**Notes from the Energy Star® Ceiling Fan Stakeholders Conference Call**

**May 16, 2001**

The following organizations were represented on the call:

King of Fans

Litex Industries

Regency Fans

EPA

Ecos Consulting

ICF Consulting

The call began with introductions of participants and an overview by
Chris Calwell of Ecos Consulting regarding the conference call on May
11, 2001.

[Retailer Outreach]{.underline} - Chris Calwell reviewed the results of
recent meetings with Home Depot and Lowe's. Both retailers have a high
interest in the [Energy Star]{.smallcaps}® labeling program for ceiling
fans. Both are interested in offering a large number of [Energy
Star]{.smallcaps}® models available in their stores. Both the quality
assurance representatives and the merchandisers have been involved in
the discussions.

The retailers have indicated that they will be present at the June
meeting.

[Fan Testing Results to Date]{.underline} - Chris Calwell next discussed
the results of Hunter's testing of 26 ceiling fan models. It was noted
that some information is missing from the spreadsheet. Some of the fans
were only measured on one speed. Chris Calwell will ask Hunter to verify
which fans only run on one speed and gather the missing measurements
from the other fans.

During the May 11 conference call, the manufacturers agreed that this
testing method was valid and expressed their support for using it as the
official metric for CFM determination in the Energy Star program.

In response to manufacturer questions, Chris Calwell and Andrew Fanara
of EPA noted that the [Energy Star]{.smallcaps}® label normally
recognizes the most efficient 15 to 30% of models in a particular
market. In other words, the specification will be set at a level where
the majority of *current* models will not meet it, recognizing that
engineering changes will allow many more of them to meet it in the
future.

The variation between the most efficient and least efficient products
was greatest on low speed -- about 9 to 1. At medium speed, the spread
was about 3.5 to 1. On high speed, the spread was about 2 to 1. Hunter
attributed this to the fact that ceiling fan motors tend to perform
similarly when fully loaded, but have varying degrees of slippage at
lower speeds.

In order to qualify for the [Energy Star]{.smallcaps}® spec, the fans
will need to exceed CFM/watt cutoffs on all three speeds and also meet
minimum airflow levels. Ecos Consulting is considering the following
approximate thresholds (which may be revised as new test data are
received):

  ---------------------------- ----------- --------------- ---------------
  Criteria                     Low         Medium          High

  Minimum CFM                  1250        2500            5000

  Minimum CFM/watt             150         110             70
  ---------------------------- ----------- --------------- ---------------

Hunter has offered to test more fans to gain a broader spread of fan
measurement to determine the cut off point. Participants on this call
expressed interested in sending more fans to be tested. There was
discussion as to the type of models to be sent. It was determined that
all models should be sent -- less than five blades, less than 52 inch
diameter, smaller motors, etc.

Additional Fans can be sent to Vin Mehta at Hunter Fans (see below for
address.) All fans must arrive at Hunter by May 28.

Attn. Vin Mehta

Hunter Fan Company

2546 Frisco Ave

Receiving door \# 5

Memphis TN 38114

[Power Factor]{.underline} -- Hunter is seeing widely different power
factors in its testing, particularly at low and medium speeds. They will
now take two power measurements when testing: watts and volt-amps. There
is continuing debate among the utility community about the impact of low
power factor on total system load, so there may be a desire in the
future to rate fans by CFM/volt-amp instead of by CFM/watt. Gathering
the data now will help EPA determine how large the differences may be.

[Independent Labs/Testing]{.underline} -- Five independent labs have
expressed interest in providing services for testing: ITS, UL, Omni,
MTL, and CTL. Most of these labs are making appointments with Hunter to
view the testing facilities and gain an understanding of what it would
take to recreate the facilities. Interested labs will build facilities
for testing and recover their costs through per-fan charges for testing
in both Asia and the U.S.

The Home Ventilating Institute (HVI) may have some interest in drafting
a formal specification describing the new test method. This would allow
for verification and benchmarking of all of the facilities that set up
the test rooms.

[Noise]{.underline} -- Noise was addressed briefly in this call, and in
more detail on a separate conference call a few days later involving
Hunter, HVI, Ecos Consulting, and Lowe's. HVI outlined its current
approach to noise measurement: using a semi-reverberant room with a
microphone rotating around on a boom, gathering data across the entire
audible spectrum. These values are then weighted according to the
typical response curve of human hearing, and can be reported in sones.
HVI has used this method to assess thousands of different ventilation
products, though it is not actually being used to test ceiling fans at
present.

Hunter proposed the use of a different type of room employing a
specially "tuned" ceiling comprised of sheetrock and wooden rafters
which act as a sounding board. This approach would tend to make ceiling
fan noise more readily apparent to a microphone in the room. Hunter
believes that the key noise of concern occurs in the 60 and 120 hz
portion of the spectrum.

