ACCE grants its first HVAC degree accreditation to Penn College

Pennsylvania College of Technology’s associate degree in heating, ventilation & air conditioning technology and its bachelor’s degree in heating, ventilation and air conditioning engineering technology were recently accredited by the American Council for Construction Education – making them the first HVAC-related degree programs to receive accreditation from the organization.

Penn College’s bachelor’s degree in construction management has been accredited by ACCE since 2008 and was granted renewed accreditation for seven years in July 2025.

The college’s HVAC degrees were accredited for seven years, receiving a clean review with no deficiencies, weaknesses or concerns.

“Earning ACCE accreditation for our HVAC associate and bachelor’s degree programs is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our faculty,” said Jason W. Killinger, associate professor of HVAC technology. “Receiving a clean review with zero deficiencies reflects the rigor of our curriculum and our commitment to hands-on, applied technology education. This recognition not only validates the quality of our instruction to our students and industry partners, but also ensures our graduates enter the workforce with a credential that sets the gold standard in construction and building systems.”

ACCE accreditation demonstrates that a construction education program has met stringent industry standards of content and quality and that the program performs periodic self-evaluations to keep current with emerging technologies and requirements of the construction industry.

“Achieving the first ACCE accreditation for HVAC degree programs in the nation required years of careful planning, rigorous self-evaluation and tireless effort from our faculty team,” Killinger said. “We are immensely proud of this outcome, which expands the college’s long-standing relationship with ACCE beyond construction management and raises the bar for HVAC education nationwide.”

“We are so proud of our faculty,” said Ellyn A. Lester, assistant dean of construction and architectural technologies. “All their hard work paid off.”

ACCE is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, which is the primary national advocate for maintaining academic quality in the United States.

Penn College’s HVAC degrees are also endorsed by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America, and the program is an approved National Oilheat Research Alliance Bronze Certification training site. To learn more about the HVAC majors, call 570-327-4520.

For information about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education, email Admissions or call toll-free 800-367-9222.