April 30, 2024
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Fan-Energy-Index Requirements in U.S. Codes, Standards, and Regulations
Formalized in ANSI/AMCA Standard 208-18, Calculation of the Fan Energy Index, fan energy index (FEI) is a representation of the energy performance of an entire fan system—the fan, the motor, and the drive. It establishes a baseline efficiency and resulting baseline power that varies with airflow and pressure and can be applied to most types of commercial and industrial fans and blowers. Instead of a peak-efficiency threshold, it establishes a “range of compliant operations,” optimizing fan, motor, and drive selections for the conditions under which they will operate.
For this issue of AMCA inmotion e-News, AMCA International staff created a table (Table 1) summarizing FEI provisions in ASHRAE and International Code Council (ICC) model energy codes, California’s Building Energy Efficiency Standards, and U.S. Department of Energy and California appliance/equipment regulations. A second table (Table 2) provides hyperlinks to sources of the referenced documents, while a third table (Table 3) lists AMCA International resources, including a link for easily finding AMCA International-certified FEI ratings.
Note the information in Table 1 was distilled for ease of use. Readers are advised to consult the source materials for exact language.
|
Agency/ |
Regulation/ Code |
Earliest Effective Edition | FEI Reference Standard | Minimum FEI | Covered Fans | Exclusions | Minimum and Maximum Sizes | Status | Notes |
| U.S. Department of Energy (federal regulation) | Test procedures only—Title 10 of Code of Federal Regulations Part 431, Subpart J, appendices A (general fans and blowers) and B (circulating fans) | Final rule for test procedure published May 1, 2023, and corrected Aug. 18, 2023. Changes affecting fans tested without drives proposed in energy standard, which is in progress. | ANSI/AMCA Standard 214, Test Procedure for Calculating Fan Energy Index (FEI) for Commercial and Industrial Fans and Blowers (fans and blowers); ANSI/AMCA Standard 230, Laboratory Methods of Testing Air Circulating Fans for Rating and Certification (circulating fans) | Will be set based on one of nine fan categories | Most types of axial and centrifugal fans and power roof ventilators; radial fans with some restrictions | Too extensive to list. See source language. | Air-circulating fans greater than or equal to 125 W electrical power; other fans between 1 hp shaft power and 150 hp air power | Test procedure in effect since Oct. 30, 2023. Energy-standard final rule expected in 2024, with standard taking effect in 2029. | DOE test procedure for general fans and blowers used by California Energy Commission for Title 20. FEI metric defined and how to test fans and calculate ratings established. |
| California Energy Commission (regulation) | Title 20 appliance-efficiency regulations | 2024 | Title 10 of Code of Federal Regulations Part 431, Subpart J, Appendix A | Greater than or equal to 1.00 | Most types of axial and centrifugal fans and power roof ventilators; radial fans with some restrictions | Too extensive to list. See source language. Exclusions include air handlers. | Fans between 1 hp shaft power and 150 hp air power | Effective for fans manufactured on or after April 29, 2024 | Has labeling and certification requirements. Fans must be in California Energy Commission database before being offered for sale. |
| California Energy Commission (energy code) | Title 24 energy code | 2022 | ANSI/AMCA Standard 208, Calculation of the Fan Energy Index | Greater than or equal to 1.00 at design point for all constant-speed fans; 0.95 for variable-speed fans | Most types of axial and centrifugal fans and power roof ventilators; radial fans with some restrictions | Too extensive to list. See source language. | Fans between 1 hp shaft power and 150 hp air power | Most types of axial and centrifugal fans and power roof ventilators | Requires ratings from approved third-party laboratory. Fan arrays covered with same scope as fans. FEI per ANSI/AMCA Standard 208, Calculation of the Fan Energy Index, Annex C. |
| ASHRAE |
ANSI/ASHRAE/ IES 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings |
2019 | ANSI/AMCA Standard 208, Calculation of the Fan Energy Index | Greater than or equal to 1.00 at highest design airflow for all constant-speed fans; 0.95 for variable-speed fans | No distinction for fan types other than exclusions | Too extensive to list. See source language. | Unembedded fans with a motor nameplate horsepower greater than or equal to 1.0 hp or with a fan nameplate electrical input power greater than or equal to 0.89 kW; embedded fans and fan arrays with a combined motor nameplate horsepower greater than 5 hp or with a fan-system electrical input power greater than 4.1 kW | Continuous maintenance | Fan arrays covered with same scope as fans. FEI per ANSI/AMCA Standard 208, Calculation of the Fan Energy Index, Annex C. |