Due to the disagreement among participants of how best to proceed in the
near term, the noise subcommittee could not recommend a consensus
approach for addressing noise in phase one of the specification. The
group agreed to propose something more detailed for the spec's second
phase, and gather additional data in the interim. Lowe's has asked
Hunter to gather simple dB data for the fans it is testing in the short
term, just to assess basic differences. At the same time, Hunter and HVI
have exchanged invitations to visit each other's testing facilities
(Lowe's may join those meetings as well). The group hopes at some point
in the future to be able to compare numeric noise scores by different
test methods against subjective evaluations by groups of test subjects,
to assess which types of noise appear to be most objectionable to most
fan users.

[Dallas Meeting]{.underline} -- The Dallas meeting will be held on June
25 from 9-4. It will be held in the World Trade Center (12^th^ Floor --
full details will be distributed separately) to make it convenient to
all parties. Manufacturers will receive the revised spec approximately
one to one and a half weeks prior to meeting and should come prepared to
discuss their company's official reactions to it. The input gathered at
that meeting will shape the Memorandum of Understanding's final language
for signature immediately thereafter.

[Lighting]{.underline} -- Lighting was discussed briefly in both
conference calls. Chris Calwell outlined the central importance of
lighting to the program, since it will likely provide the majority of
energy savings. It is especially important to the utilities supporting
[Energy Star]{.smallcaps}® that labeled fans definitely include
efficient lighting.

There will be two ways, initially, that manufacturers can obtain the
[Energy Star®]{.smallcaps} label on ceiling fans with lighting.

-   Including [Energy Star®]{.smallcaps} labeled screw based bulbs with
    the product when it ships. This method is not ideal because the
    consumer may replace those CFLs with incandescent bulbs after they
    burn out, eliminating that source of energy savings. However, this
    method is easier for manufacturers to implement in the short term
    and will be allowable during phase one of the program.

-   Dedicated [Energy Star®]{.smallcaps} fixture approach -- this is the
    preferred solution and will be required in phase two of the program.
    In this approach, the fan (or its light kit) includes a hard-wire
    ballast and one or more socket(s) for the insertion of pin-based
    compact fluorescent lamps. This approach is the most affordable for
    consumers and tends to maximize lamp life, lighting performance, and
    energy savings.

Paul Vrabel of ICF and Peter Banwell of EPA joined the conversation on
lighting. They helped answer manufacturer questions regarding ways to
locate qualifying lamp/ballast combinations for constructing a dedicated
fixture. They encouraged manufacturers to utilize an electronic ballast
and a single light source if possible, such as the 2D, the 2C, or a high
output circular lamp. These products generally use 30 to 55 watts and
dimmable ballasts are available for them, if desired. Here's how to
reach Paul and Peter for info:

Paul Vrabel, ICF Consulting

<Pvrabel@icfconsulting.com>

703-934-3509

Peter Banwell, EPA Energy Star Lighting Program Manager

banwell.peter@epa.gov

202-564-9408

On the second conference call, Lowe's raised a question about
opportunities for fans with candelabra-based lamps to be exempted from
the lighting requirements because of low operating wattage (3x15 watts
or 4x15 watts). Lowe's agreed to send documentation of this to Chris
Calwell, who will examine the energy savings implications and
technological options available.

[Reverse/Forward Switch]{.underline} -- The group also discussed making
the reverse/forward switch more convenient to reach for [Energy
Star]{.smallcaps}® labeled fans. The options for this include a wall
mounted control, a remote control, or a pull chain instead of a slide
switch. The manufacturers noted that the pull chain approach is common
in Canada, but much less common in the U.S. Some manufacturers feel this
would make the fans significantly less attractive. All agreed that at
the very least an education campaign should be created which informs
consumers of which way the fan should spin during which season.

[Next Steps]{.underline} - Chris Calwell outlined a timetable for next
steps, roughly as follows:

-   Deadline for receipt of fans at Hunter for 2^nd^ phase of testing --
    May 28

-   Calls and meetings with independent test labs regarding new test
    method -- late May/early June

-   Circulation of revised draft spec and new test data to stakeholders
    -- June 13

-   Meeting to finalize Energy Star spec in Dallas -- June 25 (9 a.m. to
    4 p.m.)

-   Deadline for EPA to receive signed Memorandum of Understanding from
    manufacturers wishing to be charter partners -- approximately August
    6

-   Proposed program kickoff for trade press (at the National Hardware
    Show in Chicago) -- August 13

-   Proposed program launch date for consumer press and appearance of
    labeled products in stores -- January 2002