This part of ISO 11855 specifies procedures and conditions to enable the heat flow in water based surface heating and cooling systems to be determined relative to the medium differential temperature for systems. The determination of thermal performance of water based surface heating and cooling systems and their conformity to this part of ISO 11855 is carried out by calculation in accordance with design documents and a model. This should enable a uniform assessment and calculation of water based surface heating and cooling systems. The surface temperature and the temperature uniformity of the heated/cooled surface, nominal heat flux between water and space, the associated nominal medium differential temperature, and the field of characteristic curves for the relationship between heat flux and the determining variables are given as the result. This part of ISO 11855 includes a general method based on Finite Difference or Finite Element Methods and simplified calculation methods depending on position of pipes and type of building structure. The ISO 11855 series is applicable to water based embedded surface heating and cooling systems in residential, commercial and industrial buildings. The methods apply to systems integrated into the wall, floor or ceiling construction without any open air gaps. It does not apply to panel systems with open air gaps which are not integrated into the building structure. The ISO 11855 series also applies, as appropriate, to the use of fluids other than water as a heating or cooling medium. The ISO 11855 series is not applicable for testing of systems. The methods do not apply to heated or chilled ceiling panels or beams.