Lost Password

News

Company
Team

Jane Neil Of Subzero Engineering On How We Can Increase Girls’ Participation in Engineering and Robotics

Normalize Female Engineers: Using social media to showcase women in engineering can normalize the presence of women in these roles and make them more relatable to young girls.

An Interview with Jane Neil by Vanessa Ogle
Originally featured on Medium, this article delves into the gender disparity in STEM and outlines effective ways to boost girls’ engagement in engineering and robotics. Read the full article here: https://www.subzeroeng.com/how-we-can-increase-girls-participation-in-engineering-and-robotics/

Despite the growing importance of engineering and robotics in shaping our future, women remain significantly underrepresented in these fields. This series aims to explore and address the barriers that discourage girls from pursuing careers in engineering and robotics. We are talking to educators, industry leaders, pioneering women engineers, and robotics experts who have made significant contributions to their fields to discuss the strategies they believe can inspire and increase the participation of young girls in engineering and robotics. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Jane Neil, Subzero Engineering.

She is a positive self motivated individual with an outgoing personality who offers an analytical view to life and activities. With thirty years experience working in complex and constantly changing environments I have gained well developed organisational, networking, communication and negotiation skills and ability to prioritise and manage extensive workloads.

Through the unique experience of life and rigour within the Royal Navy, high pressure, time bound commitments on self and team was commonplace, this provided extensive travel and extended experience of numerous cultures.

Strong technical background with practice in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing and Supply Chain gained in heavy engineering within construction, pump equipment and automotive industry. Working knowledge of numerous quality systems and standards both from a compliance and an implementation perspective.

Her recent Supply Chain experiences have developed the ability to understand explicit and implicit customer needs while building internal and external working relationships across global regions. This has also developed Project Management competence, involving multiple stakeholders with varying needs, using influencing skills in a variety of customer and supplier situations, delivering results through people. All aspects of people management from recruitment to performance, an ability to identify support and development needs within teams.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

I’ve always been drawn to engineering, It’s very much an internal feeling. But it was out of necessity as my parents separated when I was very young, so if anything broke in the house, I was the one who wanted to fix it so my mum wouldn’t worry. I would carry out many simple manual tasks, such as plastering walls or laying bathroom tiles. I remember once the washing machine broke, and I gave my mum an electric shock in my attempts to fix it!

Back then, around 35 years ago, it was rare to find females in engineering roles. Luckily for me, the British Royal Navy changed that, and for the first time in history women could go to sea. That also meant that females could be engineers. Before then, the stereotypical WREN was handbag and court shoes, all very British.

I’ve been around the world, and I’ve done a lot. Since the Royal Navy I’ve been in many different manufacturing and engineering environments, from marine engineering, automotive, and pump manufacturing. The oil, gas and nuclear industries were prominent in my earlier career path and that’s before I went into more high-tech electronics.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

When I first started, the uniform issued to me was a mix of both male and female designs, because I was only the seventh woman to go to sea as an engineer. We were pioneers, not entirely sure what to expect. My first military assignment was during the Bosnia War, where I was awarded a NATO medal for peacekeeping. That was in my first three months at sea!

What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering or robotics, and how can we replicate that inspiration for young girls?

The UK Government presented the opportunity to me, but for future generations, targeted marketing and social media can be powerful tools. How can you get a female’s attention when you are competing with fashion and diet pills on Instagram, etc? Highlighting the potential for high salaries in electronics and engineering could be appealing.

We need to educate young people in digestible chunks while they’re still in that sweet spot of discovery and understanding, to show them what the future could look like! There are so many different elements to engineering and, for many, it can be quite overwhelming. Social media can play a big role in making these concepts accessible and normalizing the idea of women in engineering.

It’s also interviews such as these, where you can see that I have a normal life, kids and family, my work-life balance in check, I have a management role, and this is the salary bracket. Being here, proving to people that I’m doing the job, demonstrates to younger females that women are in management and engineering roles now, that we are supportive of those young girls coming in.

The path forward is now carved out, though it’s still narrow. When I was younger, the route wasn’t smooth — you had to climb rocks, overcome obstacles, and break through barriers. But today, that path exists.

I encourage women to walk that path, knowing there are others ready to support them along the way. As managers in engineering environments, it’s our responsibility to recognize and nurture the talent in the young.

