Washington, D.C., is famous for summers that swelter. To beat the heat, AW Industries/Serta Mattresses installed chilled-water air conditioning in its Washington-area plant. But the air conditioning system wasn't enough to keep the 225 employees comfortable.

High-volume/low-speed ceiling fans helped solve the cooling problem.

AW/Serta President Stuart Bannett says that 12 high-volume/low-speed fans provide an equally comfortable working environment for all employees. Overhead fans are safer, he observes, citing the hazard of fan cords on the plant floor and noting that one employee had been injured by the blades of a free-standing fan.

The comfortable temperature and ventilation provided by the high-volume/low-speed fans improved employee satisfaction and productivity. They also reduced energy costs, and paid for themselves in a year.