Our Facilities

The HEAT Lab is a laboratory within the Center for Research and Education in Special Environments (CRESE).  In addition to a variety of research technician and student offices and general laboratory spaces, CRESE houses specialized environmental chambers to simulate almost all environments on Earth.

Environmental Chamber

environmental chamber.

We have three environmental chambers used to simulate military operations, occupational work tasks, and athletic performance. Two chambers are capable of creating extreme cold and hot temperatures with a range of relative humidity control from 2-98% while a third chamber is reserved for heat acclimation protocols. These large spaces are equipped with a variety of exercise and work modalities including motorized and self-propelled treadmills, cycle ergometers, and simulated fire suppression equipment.

Immersion Tank

immersion tank.

Two immersion tanks are available to simulate head out water immersion while continuously monitoring research participants. Water temperatures are regulated across warm, neutral, and cold temperatures to study the impact of water temperature on thermoregulation and hydration, autonomic function, and cold water immersion as an exertional heat stroke treatment modality.

Hyper/Hypobaric Chamber

hypobaric chamber.

The hyper/hypobaric chamber is one of a few in the United States that is designed to study both altitude and depth. This chamber can simulate depths down to 5600 feet of seawater and up to 120,000 feet of altitude, beyond the full range of humans on Earth.