October 30 2007

Big Ass Fans

I must confess. I hate the name. But I really like the product so I will give some attention to a company that has been marketing aggressively and grown exponentially since it started in 1999. Somewhere along the way it shed its original name of HVLS (High Volume Low Speed) Fan Company and took up the infinitely more colorful Big Ass Fans.

 Big Ass Fans markets large - from 6' to 24' diameter - high volume low speed ceiling fans. Large fans have been in production for many years, what makes these fans unique is the air flow research that goes into creating the various blade profiles. The research effort is led by a one Dr. Richard Aynsley and uses several methods including computational fluid dynamics, physical and computer modeling, wind tunnel tests, and full-scale mockups to design the fans. The performance results in terms of cubic feet per minute air moved, energy consumption, and destratification of air in a space are impressive. Also the company goes on to point out, correctly, that the comfort range for humans can be extended significantly beyond the traditional boundaries by both destratifying and circulating cold or warm air respectively.

The Big Ass Fan website is filled with useful information and videos explaining not just the company but the science behind the fans. Also included on the website are calculation tools to help designers estimate the potential energy savings through the use of these fans. These calculators include:

• Destratification Savings
• Energy Analysis
• Summer Energy Savings
• Dairy HVLS Savings (yes for dairies... as in cows)

On the whole their website is very easy to use and extremely informative, if not just a little annoying with the constant reminder of the company name and slogan. On a serious note, I think this company and their products is a great example of how simple, intuitive, effective product designs are finding practical ways of making our build environment more sustainable and comfortable. The company is actively researching to better their products, and innovates where there had not been significant innovation in many years. There is something inherently beautiful about the sheer simplicity and elegance of these fans. Hopefully we will see more of these installed in buildings in the near future.

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October 30th, 2007 at 3:38 AM. Posted in Products + Technology. Share this post.