Last June, when Joe wrote about the quite descriptively-named and right-minded cooling company called Big Ass Fans, he mentioned how this new take on an old technology is not only a boon to cooling environments but heating as well. My very own humble abode, which we heat with wood, could stand to benefit from the enhancements of one of Big Ass’s HVLS (high volume low speed) numbers that circulate more air than conventional fans with every impressive whoosh of one of the 10 airfoils.

Isis. Designed by Big Ass Fans.

The increase in arms—most conventional fans have only 6—is one reason why Big Ass’s products enhance cooling by up to 25% at about the same rate of energy consumption as that of single refrigerator light bulb. It’s also one reason why Interior Design selected the company’s Isis model as a Best of Year Product Design winner in the Eco Products category. Chosen as an honoree in an online vote by interior designers and architects, Isis doubtless earned accolades for its compact design (100 lbs., 8-10 ft. diameter), easy installation (can be hung from ceilings as low as 12 feet), proven reliability (airfoils, motor, and hub are made of durable extruded aluminum alloy or precision cut steel), and unobtrusive control center (resembling a simple switch plate, the slim line controls occupy a mere six square inches of wall space).

I suspect the contemporary appearance helped here as well: Isis has a versatile aesthetic featuring an anodized aluminum finish that blends seamlessly into most commercial decors. Big Ass recommends Isis for small commercial venues like coffee shops, small restaurants, wine bars, and fitness centers. The collection of photos from the Big Ass site documents such uses, displaying a certain Big Ass panache and eco-savvy in restaurants, fitness centers, and local pubs. Each of whom knew years ago what Interior Design just decreed on December 9: nothing moves air like a Big Ass Fan!