-conditioning by imaging equipment. Measured in kW or BTU/hr. Comprises cabinet heat dissipation, gantry heat, console / workstation heat, and (in MRI) cold-head compressor + chiller heat — the last of which is often the dominant load.
Why it matters to buyers: Dedicated AC is typically required for CT, MRI, linac, and angio rooms. Summer-heat in underspec'd rooms is the #1 unexplained downtime cause — scanner thermal-limit interlocks fire when room ambient drifts above spec. Site-prep mistakes here surface seasonally and intermittently, which is why they're hard to diagnose.
Why it matters to engineers: Scanner manufacturers publish room HVAC specs; confirm the room meets them before install. Refurb relocations to existing rooms commonly under-spec HVAC if the original install was a smaller / older platform.