Carrier HAP
Commercial HVAC system sizing and hourly energy analysis tool covering 8,760-hour annual simulation, 7,400+ weather stations, and LEED compliance reporting for rooftops, VRF, chillers, and heat pumps.
4.0 /5 composite score
Best commercial HVAC analysis tool for a solo engineer who needs credible energy modeling -- $1,995 one-time with a 60-day free trial, ASHRAE Heat Balance load methodology, 7,400+ weather stations, and VA government authorization give it the depth and credibility that residential-only tools lack; Windows-only and Carrier ecosystem bias are the trade-offs.
Rubric Scorecard
| Criterion | Score | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Maturity | 5/5 | Carrier brand with decades of commercial deployment; HAP v6.20 listed as Authorized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Technical Reference Model through 2026; DOE qualification sheets published for v6.1 and v6.2. |
| AEC Specificity | 5/5 | Full commercial HVAC scope: 3D building modeling, system sizing for rooftops, VRF, chillers, fan coils, and heat pumps; 8,760-hour annual simulation; LEED compliance reporting; psychrometric charting. |
| Integration | 3/5 | Windows desktop application; graphical floor plan tools built in; no direct BIM import documented; part of Carrier eDesign Suite which includes HAP and other Carrier tools. |
| Value / Pricing | 3/5 | $1,995 USD one-time license with a 60-day free trial through eDesign Suite -- steep upfront for a solo firm, but perpetual ownership with no annual fee makes it cost-effective over a multi-year horizon. |
| Evidence | 4/5 | Independently confirmed by U.S. VA TRM listing (oit.va.gov) as Authorized w/Constraints through 2026; DOE Building Technologies Office has published qualification documentation for HAP. |
How we verified this: we checked Carrier HAP against its live site and an independent source — oit.va.gov. Nothing on this page is listed from memory. See how we review.
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