Gas-fired desiccant dehumidification systems are
now being specified for many supermarkets, ice
arenas and cold warehouses, with installations now
numbering in the thousands. Their cost effectiveness
is due to the economic benefits of improved
refrigeration operations resulting from the
introduction of drier air. New application niches in
the commercial sector are emerging due to the
increased outside air quantities required by Indoor
Air Quality codes and standards such as ASHRAE
Standard 62- 1989. In this paper, a competitive
economic analysis of desiccant and other HVAC
equipment, generated using a new desiccant screening
tool driven by DOE-2.1E simulations, will be
presented for several representative buildings in
selected U.S. citie
