Christian Taber, Big Ass Fans

Boston, MA As buildings grow more energy efficient, designers realize that comfort is more than a number on a thermostat – it encompasses airflow, people’s preferences, clothing and more. To help architects and designers achieve their sustainability goals by reducing reliance on energy-intensive HVAC, one company exhibiting at ABX is seeking to help building design professionals benefit from a new perspective on comfort. Christian Taber, senior research engineer for Big Ass Fans, will lead a continuing education presentation on the topic of air movement at ABX at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, in room 162B. Attendees are eligible for 1.5 AIA HSW.

Brock Environmental Center is viewed as one of the most environmentally friendly buildings in the world. The building uses eight Haiku ceiling fans by Kentucky-based Big Ass Fans to lessen the reliance on expensive, energy-intensive air conditioning.

Rather than pumping an excess of conditioned air into a building, overhead fans provide enhanced, personalized comfort for users. Fans allow building owners to use HVAC systems more effectively, efficiently and sparingly, lowering energy use intensity (EUI). Taber, who holds a number of certifications including ASHRAE Certified High-Performance Building Design Professional and LEED AP BD+C, will present air movement modeling from theory to application, drawing lessons from real-word designs. The course focuses on achieving points within LEED, Living Building Challenge, and Green Globes rating systems by shifting the focus of HVAC systems from the thermostat setting to the actual comfort of building occupants. The presentation is timely, as more and more high-profile green buildings incorporate fans into their design.

A former retail shop found new life as DPR Construction's Phoenix office. The building utilizes an ingenious
combination of shower towers, a solar chimney, operable windows and twelve 8-ft. diameter Isis fans from Big Ass Fans to keep its workforce comfortable in the desert heat.

Brock Environmental Center, for example, is the latest office of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, whose Annapolis, Maryland, headquarters was the first LEED Platinum building in the world when it opened in 2001. The new center, designed by SmithGroupJJR, is even more efficient, using 80% less energy than a standard office. Among its many green design features, Brock Environmental Center uses elevated air speed from fans rather than inefficient air conditioning.

Architects, engineers, designers and construction firms who create green structures install fans in their own offices as well. Leading green builder DPR Construction uses fans in its facilities in Phoenix, San Diego and San Francisco to reduce reliance on energy-intensive HVAC systems. DPR’s offices are among the greenest in their respective cities.

“Big Ass Fans are a huge component to our passive cooling system; it wouldn’t work without them,” said Andy Hill, preconstruction manager at DPR Phoenix.

To learn more about how fans are key to sustainability, visit Big Ass Fans’ booth, #1112-1114, or visit design.bigassfans.com.