Since its development in 1998, HVLS fans have advanced in performance, esthetics, and control. As more companies understand the value of HVLS fans, demand has grown, driving industry expansion and development. Looking into 2017, we expect great strides in fan networking and automation as well as better tools for visualizing airflow and installing fans.
In the early days, HVLS fans were designed to function independently. The user would manually turn on the fan (or fans) and set the speed. In 2012, independent multi-fan controllers were introduced. This enabled the fans in a network to operate at different speeds so the user can customize the airflow from each fan. As industrial technology continued to progress, fans were integrated with other systems, making them important players in the Industrial Internet of Things. Integrating HVLS fans with building automation systems enabled automatic decision making for climate control, saving time and money. We expect HVLS fan developments will continue to be part of this industrial technology trend.
It can be difficult to understand how HVLS fans will support climate control in a space. Fortunately, there is computer software that helps HVLS fan buyers see the potential airflow through visualization and 3D modeling. We expect companies to continue to develop these tools so potential buyers can understand the benefits these large fans will deliver in their spaces.
More companies than ever before are offering HVLS fans. Some businesses are expanding their product lines to include fans, while others are developing their own lines of HVLS fans. We believe this is a result of increased education on the benefits of these fans. As a result, the HVLS fan industry has grown, making room for additional competitors.
As HVLS fans continue to become more popular, we expect to find fans in places where they have never been installed before. In 2016, Mumbai’s historic Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus installed its first HVLS fan with more to come. In 2017 we expect countries and industries that have never tried these fans will experiment with them and be impressed with their performance.
Growing HVLS fan popularity will also result in fan companies coming out with new models of HVLS fans. For example, MacroAir recently introduced its new residential/commercial fan. Companies will also feel society’s environment sustainability demand, and respond by engineering efficient fans for all applications.
It’s always difficult to predict the future, but overall we expect to see continued growth in the world of HVLS fans. The coming year should bring larger demands and more interesting applications for high-volume, low-speed industrial fans.