Which value is used to denote the energy efficiency of a cooling system over a season?

The value used to denote the energy efficiency of a cooling system over a season is known as SEER, which stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. SEER provides a measure of the cooling output of an air conditioning system divided by the total electric energy input during the cooling season, expressed in watt-hours. This metric allows consumers to understand how efficiently a cooling system operates over the entire cooling season, rather than just in isolated conditions.

HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor) relates to the efficiency of heating systems, not cooling, and focuses on heating output instead. R-Value is a measure of thermal resistance used to assess insulation effectiveness, describing how well a building material resists heat transfer, while U-Value measures the rate of heat transfer through a building element, such as walls or windows, indicating the efficiency of the material as a barrier against heat loss or gain. Therefore, SEER is the correct choice as it specifically pertains to the seasonal efficiency of cooling systems.