from Barb in Green Bay, WI :
#274
Is there a savings in the cost to cool a building used as a day care with the air conditioner plus the installation of ceiling fans? Or does the electricity to run the fans cover the savings of cooling?
Use ceiling fans to cool people, not rooms.
As long as the ceiling fans are already in place, I suggest running the fan(s) during the summer. The fans can save some energy, along with increasing occupant comfort due to the ‘breeze’ created by the fan. Energy savings will be achieved as long as the air conditioning thermostat set point is adjusted upwards by a few degrees— the thermostat only senses room temperature and does not account for the ‘breeze-effect.’ The energy savings will more than off-set the electrical cost for operating the ceiling fan. It’s also important to keep in mind that fans cool people, not rooms. So, when your daycare is closed or if people are not in the room, you'll want to turn off all of the ceiling fans.
Published Friday, June 19, 2009