HVAC Glossary — Morocco edition
Essential HVAC, plumbing, fire protection and water treatment technical terms — explained for the Moroccan market. By GTE engineering team.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| BTU | British Thermal Unit. Energy measurement; 1 BTU/h = 0.293 W. A 12,000 BTU/h AC = 3.52 kW = 1 ton. |
| COP | Coefficient of Performance. Heat output ÷ electrical input. COP 4 = 4 kWh produced per 1 kWh consumed. Aim ≥ 3.8 in Morocco. |
| SCOP | Seasonal COP per EN 14825. More representative than nominal COP. Aim SCOP ≥ 4.0. |
| EER / SEER | Energy Efficiency Ratio (cooling-only). SEER = seasonal version. SEER ≥ 6 = excellent. |
| R32 | Modern refrigerant, GWP=675. Standard since 2018. Used by GTE in 95% of installations. |
| R410A | Older refrigerant, GWP=2088. Phasing out. |
| VRF / VRV | Variable Refrigerant Flow / Volume. Centralized HVAC: 1 outdoor unit + 4-64 indoor units. VRV = Daikin trademark, VRF = generic (Mitsubishi, LG, etc.). |
| Split | Air conditioner with 1 outdoor unit + 1 indoor unit. Standard residential. |
| Multi-split | 1 outdoor unit + 2-6 indoor units. More efficient than multiple individual splits. |
| Ducted | Indoor unit hidden in false ceiling, distributing air through ducts and vents. Aesthetic invisible. |
| Cassette | Recessed indoor unit in suspended ceiling, 4-direction airflow. Ideal restaurants, open offices. |
| Heat pump (PAC) | System extracting heat from a source (air, water, ground) to deliver to another medium. COP 3-5. |
| DTU 45.11 | French standard for HVAC sizing. Adopted by GTE for accurate thermal balance. |
| HEPA | High Efficiency Particulate Air filter retaining 99.97% of ≥ 0.3 µm particles. Standard cleanrooms, hospitals. |
| Sprinkler NFPA 13 | American standard for automatic sprinkler systems. Used in Morocco for ERP, IGH, industrial. |
| RIA | Robinet d'incendie armé / Fire hose reel. Mandatory in ERP, IGH, parking buildings. |
| AHU / CTA | Air Handling Unit / Centrale de Traitement d'Air. Treats (filters, heats, cools) air before distribution. |
| Chiller | Water cooling unit. 30 kW to 5 MW capacity. For HVAC distribution + industrial process. |
| Cooling tower | Refrigerates water by evaporation. Required for water-cooled chillers. Legionella risk if poorly maintained. |
| Reverse osmosis | Membrane filtration removing 95-99% of salts. Ultra-pure water for drinking, pharma, dialysis. |
| Water softener | Removes calcium/magnesium via ion exchange. Protects boilers, appliances. ROI 3-5 years in Morocco. |