| ASHRAE |
ANSI/ASHRAE/ ICC/USGBC/ IES Standard 189.1, Standard for the Design of High-Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings |
2020 | ANSI/AMCA Standard 208, Calculation of the Fan Energy Index | Greater than or equal to 1.10 at design point |
Same as ANSI/ASHRAE/ IES 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings |
Same as ANSI/ASHRAE/ IES 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings |
Same as ANSI/ASHRAE/ IES 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings |
Continuous maintenance | Fan arrays covered with same scope as fans. FEI per ANSI/AMCA Standard 208, Calculation of the Fan Energy Index, Annex C. |
| International Code Council | International Energy Conservation Code | 2021 | ANSI/AMCA Standard 208, Calculation of the Fan Energy Index | Greater than or equal to 1.00 at design point for all constant-speed fans; 0.95 for variable-speed fans | No distinction for fan types other than exclusions | Too extensive to list. See source language. |
Same as ANSI/ASHRAE/ IES 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, but worded slightly differently |
Most types of axial and centrifugal fans and power roof ventilators | Requires ratings from approved third-party laboratory. Fan arrays covered with same scope as fans. FEI per ANSI/AMCA Standard 208, Calculation of the Fan Energy Index, Annex C. |
TABLE 1. FEI provisions in model energy codes, building energy-efficiency standards, and appliance/equipment regulations.
| Agency/Publisher | Code/Standard/Regulation | Hyperlink |
| U.S. Department of Energy | Code of Federal Regulations; Title 10; Chapter II; Subchapter D; Part 431; Subpart J, Fans and Blowers | https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-10/chapter-II/s... |
| U.S. Department of Energy | Code of Federal Regulations; Title 10; Chapter II; Subchapter D; Part 431; Subpart J, Fans and Blowers; Appendix A, Uniform Test Method for the Measurement of Energy Consumption of Fans and Blowers Other Than Air Circulating Fans | https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-10/part-431/app... |
| U.S. Department of Energy | Code of Federal Regulations; Title 10; Chapter II; Subchapter D; Part 431; Subpart J, Fans and Blowers; Appendix B, Uniform Test Method for the Measurement of Energy Consumption of Air Circulating Fans | https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-10/part-431/app... |
| California Energy Commission | California Code of Regulations; Title 20, Public Utilities and Energy; Division 2, State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission; Chapter 4, Energy Conservation; Article 4, Appliance Efficiency Regulations | https://energycodeace.com/content/reference-ace-t2... |
| California Energy Commission | California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 6 (fan language) | https://energycodeace.com/content/section-12010-ma... |
| ASHRAE | ANSI/ASHRAE/IES 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings | Purchase: https://store.accuristech.com/ashrae/searches/4282... |
| ASHRAE | ANSI/ASHRAE/ICC/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1, Standard for the Design of High-Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings | Purchase: https://store.accuristech.com/ashrae/searches/4282... |
| International Code Council | International Energy Conservation Code | Purchase: https://shop.iccsafe.org/catalogsearch/result/?cat... |
TABLE 2. Referenced codes, standards, and regulations.
| AMCA International Resource | Hyperlink |
| AMCA International website | https://www.amca.org/ |
| AMCA International FEI microsite (undergoing update due to be completed by mid-May 2024) | https://www.amca.org/advocate/energy-efficiency/ab... |
| AMCA International-certified FEI ratings | https://www.amca.org/certify/certified-product-sea... |
| Winter 2024 AMCA inmotion e-News article "THE LATEST: Regulation of Commercial and Industrial Fans and Blowers" | https://www.amca.org/educate/amca-inmotion-e-news/... |
| AMCA Certified Ratings Program | https://www.amca.org/certify/ |
| 2019 edition of AMCA inmotion magazine, including article "Applying Fan Energy Index in Variable-Air-Volume Systems" | https://www.amca.org/educate/inmotion/amca-inmotio... |
| AMCA online store for standards | https://store.accuristech.com/amca/pages/home |
TABLE 3. AMCA International resources.
