A commercial fan is an electrically powered device used in commercial or industrial systems to provide a continuous flow of a gas, typically air, for ventilation, circulation, or other industrial process requirements. Fans are classified as axial or centrifugal. Axial fans move an airstream along the axis of the fan. Centrifugal fans generate airflow by accelerating the airstream radially. A fan may include some or all of the following components: motor and motor controls, rotor or fan blades, and transmission and housing. A blower is a type of centrifugal fan.

A fume hood is an enclosed workspace that uses an exhaust fan; the fan is either separated from the enclosed workspace or is part of the enclosure. Fume hoods are used in commercial or industrial laboratories or facilities to capture, contain, or exhaust hazardous fumes, vapors, or particulate matter generated inside the enclosed workspace. The fan energy use is primarily determined by the design and operating characteristics of the enclosed workspace.

DOE estimates that commercial fans and blowers consume 140,000 million kWh of electricity per year; industrial fans and blowers consume 90 million kWh of electricity per year; and laboratory fume hoods consume 26 million kWh of electricity per year. The total amounts to 256,000 million kWh per year.

Current Rulemaking Activities: There are currently no federal standards or test procedures for these products. However, the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA) established the "Energy Conservation Program for Certain Industrial Equipment," which covers certain commercial and industrial equipment that are then referred to as "covered equipment".  EPCA also specifies the types of equipment that can be classified as covered in addition to the listed equipment and the criteria that must be met. This equipment includes fans and blowers. DOE is proposing to determine that commercial and industrial fans, blowers, and fume hoods meet the criteria for covered equipment, because classifying equipment of such type as covered equipment is necessary to improve the efficiency of commercial and industrial fans, blowers, and fume hoods and to conserve the energy resources of the nation.

For more information, see the Proposed Determination of Commercial and Industrial Fans, Blowers and Fume Hoods, Federal Register, 76 FR 37678, June 28, 2011.

Test Procedures: Under contract to DOE, LBNL's  Energy Efficiency Standards (EES) group is establishing test procedures for commercial and industrial fans, blowers, and fume hoods.