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Create comfortable environments by heating and cooling buildings
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Design environmentally friendly HVAC/R systems with solar and geothermal components
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Torch pipes and fittings while installing compressors, condensers and chillers
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No matter the weather, heating and cooling systems keep homes, offices and schools at the optimal temperature. Students learn how HVACR technicians install, maintain and repair these complex and increasingly high-tech systems in our Heating/Air Conditioning & Refrigeration program. As they explore a career field with an employment growth rate that’s three times the national average, students are introduced to the following skills:
- Cut and assemble various piping materials, including ACR copper tubing, CSST and PVC pipe
- Wire series, parallel and series-parallel circuits; install electric disconnects, circuit breakers and fuses
- Install and service a variety of cooling, heating and refrigeration systems, as well as their components
- Fabricate air ducts; evaluate ventilation systems’ performance by measuring air velocity, volume, etc.
Instruction begins with job-site safety, tool use, blueprint reading and other fundamentals before moving to advanced tasks like gas furnace maintenance, refrigerant recovery and heat pump installation. Working in a program lab equipped with appliances made by Carrier, Goodman, Honeywell, Trane and other industry-recognized manufacturers, students collaborate to complete projects that mirror on-the-job tasks.
First- and second-year students, for example, wire thermostats, add ductwork to an existing ventilation system and install condensate, gas and refrigerant lines. Third- and fourth-year students, meanwhile, build a sealed HVAC system, troubleshoot an ice machine and install a geothermal unit. Upperclassmen are encouraged to further develop their skills by securing internship or co-op positions with local companies.
Our Heating/Air Conditioning & Refrigeration program is endorsed by the following organization:
