Stand-Alone Fan Manufacturer Representative & Specifier Market Activity Research

The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) contracted with DNV Energy Insights, Inc. (DNV) to conduct a market research study on the specification and sales practices for stand-alone commercial and industrial fans as part of NEEA’s Efficient Fans program. The study sought to understand and document communication patterns, decision-making dynamics, and how well program terminology aligns with market language. Between May and July 2025, DNV reviewed relevant documents and materials, followed by primary data collection through in-depth interviews with 20 manufacturers’ representatives and specifying engineers active in the Northwest commercial and/or industrial stand-alone fan market.  

The study found that few stand-alone fan project bids fully pre-specify fan features, suggesting a potential opportunity to prioritize efficient equipment. Since most fan projects allow some customization, there may be opportunities for market actors to highlight efficient equipment during the bidding process, increasing the likelihood that project decision-makers select such equipment. Findings also showed that when features are pre-specified, energy efficiency is most often included, typically due to energy code and/or voluntary certification requirements. Results also suggested that specifying engineers tend to emphasize energy efficiency, while manufacturers’ representatives focus on application, first cost, and space. Both groups play central roles in the stand-alone fans path-to-purchase process and communicate regularly throughout projects. Finally, respondents indicated NEEA’s stand-alone fan terminology is generally clear, though opportunities may exist to better align with market terminology.