PARIS, IL (Chambana Today) — Horizon Health has teamed up with one of the nation’s top engineering programs to evaluate and improve the efficiency of its heating and cooling systems.
Since last fall, four senior mechanical engineering students from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology have been assessing HVAC systems at Horizon Health’s inpatient unit as part of the school’s Capstone Design Experience. Their work includes measuring air temperature, humidity, air velocity, and airborne particulates to identify energy conservation opportunities without compromising patient air quality.
“It is an honor to partner with one of the top engineering schools in the country,” said Jay Carmichael, Horizon Health President and CEO. “Their valuable insights will help us improve our operations for the benefit of our patients and employees.”
Among their findings, the students identified airflow deficiencies in a second-floor non-clinical area. They will submit a final report to Horizon Health before their May graduation.
For the students, the project has offered real-world experience working with an actual client.
“Working with a client is valuable — it gives you the confidence and experience of seeing a project through,” said Will Bell, a senior from Indialantic, Florida.
“It’s a year-long project that allows us to apply what we’ve learned,” added Matthew Schwartz, a senior from Oak Park, California, who will begin his career as a mechanical engineer with the U.S. Navy in Honolulu after graduation.
Rose-Hulman’s undergraduate engineering program has been ranked No. 1 in the nation for 27 consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report.
ON-IMAGE CAPTION
FACEBOOK CAPTION Horizon Health in Paris is getting some help from some of the brightest engineering students in the country. Four seniors from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology — the nation’s top-ranked undergraduate engineering program for 27 straight years — have spent the past several months evaluating the hospital’s HVAC systems. Here’s what they found.
