Top Ten Research Center Facts

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1. The concrete underneath the fan tower would be enough to fill up a 2,300 sq. ft. home to the ceiling.

2. When the fans are turned on, they draw the same amount of power as 9,000 individual homes; the equivalent of 30 megawatts of power.

3. The test chamber has 21,000 sq. ft. which is the equivalent of 1/2 acre under the roof or 4 1/2 basketball courts. It is big enough to accommodate nine – 2,300 sq. ft. homes.

4. The test chamber is as tall as a six-story building and could fit more than 50 homes into the volume.

5. There are 105 fans with 350 hp motors. Each fan is 5 1/2 feet in diameter.  Through the control systems and the ability to rapidly change the fan speeds, IBHS can recreate the magnitude and gusty wind characteristics of a Category 3 hurricane.

6. Each fan is capable of pushing 230,000 cubic feet of air per minute through the test section, and together they can push 24 million cubic feet per minute through the test chamber. 

7. The air flow volume is 20 times the flow going over Niagara Falls, or the same amount of air that would flow through the air conditioning systems of 10,000 homes when they are all running.

8. The surface of the turntable is 2,375 sq. ft., the equivalent of a medium-sized home.

9. The water tank has 750,000 gallons, which holds about 600,000 gallons for fire suppression and about 150,000 gallons for rain capability. This is greater than an Olympic-size swimming pool.

10. The rain capacity system can produce rainfall equal to eight inches per hour.