Blog Post

Greenbuild booth swag, part 1

We may already have a winner for the best, smartest booth swag at Greenbuild '07: the "rethink the dress code—CLO.08" t-shirt from Big Ass Fans. Technically, these shirts may not be booth swag, since they 'cost' the very special Greenbuild price of a one-dollar donation—which funds are met in kind by the Big Assers and used to support ASHRAE Research on Standard 55: Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy. CLO.08? It's the thermal insulation value of a t-shirt as defined by ASHRAE. Still don't get it? Yeah, I wasn't a big enough geek to figure it out either... but now I'm in the club, and you can be too. I'm going to quote straight from their website for the explanation, because I couldn't possibly say it any better than they have:
LOSE THE TIE. TOSS THE JACKET. DROP THE TROUSERS. Okay, keep your pants on. But do take it all off right down to your clo.08 (the clothing thermal comfort value of a t-shirt). Big Ass Fans knows that dressing appropriately for your environment means less energy is needed to keep people comfortable. Fewer clothes; bigger energy savings. We like the sound of that. NEED PROOF? Ever heard of a little island nation called Japan? In the land of the rising sun the government mandates thermostats in all public buildings to be set at 82 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer months. The working men and women are urged to abandon their traditional business suits and don skimpier attire to stay comfortable. The result of this clothing optional approach has been a 1.14 million ton reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT IT? To show our commitment to the cause of under-dressing, we are contributing 100% of the donations from our clo.08 t-shirts to ASHRAE Research on Standard 55 - Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy. Go ahead, save money and look charitable. You know you want to.
I also got Josh Eddy, their Engineering Sales Manager, to spell it out for me on tape (1.7MB mp3 file). You can order these gems at the normal $5 rate from their website. Still really cheap! And if you can make it to Chicago in the next couple days, the little plastic donkeys are free.

Published November 7, 2007

(2007, November 7). Greenbuild booth swag, part 1. Retrieved from https://www.buildinggreen.com/news-article/greenbuild-booth-swag-part-1

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BuildingGreen Basic Member

December 5, 2007 - 3:46 am

I fixed the audio link on this post - thanks for the heads-up!

BuildingGreen Basic Member

December 17, 2007 - 6:35 am

This press release just rolled across my desk:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BIG ASS FANS GIVES $22,757 TO ASHRAE RESEARCH

Lexington, Ky. (December 17, 2007) – The giant ceiling fan manufacturer with the silly name, Big Ass Fans, showed its commitment to serious science with donations totaling $22,757 to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) research.

The donations have been earmarked for research on ASHRAE Standard 55 – Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy. A portion of the funds were gathered via a campaign launched at the Greenbuild Expo in November. Big Ass Fans sold t-shirts emblazoned with “clo.08” the ASHRAE defined thermal comfort value of a t-shirt. The campaign encouraged people to rethink traditional HVAC systems to find green alternatives, like Big Ass Fans.

“Our name is light-hearted, but our products are firmly grounded in design and engineering. These donations to ASHRAE research reflect that commitment,” said Big Ass Fans President and CEO, Carey Smith.

Big Ass Fans will receive a shiny new trophy from ASHRAE at their 2008 winter meeting president’s luncheon in New York, January 19-23.

About Big Ass Fans
Big Ass Fans and the facilities that use them have been featured in the New York Times, Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Discovery Channel Canada and National Geographic Channel. Since its founding in 1999, the Big Ass Fan Company has designed and manufactured 6-foot to 24-foot diameter industrial grade ceiling fans. Their energy efficient design keeps operating costs at just pennies-per-day. Big Ass Fans have found 25,000 applications in warehouses and distribution centers to restaurants and zoos worldwide.

BuildingGreen Basic Member

November 7, 2007 - 6:05 pm

That's great - what better message for a t-shirt than an inside joke? On the other hand, it might be a more useful piece of propaganda if it had an explanation on the back.

Now we need hooded fleece sweatshirts that say "CLO 1.2" (though I guess we'd have to get some heating equipment manufacturer to sponsor those). I can't find a good reference right now, but that should allow a thermostat setback of about 2-4°F. In Pittsburgh, a 3° reduction in base temp. cuts the annual heating degree-days by nearly 20%, which reduces the heating demand by roughly an equal amount!

BuildingGreen Basic Member

November 12, 2007 - 3:45 pm

My favorite Greenbuild swag was the little ChicoBag handed out at Allsteel. It's an itty-bitty featherlight bag, packed into its own carrying case, about the size of my palm when packed, but big enough to hold at least a dozen apples when unfolded. It seems to be nylon, and the little tag inside says "Designed with Intention in USA, Built with Love in China."

BuildingGreen Basic Member

November 12, 2007 - 5:19 am

Ethan,
Big Ass Fans can also reduce heating costs by 25% or more by bringing hot air trapped at the ceiling down to the floor. You should submit your sweatshirt idea to them.