Penn College's Air Conditioning Contractors of America student chapter visited Penn State's main campus Friday and toured several mechanical rooms that showcase green technology being used in today’s refrigeration industry to help reduce energy usage. The day started with a tour of Pegula Ice Arena’s mechanical room, which is used to freeze and maintain ice at the hockey rink, then moved to the Erickson Food Science Building production chillers that serve the university's popular Berkey Creamery. Both systems use ammonia, a natural refrigerant, to aid in the process. After lunch, the tour continued at the North Chiller Plant, one of three used to circulate more than 1.5 million gallons of chilled water beneath campus to maintain human comfort throughout its buildings. The visit concluded at Beaver Stadium’s air-cooled chiller area and packaged rooftop units above the skyboxes. The tour, facilitated by HVAC technology instructor and club adviser Jason W. Killinger, allowed ACCA members to see emerging technologies used in real-world applications and develop networking opportunities within the industry.Photo provided