THE PRODUCT:
Fans and blowers are used in a wide variety of commercial and industrial applications such as building ventilation and exhaust systems, agricultural ventilation, and personnel cooling.
THE STANDARD:
There are currently no federal standards for commercial and industrial fans and blowers.
In 2015, a DOE-convened stakeholder working group that included fan manufacturers, utilities, and efficiency advocates reached consensus on a number of items related to potential test procedures and standards for commercial and industrial fans.
In 2024, DOE proposed the first federal standards for both general fans and blowers (GFBs) as well as air circulating fans. The proposed standards for GFBs are based in part on the 2015 working group recommendations.
KEY FACTS:
The efficiency of a fan varies widely across its operating range (i.e. airflow and pressure points), and a fan with an efficient design can perform inefficiently if used in an installation it was not designed for. Therefore, improved fan selection represents a huge opportunity for energy savings. Additional opportunities for energy savings include improved aerodynamic design, more-efficient motors and variable-speed controls.