The benefits of higher efficiency fans extend beyond energy use and savings, and reduced operational costs. Newer fans with an increased Fan Energy Index (FEI) often come with the added benefits of noise attenuation, equipment longevity and reliability.

• Noise attenuation: Higher FEI fans may indirectly help reduce noise because they perform closer to their ideal duty point, which means they are less likely to be sized incorrectly for the project. Fans that are not properly sized may risk having excessive noise from the motor—potentially moving more are than needed—or pressure fluctuations that may cause some noise during operation. An undersized fan may need to run constantly to account for performance issues, which may also contribute to constant noise, problems with equipment longevity, and increased costs. Many fan-blade designs are optimized for specific uses, allowing them to deliver the required performance while running at slower speeds, which may reduce fan turbulence, vibration, and noise.

• Equipment longevity and reliability: Higher FEI typically indicates the fan will operate more efficiently than standard options. This improvement can put less stress on the fan’s components and extend the life of the overall system, particularly when paired with variable speed controls. Manufacturers are designing fans with serviceability in mind, which makes them easier to maintain. Newer fans have fewer mechanical failures and are less likely to suffer from age-related or length-of-service breakdowns. As a result, contractors, installers, and building maintenance engineers may benefit from less equipment downtime, reduce time spent sourcing replacement parts for outdated systems, and fewer callbacks to service older systems.

Key takeaways: Efficient fans have non-energy benefits that can have a direct impact on longevity, reliability, and the environment in which they are used. To get the most out of those benefits, engineers and specifiers should use the FEI metric to help select a fan that best suits the project. Manufacturer representatives can leverage the non-energy benefits in select market segments to help sell fans that meet project requirements, maximize efficiency, and reduce operational costs.

Read the other parts of the 5 Things You Should Know Before Selecting an Efficient Fan series:

• Part 1: Understand the Fan Energy Index
• Part 2: Learn how the Fan Energy Index relates to the compliance landscape
• Part 3: Know how the Fan Energy Index helps improve efficiency and savings
• Part 5: Use the Fan Energy Index to make the final selection