“ Even though we've got bigger coolers and more appliances putting off heat, the new facility is comfortable. The Big Ass Fan definitely makes it cooler. It's far better than what we used to have.
The Sharon Fieldhouse concession stand was barely standing. The 20-year-old trailer where athletes and parents bought snacks was cramped and dilapidated, with only one working window. Comfort was nonexistent – compressors in the freezer, cooler and slush machine dispersed massive amounts of hot
air into the tiny trailer, and a 200°F (93.3°C) deep fryer only made matters worse. Concession stand volunteers didn’t just need a cooling solution, they needed an entirely new facility with more square footage, ventilation and a nice appearance.
Over a year, 17 student architects from Virginia Tech’s design/ buildLAB designed and constructed a modern fieldhouse that included a concession area, restrooms and an outdoor covered patio. With a tight budget, the students needed to cool the space without expensive air conditioning. Big Ass Fans® donated a Haiku® ceiling fan to the space, which works with the windows on both sides of the building to enhance natural ventilation and provide cooling air flow to volunteers. Additionally, the building was painted white to repel solar heat.