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Your Questions About Severe-Duty Louvers Answered
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season will officially begin on June 1, with AccuWeather experts predicting storms so numerous that meteorologists may for the first time have to consult a supplemental list for naming them.
Historically warm water across the Atlantic Ocean and the return of La Niña in the eastern Pacific Ocean are expected to yield across the Atlantic basin 20 to 25 named storms, including eight to 12 hurricanes, four to seven major hurricanes, and four to six direct U.S. impacts. This is all above the 30-year historical average of 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, three major hurricanes, and four direct U.S. impacts, AccuWeather reports.
2023 saw 19 named storms, including seven hurricanes, three major hurricanes, and four direct U.S. impacts.
For the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which will run through the end of November, AccuWeather is predicting an accumulated cyclone energy (ACE), a measure of the intensity and longevity of tropical systems, of 175 to 225, above the historical average of 123.
The Texas coast, the Florida Panhandle, South Florida, and the Carolinas are at a higher-than-average risk of direct impacts this season, AccuWeather says, while cautioning residents near other coastal locations to remain vigilant.
As more emphasis is placed on building resilience and requirements for architectural products for hurricane-prone regions gain wider adoption, AMCA International presents an update of “Your Questions About Severe-Duty Louvers Answered” from the award-winning 2021 edition of AMCA inmotion magazine.
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FREE DOWNLOAD: Updated AMCA Louver Listing-Label-Program Publication 512
AMCA International announces the release of AMCA Publication 512-23, AMCA Listing Label Program.
AMCA Publication 512-23 supersedes AMCA Publication 512-09.
The purpose of the AMCA Listing Label Program is to provide follow-up service for louvers tested in accordance with ANSI/AMCA Standard 540, Test Methods for Louvers Impacted by Wind Borne Debris, and/or ANSI/AMCA Standard 550, Test Method for High Velocity Wind Driven Rain Resistant Louvers.
Notable changes to AMCA Publication 512 include:
- New labeling requirements.
- New definitions.
- A new requirement concerning Miami-Dade County-approved/certified test reports.
- Revised qualifying statements.
- A new catalog requirement.
- New requirements for electronic print catalogs and electronic product-selection programs.
- A rewritten verification-test procedure.
- An expansion of the permitted uses of the listing label.
- A rewritten procedure for AMCA International-recognized laboratories.
- The provision of design allowances.
AMCA Publication 512-23 is available in PDF format free of charge. Printed copies are available for $5 for AMCA members and $10 for non-members. To obtain a copy, click here.
For more information about AMCA Publication 512-23, contact Director of Publications and Standards Joe Brooks, PE, at [email protected] or Senior Manager, Publications and Standards Shruti Kohli-Bhargava at [email protected].
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AMCA Updates Fans-and-Systems Publication 201
AMCA International Inc. announces the release of AMCA Publication 201-23, Fans and Systems.
Superseding AMCA Publication 201-02 (R2011), Fans and Systems, AMCA Publication 201-23 includes general information about how fans are tested in laboratories and how their performance ratings are calculated and published. Also, it reviews some of the more important reasons for decreased performance once a fan is installed in a system. Allowances, called system-effect factors (SEF), are given. SEF must be taken into account by system designers, if a reasonable estimate of fan/system performance is to be determined.
AMCA Publication 201-23 includes findings from several research projects performed by AMCA and other laboratories. As a result of the research, the definition of outlet system effect was revised.