There is a duty of care, a real sense of responsibility to guide the talent in the young females and give them stretch assignments. I’m always challenging the females in the work environment to be uncomfortable. Because being uncomfortable is good. It may not feel that way, but you must move your thinking because you only ever grow when you’re out of your comfort zone. Uncomfortableness equals growth and you will have no idea what you can achieve if you don’t learn to see it positively!

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

My sense of responsibility stems from the fact that I didn’t really have any work mentors or significant figures guiding me through my career. While I never felt recognized for my struggles, it taught me the importance of recognizing and nurturing talent in others. People nowadays are so concerned with themselves that they don’t have the time, space, or energy to recognize other’s talents, but that doesn’t mean that you’re less talented.

The adversity that I went through helped make me the person and the leader that I am today. It possibly makes me fiercer and more courageous. My career path may not have been a smooth ride, but that’s not real life, is it?

Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

A coach called David Allen, and his program called Getting Things Done (GTD) made a significant impact on me. I got hold of an audio file of a seminar that he did probably 15 years ago, and I just loved it. It’s about time management & high performance. I still listen to the audio file today if I get bogged down or too busy. I’ll just play one of them and it lifts me up to where my thinking needs to be. It taught me how to mind map and how not to worry about the things I wasn’t doing so I had the energy to focus on the highest value projects. And it taught me how to extract those blockages from my brain, whether via high tech or low tech so that it wasn’t jamming my creativity.

As females we often worry about what we’re not doing, and don’t celebrate what we are doing well. Changing that mindset has made me a better mother, wife, employee, manager, everything. One of the most valuable pieces of advice I ever received came from the GTDs. I use it with my team: when we are naturally good at something, we often take that magic and put it in a zero-value bucket because we think it’s natural and therefore not special. We need to take our natural talents back out of the zero-value bucket as it’s our super power!

Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life or your work?

My favorite life lesson quote is from a Jack Canfield book. It’s ‘no blaming, no complaining, no excuses’. It leaves you nowhere to go, so you’re forced to own it. I was always taught by my mother to look in before you look out. We live in a world today where we’re so easily distracted with information bombarding us from all angles, that we’re constantly looking to the next answer and not concentrating on what we have in front of us. I believe the answers are always inside us. We just need to find the peace and quiet inside and take a minute to listen.

I use this life lesson quote in my day-to-day work and ask my team to do the same. Once you take the blame or complain out of the equation it becomes easier to look at the challenge and deal with it head on.

According to this report, only about 16% of engineering positions in the US are held by women. This reflects great historical progress, but it also shows that more work still has to be done to empower women. In your opinion and experience what is currently holding back women from Engineering and Robotics?

As females, we can sometimes gravitate to areas and environments where there are more women around, sub-consciously avoiding those that are more male-centric. Women might have an idea of what a normal day looks like if they work in, for example, marketing, which is perhaps a more balanced role, but I don’t think we’re quite there yet on the engineering front. Again, social media can help in demystifying roles, and showing what a normal day in an engineering role is like. In addition, the availability of more equal salaries in this industry helps women to know that they are valued more equally.

This might be intuitive to you but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should enter the Engineering and Robotics fields?

Women are natural problem solvers. We look at things in a different perspective from men. Our brains are wired differently, so we can look at a challenge from all the different angles, which in turn offers more innovation. It’s a beautiful thing for a female to bring to engineering environments and there is huge satisfaction that comes from problem-solving, improving things, and innovating. Your self-esteem, your happiness, your take on life, the confidence that grows; you don’t have to think or feel like a man to bring that talent into the workplace. Diversity leads to greater innovation, and having more women in engineering will only accelerate progress.

Can you please share “5 Things We Need To Increase Girls’ Participation in Engineering and Robotics?”

1. Role Models in Schools: While STEM stuff is prominent in schools right now, it’s doesn’t quite translate into jobs available for females in engineering. Middle school is a critical time for kids to discover potential career paths. Having female engineers speak at schools and share their experiences can help demystify the field and inspire young girls.

2. Clear Educational Pathways: Highlighting courses available in college and how they translate into a career for women, would be a big improvement. If I’d had that knowledge at that age, my path would have been a much easier one to take.

