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July 23, 2015 — American schools pay $8 billion a year for energy, $2 billion of which could be saved through improved energy efficiency, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
New data proves overhead fans are part of the solution, reducing the need for expensive heating and air conditioning without sacrificing student and teacher comfort.
Big Ass Fans has now released white papers and case studies detailing months of research and extensive testing at three schools. The studies found that the company’s overhead fans lowered energy costs, improved indoor air quality, provided winter and summer comfort, and added no ambient noise.
Testing was done in partnership with engineering and architecture firms Ross Tarrant Architects and Mason & Hanger Group Inc., which published white papers about the research at the following schools:
• Cassidy Elementary, Lexington, Ky., library: The newly renovated library’s 33-ft (10.1-m) ceilings led to winter heat stratification, in which heated air rose to the ceilings and left cold air at the occupants’ level. Large, silent overhead fans pushed the warm air down to occupants, decreasing heater use by 16.3 percent.
• Lexington Hearing & Speech Center, Lexington, Ky., classroom: Teachers and students needed to keep cool in high-energy classroom settings, but students using hearing aids are sensitive to background noise. Haiku ceiling fans only increased ambient noise by 2 dB or less – a difference imperceptible to the human ear.
• Campbellsville High School, Campbellsville, Ky., auditorium: An aging A/C system failed to keep audiences comfortable, forcing school officials to spend valuable dollars precooling the space hours before an event. Two large-diameter fans in the auditorium reduce expensive air conditioning with comfortable airflow.
To learn more, visit BigAssFans.com.
