Page 42 - Lighting Magazine - August 2013

Blown AwAy

Ceiling Fans

Come of Age

(continued from page 40)

fan(s) for their room and have trouble select- All of a sudden ceiling fans are
ing the appropriate downrod length for the
ceiling height. They also sometimes purchase becoming quite fashionable.
fans that move more air than necessary for a
given application. The majority of fan consum- Jef Dross, Corporate Director of
ers never use the high seting, for example.
Education & Industry Trends at
EM: How will the proposed changes from Kichler explains why.
the DOE afect consumers?
NF: In a nutshell, the industrys response
is that ceiling fans are inherently energy-
efcient appliances. Additional regulations EnLIGHTenment Magazine: We re seeing a lot of decorative choices in
are unnecessary and will result in minimal ceiling fans these days. Whats going on?
energy-efciency gains. New regulations Jef Dross: One of the main reasons you are seeing so much action and
will result in higher retail prices, reduced interest in ceiling fans is their potential for energy savings. By adding a ceil-
consumer choices, and fewer ceiling fan sales ing fan, the air conditioning can be increased by two to three degrees and
[the proposal] will actually increase national that can make a signifcant diference in monthly electric bills, especially in
energy consumption. We expect to receive warmer climates. With taller ceilings in the winter, fans can be reversed to
the fnal rule for test procedures in the 2nd push the warmer air down, again allowing for an adjustment in thermostat
quarter of 2014, and the fnal rule for ceiling setings. With this information, consumers who had previously ignored
fan standards in the frst quarter of 2016. ceiling fans are being enticed to reconsider. This new collection of buyer is
forcing manufacturers to ofer a wider selection of designs, sizes, and styles.
EM: How did the idea for National Ceiling
Fan Day come about? EM: We re seeing ceiling fans being used in more rooms than ever
NF: The mission of the campaign is to inform before. Why?
the general public that ceiling fans are inher- JD: The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) annual survey of
ently energy-saving products. To highlight consumer preferences indicates that ceiling fans are one of the Top 10 most
the benefts of ceiling fan usage, Fanimation likely products to include in new construction. This desire comes at a time
is initiating the frst annual National Ceiling when design style preference may be at its widest. Some customers are
Fan Day on September 18, 2013. On this day, seeking more traditional looks for their home, other want more contempo-
we are requesting every American to depend rary, and a large group wants something in the middle. To satisfy that wide
solely on fans for their cooling needs. Doing berth of desire, you are seeing new Traditional, Retro-Modern, and Con-
so would save over three trillion kilowats temporary fans that work well with furniture, wallcoverings, and household
hours of energy consumption! appliances.
Fanimation is hosting a National Ceiling Because we now know that fan motors should be sized to accommodate
Fan Day party at our corporate headquarters blade length and pitch to maximize the efcacy of the fan, smaller and
on August 17. Were inviting everyone who larger diameter fans are now being ofered to more efectively fll every
likes good music and free food and wants to room.
learn more about the energy- and cost-saving When the ceiling fan renaissance started in the 1980s, they were consid-
benefts of ceiling fans. Weve received a lot ered to be a very utilitarian commodity with minimal design and technical
of support from industry partners and hope profciency. As manufacturers got smarter, interior environmental scientists
that National Ceiling Fan Day continues to weighed in on functionality, and designers infuenced style so now ceiling
gain momentum in the coming years. fans have become a functional, hard-working, fashion piece in the home.

40 enLIGHTenment Magazine | august 2013 www.enlightenmentmag.com