3. Educate in Bite-sized Chunks: Educating young people to show them what their potential can look like. If we introduce young girls to the many different elements of engineering and the many different industries that engineering is a part of, rather than just a high overview, would really help the next generation to understand the innovation and change aspect. All too many times, people just don’t understand what we do, so to break down the many various elements of it in bite-size chunks of learning would help.

4. Normalize Female Engineers: Using social media to showcase women in engineering can normalize the presence of women in these roles and make them more relatable to young girls.

5. Promote Salary Parity: Demonstrating to young people that they can earn the same salaries as their equal male counterparts is powerful. Women deserve equal parity and pay, and that was part of the attraction for me when I was younger. I don’t think we’re fully there yet, but we are moving in the right direction.

In your opinion, what are the most effective ways to introduce girls to engineering and robotics at an early age?

It would be helpful if school visits with groups of females who had shown an interest in engineering could come into the company, how often do you see the inside of an organization at that age? Introducing young people to what the manufacturing environment looks like, how it feels to be in the building and meeting the people that work there would be very effective. If local businesses could be attached to school programs, and have classes come and physically walk around the business — it could be enough to spark a light.

Educational programs at the school level, hands-on learning experiences and opportunities, and fostering inclusive and supportive environments would encourage young women into the industry. A lot of impressionable young women worry that the industry is too male dominated and that can feel quite intimidating. Seeing real women who actually work in the industry and talking with them about day-to-day life would put a lot of young women at ease.

30% of office and 25% of production are female, we are a super supportive bunch! We want the absolute best for each other, it’s a magical environment. We would love to show our next female generation just how supportive we can be.

How do you think the portrayal of women in STEM fields by media and educational materials impacts girls’ interest in engineering and robotics?

Social media can impact girls’ interests, but I don’t think there is enough positive content to be found on the platforms, or that it’s real enough. It’s still very much at a high overview perspective, and it needs to be broken down into much more real-life examples for young people to be able to digest and absorb. Our marketing video has many women in production, and it does a great job in showing the reality of the industry. We need more displays of females in their normal place of work.

What advice would you give to girls who are interested in engineering and robotics but are hesitant to take the first step?

The path has been carved now, and, as females, we should be stepping onto it. The more that we do, the wider the path will become and the smoother the journey. We are always building our way for the future of females, so we’re not only responsible for ourselves, but we’re also responsible for whoever is coming next. We don’t have to be masculine anymore. We can make a real difference in engineering, and that is very, very satisfying. It’s a role where you can look back and say, I made a change. That could be a change in technology or an office environment for other females. Feminism has evolved; it is about heart, soul and humility. Bringing your diversity to an engineering environment where you are involved in the change for the future is a nourishing and rewarding place to be.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

“Women in Clean Tech” is the movement I’d inspire!

Women Engineering a Sustainable Future. It combines two crucial elements: increasing diversity in engineering and addressing environmental challenges. This movement would promote mentorship programs, collaborative eco-tech projects, and sustainability-focused innovations.

By encouraging more women to enter engineering fields, we can tap into a wealth of undiscovered potential. This diversity brings fresh ideas and approaches to problem-solving, which is crucial when tackling complex issues like climate change and resource scarcity. Utilizing individual talents to strengthen a group, recognizing and leveraging the unique skills and perspectives that each member brings to the table.

I recently implemented a recyclables project, led by a female on my team is a small example of this potential. Imagine this amplified globally — women engineers spearheading a more sustainable world. By merging gender diversity with environmental action, we can create positive change that benefits everyone and creates a powerful synergy.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

About The Interviewer: Vanessa Ogle is a mom, entrepreneur, inventor, writer, and singer/songwriter. Vanessa’s talent in building world-class leadership teams focused on diversity, a culture of service, and innovation through inclusion allowed her to be one of the most acclaimed Latina CEO’s in the last 30 years. She collaborated with the world’s leading technology and content companies such as Netflix, Amazon, HBO, and Broadcom to bring innovative solutions to travelers and hotels around the world. Vanessa is the lead inventor on 120+ U.S. Patents. Accolades include: FAST 100, Entrepreneur 360 Best Companies, Inc. 500 and then another six times on the Inc. 5000. Vanessa was personally honored with Inc. 100 Female Founder’s Award, Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and Enterprising Women of the Year among others. Vanessa now spends her time sharing stories to inspire and give hope through articles, speaking engagements and music. In her spare time she writes and plays music in the Amazon best selling new band HigherHill, teaches surfing clinics, trains dogs, and cheers on her children.

Data Center
Educational Article

How AI is Revolutionizing the Data Center Industry

Article by Gordon Johnson, Subzero Senior CFD Manager

The data center industry is, and will continue to be, in high demand for storage and process capabilities while at the same time facing increasing pressure to be more efficient, more secure and more scalable. This is where we see AI, the technology rapidly reshaping how we use our data, assisting us in our quest to be smarter, yet greener than ever.

While some say (perhaps correctly) that right now in 2024, AI is not as widespread as many would have us believe – AI is estimated to be in only 5% of data centers – the reality is that 20% of data centers are expected to have some kind of AI as early as 2026. The AI market is projected to reach US $407bn by 2027. 

There is also much speculation on how to scale AI applications, so we’re seeing some data centers increasing their infrastructure to support future AI applications. In addition, some completed, or near-completed, designs are being revisited to support projected AI demand.

Operational Efficiency

AI’s predictive capabilities extend beyond maintenance to capacity planning, helping data centers anticipate and prepare for future demands, enabling efficient planning and scaling of operations to meet growing demand.

By providing insights into usage trends and capacity needs, AI assists in infrastructure management, planning upgrades and expansions, and ensuring data centers remain ahead of the curve.

AI helps improve Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) by analyzing patterns and making real-time adjustments to power usage. This leads to more sustainable operations and reduces operational costs. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software capitalizes on this analysis, enabling the validation of a design or restructure to ensure you don’t have to deal with a worst-case scenario.

Energy Management

AI applications are escalating power consumption at the time we need to become greener and more sustainable. AI has the potential to be used to assist in operating data centers in a smarter and more energy-conscious way and, if designed and deployed correctly, could help us in our goal of a net zero data center. 

AI-powered systems can dynamically adjust temperatures and airflow based on real-time data, optimizing cooling processes and significantly reducing energy consumption. Facilities that are specifically designed to run AI applications will be cooled predominantly with liquid cooling going forward. This trend will also impact COLOs since they’ll need to offer HPC and AI capabilities to stay competitive. 

Data center designers and managers are doing their best to separate high and regular-density equipment within the whitespace to drive future efficiency. Rack densities, chips, servers, power consumption and heat levels are expected to increase with the demand that AI requirements place on them.

Cooling

It’s safe to say that because of AI, the future of IT cooling and thermal management is likely to be a hybrid solution comprising both air and liquid cooling technologies.

While we can expect rack densities to continue to increase, not everyone plans to deploy AI and ML (Machine Learning). Data center workloads show that air will still be useful for cooling ITE, it’s typically going to be HPC servers where it will continue to get more difficult if not impossible to cool with air alone. It’s also important to emphasize that not all ITE will be at the high end of the heat scale in the foreseeable future, meaning we’ll still be cooling the majority of ITE with air. Moving forward, we’ll need to find the balance in terms of efficiency, cost, and TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) when it comes to cooling options. Hybrid Cooling Infrastructure (air and liquid) is what we’ll be seeing more and more of moving forward.

The form of liquid cooling that is widely used is Direct-to-Chip (DTC)/Cold Plate liquid cooling. This technology uses a cooling fluid circulated through server CPUs and GPUs to absorb and dissipate heat. It is an effective way to cool AI ITE. DTC liquid cooling improves energy efficiency compared to traditional air cooling when deployed with high-density racks and can also reduce power utilization and overall water usage. 

One important thing to consider is that DTC cooling only removes up to 70-75% of the heat generated by the ITE rack, leaving 25-30% that still needs to be removed by traditional air-cooling systems. Right now, the industry appears to be adopting DTC quicker than other forms of liquid cooling. This may or may not change, but once again this shows that air-cooling in our data centers is still needed and is not going away. We can expect to see its infrastructure continue to grow and be around for years to come.

Conclusion

AI is profoundly impacting the data center industry in several ways, modifying how data centers are designed, managed and operated. AI brings unprecedented levels of efficiency, security and scalability and, by using this technology, data centers can meet today’s growing demands while reducing costs and environmental impact. As AI technology continues to advance, its transformative effects on data centers will herald a new era of smart, sustainable, and resilient digital infrastructure.

