“ The fans are in an outdoor plaza to help circulate the air and cool people down. They work great and are used nearly year-round.
Architects and engineers at SmithGroup had an ambitious plan to renovate a 42-year-old building on the campus of Mesa Community College. The well-worn former physical sciences building was gutted, resized and rebuilt to create the modern Health Wellness Building. Dedicated to promoting good health, the building includes a fresh-air common area. However, shading provided minimal relief to students studying and lounging outdoors in the Arizona heat. SmithGroup architects planned to pursue LEED® Silver certification for the building, so they needed an extremely energy-efficient cooling solution.
Two 10-ft (3m) diameter Isis® fans were installed in the outdoor covered plaza. Because Isis uses a very small motor relative to the amount of air movement it generates, the fans also fit into the architects’ efficiency plans, helping the school achieve its LEED Silver rating. And because Isis is wet-rated, it’s the perfect air movement solution for open-air spaces. By blending a little shade and a lot of air movement, the outdoor plaza has become a popular destination for students and educators alike.
