The Commercial Architecture (Small) category at the Sustainability Awards is something of a mainstay. Looking to showcase the best in Class 5, 6,7 or 8 buildings with a floorspace of under 500sqm, we consistently see the best in offices, retail, hospitality and other entities that have been designed with the environment in mind.
One of the major criteria for the category is technology, materials used and big picture thinking. As the Category Sponsor, Big Ass Fans’ products most certainly embody those three tenets.
The internationally-renowned brand effectively opens the commercial fan space. Starting out as a company that created fans to cool down cattle, the high-volume, low-speed technology developed by BAF is without peer.
“Ceiling fans haven't really changed for about 100 years. They are an existing technology that we’re familiar with in terms of how they operate and what the effects are,” says BAF’s Big Ass Fans’ Rebecca Steffanoni.
“Traditional fans have lots of moving parts that generate heat and tend to rattle and shudder. But we’ve aimed to change that.”
Efficiency is typically the cornerstone of sustainably design projects. Whether it be electricity or water, it is almost imperative that architects look to save power and money through the adoption of green technology. Big Ass Fans’ catalogue certainly is an extension of this.
“Conventional fans start around 90 watts, whereas our fans start at 2 watts, and the maximum wattage for our standard fans is 30 watts. So just consider that in comparison to a standard 60 watt light bulb for example. The energy savings are huge - and from a cost perspective, if you ran the fan 24/7 for a year, you’d be looking at about $24.”
Ideally, winners of the Commercial Architecture (Small) category will demonstrate a new direction or a new model for sustainable design in a commercial context. The key considerations of the category include innovation, functionality, expertise, measurable sustainable qualities in the medium-to-long-term.
The 2022 Sustainability Awards will crown another Commercial Architecture (Small) winner later this year in Sydney. We can’t wait to celebrate with you. Your first step to being there in November is through submitting your entries here.
