BTU

BTU (British Thermal Unit)

The BTU is the imperial unit for thermal energy, particularly used in HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems in North America.

Characteristics

• Imperial system unit
• 1 BTU = 1,055.06 joules
• HVAC standard: air conditioner/heater capacity shown in BTU/h
• Approximate: heat to raise 1 lb of water 1°F
• Used in: air conditioning, heating systems, furnaces

Conversions

• 1 BTU = 1055.06 J
• 1 BTU = 1.05506 kJ
• 1 BTU = 0.252 kcal
• 1 BTU = 0.293 Wh
• 1 BTU = 0.000293 kWh
• 1000 BTU = 1 kBTU (kiloBTU)