Working with Brandon Trelstad, the Sustainability Officer for Oregon State University, and OSU Facilities Services, student Kyle Corbett found the career he wanted to pursue. A sixth year pursuing a double degree in Mechanical Engineering and Sustainability, he had the opportunity to learn what happens around campus, how the HVAC systems are managed, and how the university considers ways to improve the systems to make buildings more efficient and comfortable.
Kyle was, amongst other things, trained to create and modify graphical displays on the front end computer of the university’s Siemens controls system; shadowed service calls, outages, and building shutdown system reboots; provided input for control related issues; and discussed the theory of AHU (air handling unit) economizing and various unit configurations and operation.
His primary work was to update older Siemens systems in Richardson Hall; although one option was to modernize the entire system, they decided instead to update the graphical interface to ensure the system software had key information about how the building is functioning. He learned basic principles and components of different HVAC systems throughout campus and worked with Walt Ackermann, an Operating Systems Network Analyst, and Justin Fuszek, an HVAC Control Technician. Kyle was also able to have meaningful conversation about OSU’s work toward sustainability and gain feedback from those working in Facilities Services about work that has been completed and what will need to be done in the future.
What Kyle appreciated most about this opportunity was the chance to connect with those who work on campus and to get the first-hand experience of operating systems and maintenance that many students learn about but don’t necessarily get the application. His internship gave him the opportunity to pursue or explore more niche career options, and he hopes to find a career in creating more sustainable HVAC systems.
Are you interested in a great internship opportunity working with the Sustainability Office? Contact us at sustainability@oregonstate.edu today or reach out to your academic advisor.
CATEGORIES: Academics Campus Sustainability education Energy Sustainable Student Spotlight