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Quietly rotating ceiling fans are found in homes across North America and favored for their role in improving indoor climate. The use of ceiling fans in commercial buildings and retail shops is not so common.
Ceiling fans play an important role in improving the efficiency of residential heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system and even in homes without air conditioning, ceiling fans can improve the comfort level. A study of ceiling fan use in commercial buildings noted direct savings in energy consumption and improved comfort for occupants, although use is not widespread.
Seasonal heating and cooling benefits and ventilation improvement ideas are at https://refreshfans.com/commercial/.
Indoor Comfort
Published by Science Direct, the study noted ceiling fans are infrequently found in commercial buildings but when available, offer a more comfortable indoor environment and reduced energy costs.
Energy costs can be lowered when ceiling fans allow for raised temperature setpoints for cooling and destratification of interior air while heating.
For the study, researchers interviewed architects, engineers and building managers to reveal common heating and cooling issues at commercial facilities and how ceiling fans were deployed to improve interior climate.
Energy savings were realized even with low airspeed fans. However, the study also indicated that only one-quarter of the ceiling-fan equipped buildings employed any type of automated fan control.
Different Directions
Airflow in a room has a significant effect on comfort and HVAC efficiency. An airflow pattern study published by Sage Journals showed airflow and temperature uniformity are determined by the direction the ceiling fan is moving the air.
Using a newly developed airflow measurement technology, researchers examined velocity, turbulence and vorticity caused by ceiling fan direction. When blowing downward, airflow causes diversion between the area under the fan and surrounding space. While blowing upward, the rate of air movement closer to the floor is slower but more uniform.
Fan Rating
When studying the installation of a ceiling fan in a commercial space, the first consideration should be the purpose of the fan: cooling or ventilation. The HVAC website, Know The Flo, advises that for ventilating fumes or gases, or where heat builds-up from equipment, a fan capable of moving air quickly may be specified.
Ceiling fans are rated by several factors, including airflow in cubic feet per minute, wind speed in MPH, energy consumption in watts, AC or DC current, fan blade size, shape and pitch, and an overall EPA efficiency rating of the airflow divided by electricity usage.
