Siemens Donates Building-Automation Equipment to Penn College

Siemens Building Technologies Inc. recently donated building-automation equipment valued at more than $345,000 for use in Pennsylvania College of Technology's new Building Automation Technology lab, a contribution of great benefit to students and the industry that ultimately will hire them.

Siemens delivered its Apogee Building Automation control system for the College's bachelor-degree Building Automation Technology major, which will graduate its first class of 11 students this month. The delivery was made by Penn College alumni Eli R. Hager and Shawn C. Bateman, project engineers from Siemens' Philadelphia office. Both graduated in the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technology major: Bateman in 1999 and Hager in 2000.

The donation represents a continuation of a long-standing relationship with Siemens Building Technologies that began when Dr. Philip H. Henning, associate professor of electrical technology/occupations and adviser to the Penn College student chapter of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, helped arrange student visits to Siemens' facilities in Buffalo Grove, Ill.

"Seven years ago, we began the Penn College/Siemens collaboration with on-campus recruiting," said Troy Behrens, college relations manager for Siemens Building Technologies. "Today, Siemens is proud to foster the professional growth and development of Penn College's students with this lab which was installed and commissioned by College alumni.

"This lab has been donated to the men and women pursuing careers in the building-controls industry, who will one day join Siemens and Penn College in future student-development ventures."

Joining Bateman, Hager, Behrens and Dr. Henning in coordinating the donation was Larry Tietjen, a professional engineer and operations manager at Siemens' Philadelphia office.

"With a contribution of this nature, we will be able to provide students with cutting-edge technology," said Marc E. Bridgens, assistant dean of Construction and Design Technologies at Penn College. "Students will have the opportunity to expand their knowledge base far beyond what was anticipated. This not only is noteworthy for students, but also for the building-automation industry. With this contribution, the provided hands-on learning will give our students a step up in the employment market."

A formal ribbon-cutting ceremony and dedication of the new lab will be held during the Fall 2004 semester in the Carl Building Technologies Center.

For more information about Building Automation Technology and other majors offered in the School of Construction and Design Technologies at Penn College, call (570) 327-4518, send e-mail or visit online.