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Facilities Engineering Institute Celebrates 50 Years

9-19-97
University Park, Pa. -- What began in 1947, with one engineer providing advice requested by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for steam generation and fuel burning problems, has grown into a University-based service organization with six engineers who will serve more than 100 state-run facilities this year.

The Penn State Facilities Engineering Institute (PSFEI), now housed in Penn State's Architectural Engineering Department, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month.

State governmental agencies form the majority of its clients, who seek technical expertise and research from PSFEI into problems with electrical distribution systems, HVAC systems, central boiler plants, and water treatment systems. A new contract with the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission will add security services and fire alarm systems for twenty-seven historic sites to this list. More than $7 million in research has been conducted by PSFEI over the past ten years.

Among other services the Institute provides are:

-- Continuing education courses for engineering and maintenance staff in state agencies, to keep state employees current with new technology. These courses have been provided for more than thirty years.

-- The employment of approximately 200 architectural engineering students in summer jobs over the last ten years.

-- Conducting research for agencies outside Pennsylvania, such as the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Army, and the foods and restaurant industry.

State agencies served by PSFEI include the Departments of Corrections, Public Welfare, Military Affairs, Agriculture, Labor and Industry, and General Services; and the State System of Higher Education.

More information on the PSFEI can be found on the Web at http://www.engr.psu.edu/www/dept/arc/server/AETOP.htm; or by contacting director Jim Myers at (814) 863-1657 or jxm17@engr.psu.edu.

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Contact: Lani Bloomer, Coordinator of College Relations, Penn State College of Engineering, phone: (814) 863-2132; fax: (814) 863-4749 e-mail: kcbdo@engr.psu.edu