Lennox Industries Inc., Dallas, TX, has donated more than $30,000 in commercial HVAC equipment to Houston’s San Jacinto College South this year. The college has seen a sizable increase in students among people laid off from the construction and petroleum industries. The college’s HVAC department has grown by 600% in 36 months, thanks in part to its ability to help nearly all graduates find jobs in the HVAC industry.

The Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) department at San Jacinto College South recently received a donation of four pieces of commercial air conditioning equipment from Lennox. Pictured with a Lennox unit from left to right are: HVAC instructor Raul Lopez; students Luke Zimmermann of Pearland and Joseph Allen of Pasadena; HVAC lead instructor Brian Sanders; and students Jose Caldera of Houston, Daniel Maldonado of Houston, and Jorge Palestina of Houston. Photo credit: Jeannie Peng-Armao, San Jacinto College marketing department.

“Heat and humidity have helped make Houston the air conditioning capital of the United States, and local firms hire virtually 100% of the people we graduate each year,” says instructor Brian Sanders. “We’ve grown so fast that our budget for equipment hasn’t been able to keep pace, so the Lennox units have been a blessing for us.” Sanders took over the department in January 2008. He'll use the four premium Lennox rooftop units to train students in commercial air conditioning basics, troubleshooting, and advanced electrical technology. With 260 students enrolled in the HVAC department last semester and 300 students expected this fall, the HVAC department plans to hire a third full-time instructor soon and has six part-time instructors.

“When I first took over the department we had 42 students,” Sanders says. “Our typical student is between the ages of 40 and 50 years old and is retraining for a new career.” Brent Del Toro, a commercial district manager for Lennox Industries, arranged the equipment donation. “We know the future of HVAC holds many exciting opportunities, and this will help give the next wave of contractors, technicians and installers a good working knowledge of Lennox equipment as soon as they enter the workforce,” says Del Toro. “The more they know about Lennox equipment, the better they’ll be able to help customers control energy usage and operational costs.”

This is the second time Lennox has donated equipment to the college. A year ago, Lennox sent residential gas furnaces, condensing units, air conditioners and evaporator coils. San Jacinto College serves more than 27,000 students in more than 140 degree and certificate programs.

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