AE Facilities
To learn more about professional organizations and centers housed at the AE Department of Penn State, please visit the Organizations & Centers web page.
The Building Environment Simulation and Testing (BEST) Facility
BEST facility is designed for full-scale building air quality, thermal comfort and energy consumption studies. Sophisticated controls and acquisition systems enable the facility to run in a wide range of
environmental conditions. The facility is used for both teaching and research activities.
Building Enclosure Test Laboratory (BeTL)
BeTL is a facility designed to conduct performance tests on building enclosure systems and their component parts. Test specimens can include: complete wall or roof assemblies or sub-assemblies, windows, and joints.
Building Components and Envelopse Research Laboratory (BCERL)
The BERL Lab features unique, state of the art, full-scale test facilities to advance research on earthquakes, wind/pressure loading, windborne debris impact, and weathering of building envelope systems.
CAD/Computer Labs
The AE Department computer labs are equipped with the latest AE software, giving our students valuable hands-on experience.
Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) Lighting Laboratory
Learn about the first digital addressable lighting interface (DALI) instructional laboratory in the United States.
Floor Vibration Research Laboratory
Research in this lab focuses on the serviceability of building floor systems (floor vibrations). The two main areas of research are: repairing light-weight floor systems prone to excessive vibration and exploring better ways to predict the expected vibration behavior before construction.
Immersive Construction Lab (ICon Lab)
The ICon Lab a joint project of the Architectural Engineering Department, Penn State's Information Technology Services (ITS), and the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA). The purpose of the lab is to facilitate the effective use of virtual reality (VR) techniques in design, construction and other disciplines.
Structural Model Instructional Laboratory
This lab includes a number of computer-assisted structural model testing apparatuses that are used for instructor-led demonstrations and student-conducted exercises related to structural engineering concepts and structural component/system behaviors.
Learn about the research of the AE faculty.