The cost of AMCA Publication 201-23 is $45 for AMCA members and $90 for non-members in printed or PDF format and $61 for AMCA members and $122 for non-members in both printed and PDF formats. To purchase a copy, click here.
For more information about AMCA Publication 201-23, contact Director of Publications and Standards Joe Brooks, PE, at [email protected] or Senior Manager, Publications and Standards Shruti Kohli-Bhargava at [email protected].
Pedestrians wear face masks as the sky over New York City turns an eerie orange from smoke from wildfires burning in Canada the afternoon of June 7, 2023. New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul called the worsening air quality “an emergency crisis.” Credit: Michael Nagle/Xinhua/Alamy Live News
Maintaining Indoor-Air Quality with Air Curtains
During the spring and summer of 2023, smoke from wildfires raging out of control in eastern and western Canada blanketed cities across North America, prompting local health officials to issue air-quality alerts and encourage people to stay inside, renewing public interest in indoor-air quality (IAQ) sparked by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic three years earlier and prompting building owners and managers to take a hard look at the conditions inside their facilities. With the retrofit or replacement of a ventilation system not always practical or feasible, smaller-scale solutions for maintaining IAQ are needed.
Typically installed at building entrances, air curtains have been used for decades to minimize the cross-migration of warm and cold air from buoyancy pressures and wind, saving on air-conditioning costs, and to provide environmental separation by repelling dust and dirt, fumes, odors, and flying insects. Now, evidence suggesting air curtains also can play a role in maintaining IAQ is emerging.
“Maintaining Indoor-Air Quality with Air Curtains,” from the 2023 edition of award-winning AMCA inmotion magazine, discusses results of two experiments: one of an ultraviolet-lamp-equipped air curtain’s ability to disinfect air and one of an air curtain’s effectiveness in preventing airborne particulates from entering a building. To read the article, click here.
THIS JUST IN: 2023 Edition of AMCA inmotion Wins American Business Award
The 2023 edition of AMCA inmotion magazine on April 25 was named a winner of a Bronze “Stevie” as part of The 22nd Annual American Business Awards.
Open to all organizations—public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small—operating in the United States, the American Business Awards, nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word meaning “crowned,” are billed as “the world’s premier business awards … created in 2002 to honor and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and working professionals.” The 2023 edition of AMCA inmotion is being recognized in the Other Publication - Association or Non-Profit category.
Edited by AMCA Senior Manager of Industry Engagement and Content Scott Arnold and art-directed by Chicago-based freelance designer, illustrator, and photographer Bonnie James, the 2023 edition of AMCA inmotion features contributions from:
- Michael Ivanovich, senior director, global affairs, AMCA, with the article “Dawn of a New Era: The Regulation of Commercial and Industrial Fans and Blowers.”
- Christian Taber, BEMP, HBDP, CEM, principal engineer, codes and standards, Big Ass Fans, with the article “U.S. Regulations for Air-Circulating Fans.”
- Andy Ross, senior mechanical engineer, Mars Air Systems, with the article “Maintaining Indoor-Air Quality with Air Curtains.”
- John Sofra, director of sales, North America, Kinetics Noise Control Inc., with the article “Mitigating Environmental Noise from the Operation of Mechanical Equipment.”
- Michael J. Bulzomi, product manager, commercial dampers, Greenheck, with the article “Selecting Ceiling Radiation Dampers.”
More than 300 professionals around the world participated in the judging process for this year’s Stevie Awards. Among the judges’ comments about the 2023 edition of AMCA inmotion were:
- “A comprehensive, no-nonsense publication. Informative articles.”
- “Great industry piece with informative and interesting information that is digestible and good use of layout and graphics. Good work!”
- “Clever cover design and easy to navigate online magazine. Publication is focussed [sic] on a specific industry and contains many relevant news and articles that are easy to read with included infographics and diagrams.”
- “The nomination clearly states the mission of the organization as well as the communication objective of the entry, and both are aligned.”
2024 Stevie Award winners will be honored at a gala ceremony at the Marriott Marquis in New York City on June 11.
Whom Do I Contact?Air Movement and Control Association International, Inc.