The Heat Tax: Study Shows Industrial Airflow Offsets Extreme Heat Strain on Factory Floors
Research from the University of California Berkeley and the University of Sydney finds fans deliver a 10-degree cooling effect in unconditioned manufacturing facilities, providing a practical solution to rising operational heat burdens
LEXINGTON, Ky.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Today, Big Ass Fans is putting a name to the hidden toll documented across industrial worksites: the “Heat Tax,” an unbudgeted operational drain that impacts worker judgment, lowers output, increases turnover, and erodes bottom-line profitability when facilities run hot. Field research from the University of California, Berkeley’s Center for the Built Environment and the University of Sydney, demonstrates how targeted industrial air movement directly mitigates heat burdens in unconditioned spaces where full-building air conditioning is impractical.
Researchers monitored 30 factory workers across regular shifts at two manufacturing facilities in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, alternating periods with industrial fans running versus fans turned off:
- Cooling Effect: Workers reported conditions comparable to working in an environment 10 degrees cooler, when industrial fans were operating.
- Worker Effectiveness:79% of workers reported feeling more effective at their jobs with active industrial air movement.
- Workplace Necessity:100% of surveyed workers cited having industrial fans running as important in their workplace.
“Field studies in active manufacturing environments are rare because they’re hard to execute,” said Charlie Huizenga, a founding researcher at the Center for the Built Environment at UC Berkeley. “By monitoring workers under real Louisiana conditions, we found that air movement significantly reduced discomfort and perceived effort.”
According to internal market analysis by Big Ass Fans, fewer than 20% of U.S. industrial facilities maintain conditioned air, leaving millions of square feet exposed to extreme summer temperatures, during which labor capacity can fall by 30% to 50% during peak heat spikes. Workplace research shows overall productivity drops 1% to 2% for every degree indoor temperatures climb above 75°F. While full-building HVAC is cost-prohibitive for large open plants, high-volume air speed solutions operate on 20 to 30 times less energy than conventional air conditioning—eliminating massive energy waste while closing the productivity gap.
“When work feels harder and employees feel less effective, the entire operation carries that burden,” said Leah Larson, CEO of Big Ass Fans. “This study proves how direct industrial air movement protects worker well-being and productivity on the floor.”
What Researchers Discovered on the Factory Floor
The study took place over two three-week periods during the spring and summer of 2025—first in late May and early June, and again in August. Researchers tracked environmental and physiological conditions alongside subjective surveys. Oral temperature and heart rate increased with ambient temperature, regardless of industrial fan status. Sweat rates, however, were lower with fans running during the May and June study period and during August mornings.
One worker described the impact after the study: “The days when the fans were off, were bad days, and tiring days, when I got off work I felt completely drained and dehydrated.”
Navigating Temperature Guidelines
The research results add real-world evidence to an ongoing regulatory debate over fan use in extreme heat. Current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance advises using fans only when temperatures are below 90°F, while more recent World Health Organization guidance, based on the current understanding of how the human body regulates its temperature, recommends using fans at temperatures up to 104°F.
“A single temperature cutoff misses much of what determines whether air movement helps,” said Brian Hilander, VP of Engineering and Operations at Big Ass Fans. “Humidity and radiant heat shape the result, as does the work being performed.”
Take Action on Heat Stress
To view the full research summary from UC Berkeley and the University of Sydney visit bigassfans.com/heat-tax.
About Big Ass Fans
Big Ass Fans is a leading manufacturer of high-volume, low-speed (HVLS) fans, and directional fans for industrial, commercial, and residential applications. For more information, visit bigassfans.com
About Madison Air
Madison Air (NYSE: MAIR) is an air quality solutions provider serving priority commercial and residential markets. Through its portfolio of trusted brands, including Addison, AprilAire, Big Ass Fans, Broan-NuTone, Nortek Air Solutions, Nortek Data Center Cooling and Reznor, the company helps customers improve performance, protect critical assets and create healthier indoor environments. Madison Air’s mission is to make the world safer, healthier and more productive through the power of better air.
About the Center for the Built Environment
The Center for the Built Environment at UC Berkeley is an industry-funded research center dedicated to improving the environmental performance and occupant comfort of buildings through innovative technologies and human-centered design. Learn more at cbe.berkeley.edu.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260909336812/en/
Media contact
Stacey Paris-Bechtel
Big Valley Marketing for Big Ass Fans
[email protected]
KEYWORDS: Kentucky United States North America
INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Professional Services HVAC Manufacturing Human Resources Construction & Property Building Systems Other Manufacturing
MEDIA:
| Logo |
 |