Benefits of using fans

This guide enables engineers, architects, and facility managers to maximize the many benefits of fans and integrating fans (also known as elevated air movement devices) into HVAC systems. It introduces the advantages of using fans, describes how they work, explains how to select them, and provides guidance and resources for designing spaces with fans in buildings.

The key benefits of fans are as follows:

• Thermal comfort: Increased air movement across the skin remove heat from the body by convection and evaporation. Given the ability of some fans to provide more personalized thermal conditions, they can increase comfort.

• Improved air distribution: Operation of fans supports the HVAC system to increase air mixing, providing more uniform temperature and air quality distribution throughout a space in both heating and cooling conditions.

• Improved indoor air quality: Increased air speed may reduce an occupant’s exposure to indoor pollutants via dilution of the concentration of local sources, enhancement of the deposition rate of airborne particles onto indoor surfaces and increased ultraviolet germicidal irradiation system (UVGI) effectiveness for disinfection.

• Energy savings: Fans incur significant energy savings by reducing cooling demand of the HVAC system when the indoor temperature setpoints are increased. The HVAC savings potential is about two-orders of magnitude above the fan energy use.

• Cost savings: Beside the cost savings related to energy savings, using ceiling fans to distribute air more effectively throughout a space can reduce ductwork and diffusers required to serve a zone. Additionally, the higher temperature cooling setting allows HVAC system size reduction for chiller and air handling units, thus reducing the capital cost.