A self-contained heating and cooling unit mounted on the roof that connects to the building's ductwork below.
A packaged HVAC unit installed on the roof of a building that provides heating, cooling, and ventilation through an internal duct distribution system. Rooftop units (RTUs) are among the most common HVAC systems for low-rise commercial buildings due to their low first cost, simple installation, and easy rooftop service access. They may be single-zone or multi-zone and may include gas heat, electric heat, or heat pump heating.
RTUs are frequently the largest single line item on a commercial HVAC bid, and their long lead times make them a scheduling and cash-flow risk an estimator must flag. Beyond the unit price, the bid must capture roof curbs, structural support, crane/rigging, gas and electrical connections, and controls integration, which are easy to overlook when pricing only the equipment.
A mechanical estimator pricing a strip-mall buildout carries five 5-ton packaged RTUs plus roof curbs, a one-day crane rental for set, and the associated gas, electrical, and economizer controls in the bid.
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