The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) contracted with DNV to conduct research to characterize the market for stand-alone commercial and industrial fans in the Northwest. Specifically, DNV conducted interviews with manufacturers, manufacturers’ representatives, design engineers, fan installers, and service providers to map the distribution flow of stand-alone fans, identify the roles that market actor groups play in making purchase decisions for stand-alone fans, and assess barriers to adoption of efficient fans in the Northwest.
DNV found that stand-alone fans are sold primarily through manufacturers and their representatives and that specifiers are key actors in selecting fans. Further, they found that first cost is a key driver of fan selection and that efficiency is not currently a key metric for comparisons across fans.