“ The fans look great in the brewhouse. They complement the steel well. And now that we have the ability to control the comfort in both spaces better, guests and employees won't be sweating profusely in the summer and we can also circulate heat in the winter. The fans are absolutely key.
Bell’s Brewery of Kalamazoo, Michigan, used innovative, industrial design elements when creating its new Brewhouse Gallery, the showplace for its public tours. But being a brewhouse and a tour space created challenges when it came to visitor comfort. “We’re mixing ingredients and boiling them, then allowing them to steep, so it gets very hot,” Production Manager John Mallett said. The owners needed air movement to keep visitors cool. And down the street in Bell’s warehouse, the company wanted better year-round air circulation for its employees as well as its products.
Five 8-ft (2.4-m) Isis® fans distribute the air and create an even temperature in the gallery, which has a 34-ft (10.4-m) ceiling. The fans work with a geothermal HVAC system and motorized windows to efficiently keep guests cool in summer. And in the warehouse, 16- and 18-ft. diameter Powerfoil®X fans keep employees comfortable year round. In summer, the air movement creates a 10° F (6° C) cooling effect. In the winter, the fans gently recirculate the hot air that gathers at the ceilings of the facilities, reducing heater use and energy bills.
