Investigation of a Novel Approach in Free Cooling Degree Hour Calculations for Muğla Province

In order to reduce cooling energy without compromising comfort conditions, insula-tion applications on external walls, columns, and beams, as well as the use of double glazing in windows, play a significant role. Another effective method in reducing cooling energy is the implementation of free cooling systems. In this system, cooling systems achieve energy savings by bypassing the fresh air taken from outside directly into the indoor space without passing through cooling coils. The implementation of this system requires the examination of reliable outdoor air temperature distributions throughout the cooling season during the project planning phase. In this study, various analyses were conducted using five different computer programs. According to the analysis results, the operation times of free cooling systems and the Free Cooling Degree Hour Value (FCDHV) to meet cooling loads were determined for every hour of each month for the province of Muğla. The estimated highest seasonal FCDHV for Muğla was found to be 11810.7, with the highest hourly FCDHV being 177.5 occur-ring between 05:30-06:30, and the highest 24-hour FCDHV being 2209 in September. When these data were converted to percentage values, it was determined that a 70.6% energy savings were achieved from free cooling systems.