AMCA International Guidance for the Design of Incentive Programs for High-Volume, Low-Speed (HVLS) Fans

PART 1: Background

Draft: February 17, 2026

Contact:

Brittany Swan

Regulatory Affairs Analyst

AMCA International

bswan@amca.org

Summary

This document contains guidance for the design of utility incentive programs for high-volume, low-speed (HVLS) fans. It limits incentives to products that meet federal regulations, have commercial/industrial performance characteristics, and have performance ratings certified through independent testing and verification. By adopting this guidance as a basis for incentive eligibility, program developers, administrators, and customers are more likely to achieve program goals for energy and cost savings.

About AMCA International and Its Certified Ratings Program

Air Movement and Control Association (AMCA) International is a not-for-profit association of manufacturers of fans, dampers, louvers, air curtains, and other air-system components for commercial heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning; industrial-process; and power-generation applications. With programs such as certified ratings, product testing, laboratory accreditation, advocacy, and education, AMCA International has been advancing knowledge of air systems and upholding industry integrity since 1917. Currently, it serves more than 400 member companies worldwide.

HVLS fans are within the scope of the AMCA International Certified Ratings Program (CRP). Participation in the CRP is voluntary and open to AMCA International member companies and to non-member companies as “affiliates.” Products intended for AMCA International certification must be tested in an AMCA International-owned laboratory or an AMCA International-accredited independent laboratory.

AMCA International check-tests certified products every three years to ensure continued performance. Further, it allows challenge testing, administers a public Web page for violations, and facilitates the finding and checking of certification claims through an online database.

For more information about the AMCA International CRP and to access its searchable database, visit www.amca.org/certify.

Purpose

AMCA International research shows the performance ratings of many HVLS products on the U.S. market are inaccurate and many HVLS products do not meet testing, rating, and minimum efficiency requirements established by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). By aligning with federal and state regulations for testing, minimum energy performance, and compliance filing and requiring that ratings be subject to the AMCA International CRP, AMCA International Guidance for the Design of Incentive Programs for High-Volume, Low-Speed (HVLS) Fans weeds out residential-class products and products that are on the market illegally. For program developers and administrators, these filters provide confidence energy- and cost-saving goals will be achieved; for consumers, they help to ensure fan performance will be as advertised. Additionally, the filters support greater consistency across programs nationally, which helps manufacturers justify the investment to alter product lines to meet stated performance levels.

Structure

AMCA International does not administer incentive programs. It provides, through documents such as this, guidance for developing incentive programs. This document, along with educational materials and a qualified-products list (QPL), are freely available on the AMCA International website. 

Using the QPL

A distillation of information publicly available through the AMCA International website, the QPL identifies rebate-eligible models. The QPL for HVLS fans sold in the United States and Canda currently consists of models from:

• 4Front Engineered Solutions
• Big Ass Fans
• Greenheck Fan Corp.
• Hunter Industrial
• MacroAir Technologies
• Rite-Hite Engineered Solutions Group
  

AMCA International updates the QPL quarterly. Program administrators can validate QPL entries by searching Directory of AMCA-Certified Products at http://www.amca.org/certify. Searches can be performed by product type, license type, and manufacturer. For a shortcut to a list of manufacturers with AMCA-certified HVLS fans, go to https://tinyurl.com/AMCA-Certified-HVLS-Fans.

HVLS-Fan Certification

The performance ratings of all products on the QPL are certified by AMCA International, ensuring that products eligible for incentives are true HVLS fans—rather than large-diameter ceiling fans (LDCF) lacking HVLS performance characteristics—and comply with applicable federal testing, rating, and compliance-certification regulations.

AMCA International certifies HVLS fans for “circulating-fan performance” by testing in accordance with the federal test procedure for LDCF, which is based on ANSI/AMCA Standard 230-15 (with Errata), Laboratory Methods of Testing Air Circulating Fans for Rating and Certification. Two samples of the same model are required to be tested, with manufacturers calculating final ratings using a statistical model found in the federal test procedure.

After AMCA International performs testing, verifies ratings calculations, and checks applicable catalogs and data sheets, manufacturers must sign a license agreement binding them to rules for participating in the program and displaying product-certification seals (Figure 1) in print and electronic catalogs. Additionally, manufacturers must consent to AMCA International posting catalogs of all certified products on its website.

 FIGURE 1. AMCA International Certified Ratings Program seal for circulating-fan performance, which applies to HVLS fans. Manufacturers can display the seal on products, in catalogs, and on Web pages listing certified products but not on the cover of catalogs containing products that are not AMCA International-certified.

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AMCA International Guidance for the Design of Incentive Programs for High-Volume, Low-Speed (HVLS) Fans

PART 2: Guidance for Program Developers

Draft: February 17, 2026

Contact:

Brittany Swan

Regulatory Affairs Analyst

AMCA International

bswan@amca.org

Core Program Requirements

The following are mandatory provisions for incentive eligibility:

• • Testing and rating: Minimum impeller diameter (blade span) 84 in. (7 ft), rated as a LDCF per the test procedure in U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Appendix U to Subpart B of Part 430, Title 10.
  • Compliance filing: Listed in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Compliance Certification Database.
  • Energy performance: Per 10 CFR 430.32(s)(2)(ii), minimum ceiling-fan energy index (CFEI) of 1.00 at high speed and 1.31 at 40% speed or the nearest speed not less than 40%.
  
  2. Design and performance characteristics:
  • Minimum electrical input power at maximum speed of 250 W to eliminate low-power LDCF with performance characteristics like those of residential ceiling fans.
    
  3. Independent verification of product testing and rating:
  
•           Manufacturer and model on the qualified-products list (QPL) published by Air Movement and Control Association (AMCA)     International. Link to QPL. 

Minimum Data Submission

In addition to the criteria above and possibly other requirements instituted by the incentive-program host being met, the following data are required as part of an incentive application. Any parameter in the list below that also is a parameter in the DOE Compliance Certification Database must identically match.

• Company/manufacturer name
• Product line or brand name
• Model number
• Impeller diameter (inches)
• Voltage
• Enrollment in the AMCA International CRP

Approximation of QPL Data

Table 1 is a sample from the QPL for HVLS fans. The QPL is not intended to be used to compare the energy performance of one model against that of another.

[1] The U.S. Department of Energy defines large-diameter ceiling fans (LDCF) as ceiling fans with a diameter greater than 84 in. (7 ft). LDCF include HVLS fans, which are meant for commercial and industrial applications, plus other ceiling fans that, aside from their blade span, are akin to residential ceiling fans. This document is concerned with only HVLS fans.

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HVLS Qualified Product List (QPL)

4Front Engineered Solutions    Big Ass    Greenheck    Hunter Industrial    MacroAir    RiteHite

4Front Engineered Solutions

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