Scientists recommend wearable neck fans as low-energy office cooling amid deadly heatwave
Researchers found that portable neck and face fans cool office workers almost as well as bladeless desk fans while using far less power.
Scientists evaluated four cooling devices - a neck fan, a face fan, a conventional bladed desktop fan and a bladeless desk fan - by directing airflow at a life-sized thermal manikin dressed in typical summer office attire. Tests were run at low and high speeds in a room set to 77 °F, mimicking a standard cubicle. The wearable neck and face fans delivered overall comfort levels close to those of the bladeless desk fan, despite producing a much smaller, localized breeze.
While they could not match the sheer airflow of a traditional bladed fan, the wearables used far less energy and did not disturb neighboring workers. Co-author Mohamed Ouf of Concordia University said the results show a way to keep central HVAC systems running at higher set points while cutting overall cooling costs. The researchers suggest such personal fans are especially useful in offices lacking reliable air-conditioning or in hybrid-work settings where full-floor cooling may be uneconomical.
Why it matters
Personal fans could lower office energy use and improve comfort as heatwave deaths rise across Europe.
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