The 6,000-square-foot (557-m2), state-of-the-art, air-conditioned facility includes a video theater, WiFi and interpretive displays. Professional travel counselors provide trip planning assistance, recommend tourist attractions and offer information on state road conditions, all in a welcoming environment. Big Ass Fans supplied a 10-foot (3-m) diameter Isis ceiling fan for the facility that provides a comfortable and relaxing environment for both travelers and employees.
The travel center is located within a large atrium with high glass ceilings. “We had zero air movement. In the mornings, we would have to turn the A/C down to 65 F [18 C], just to keep from burning up in the afternoons,” said Valerie Followell, professional travel counselor for the TxDOT. After seeing Big Ass Fans at a local restaurant, Followell spoke to the owner who explained that the fans were a great way to efficiently keep patrons comfortable.
Relying on their large size and not speed, the fan effectively circulates air throughout the glass atrium in the travel center. Just one fan gently circulates more air than multiple, traditional ceiling fans and at just one-third of the operating cost, saving the TxDOT money.
“We installed our fan this year, and have already seen a significant decrease in our energy costs from last year,” Followell explained. “And, we have a lot of paper in our office; our brochures are all paper. Even though you can feel the breeze from our fan, it doesn’t blow the brochures.”
The large diameter, low speed fan provided an attractive, affordable and immediate solution for spaces seeking to improve comfort, reduce energy costs, all while making an impressive visual statement. “Travelers come into the center and say ‘WOW,’ everything really is bigger in Texas,” Followell said.
“We are now able to maintain the temperature in our travel center,” said Followell. “Our Big Ass Fan keeps the air circulating so that we don’t have to make adjustments throughout the day to our A/C.”
The TxDOT received the 2009 Construction and Demolition Recycling Excellence award, honored by the Construction Materials Recycling Association; as well as the 2009 Texas Environmental Excellence award, the state’s highest environmental honor.
Fan: Big Ass Fans, Lexington, Ky., www.bigassfans.com