AI is not just a tool for incremental improvements; it addresses the challenges faced by the data industry to reduce its carbon footprint, improve sustainability and bring us closer to net zero. As data volumes continue to climb, the integration of AI will become even more critical for the data center industry.

Company
Educational Article

Harnessing the Power of Operational Scalability

Article by Shane Kilfoil, Subzero Engineering President

In today’s fast-paced business environment, scalability is not just a buzzword; it’s a necessity. Entrepreneurs often get trapped in the daily grind of running their businesses, neglecting to put in place the systems, procedures, and people needed for sustainable growth. Without this foundation, companies hit bottlenecks, suffer inefficiencies, and face the risk of stalling or failing.

To be able to adapt and expand operations as your business grows is not just about adding employees or customers. Sure, that’s the main target, but what about the processes, systems or infrastructure to successfully and sustainably manage your customer needs?

Operational scalability cuts across all aspects of the business. It’s too easy to just focus on the production line if you’re a manufacturer. Sales and financial operations, through to supply chain operations also need to be considered and scaled up to meet the customer’s needs in a timely fashion. It’s vital to ensure that as the business evolves and grows, it doesn’t compromise on quality or efficiency across any aspect of the operation.

The investment of time and energy resources

The term operational scalability is personal to your business, the growth and evolution of it and where you see yourself being in X number of years.

For profitable growth, investing time and effort into your processes, your systems and the people that drive those processes are vitally important. If you haven’t set the groundwork, then when growth opportunities come along you might end up finding that the company is scrambling. This is not sustainable. I often use the analogy of comparing ourselves to a restaurant. You know how many meals you can make and on occasion you have a rush. You may be able to hire one or two extra people temporarily because you know that during this occasional rush period, you can meet the excess demand. That’s great for the short term, but as a company in a high-growth environment, you would need to be able to support that rush every day, every week, every month. And that becomes very hard to do. Most people can do a heavy lift for perhaps a week but then employees start getting tired. People start getting sick.

The organization needs to be set up to cater for those demand spikes, and then scale up and move to where the demand is coming from. A good foundation allows you to either quickly scale or absorb spikes without too much issue and sustainably maintain that through the course of your business.

Scaling up

We recently moved Simplex from a California-based manufacturing operation to our new Salt Lake City facility. It wasn’t that the California operation was operating poorly, in fact, they were a pretty efficient operation. But as we looked at its ability to scale, we realized we had some physical constraints in that the building was not large enough or set up as we needed. We also recognized that many of the commodities used are very similar between Simplex and Subzero, so we decided to move both businesses under a single 155,000 square foot facility giving the Simplex operation, which beforehand was restricted to a 40,000 square feet facility, room to grow.

Relocating allowed us to bring both businesses under a single roof. It gave us the option to scale the business significantly and allowed our engineering teams to manage a single supply chain. As an organization, we had to bring one business culture into another and help people adjust not just to the commercial side in terms of how they go to market with their customers, but also to what the culture was in Salt Lake City. Ultimately it was the right decision because it gave us the ability to scale our business and workforce during times of high demand. As an added advantage, there’s also been a cross-pollination of knowledge sharing and we now have a more cross-trained workforce. Should we ever get hit by another pandemic, this will allow us to continue our manufacturing capability without being heavily impacted.

Scalability or sustainability

Interpreting scalability can be difficult for many organizations. Maybe some businesses have got the term ‘operational scalability’ wrong because they haven’t been quite as sustainable in their business growth. For some, operational stability is about having a robust network so if there’s a supply shortage they can pull from another solution. For others, it’s more about how I grow. For me, operational sustainability is sustained, consistent growth. If I can scale it, can I maintain the same level of service and quality that my customer expects during that growth cycle? If I can’t, I’m probably not operationally robust enough. It’s a constant learning curve to consistently improve, and as you improve, you need to keep yourself nimble enough to meet demand or even a change in direction if there is demand for a new product. The organization needs to be set up both on the front end and the back end to support changes in demand capacity or changes in the customer’s direction.

Change management

It’s not just about the customer. It’s also about your employees. How do we keep the team motivated during these periods of scalability?

Trying to rally everyone around a common goal seems simple, but not everyone listens and learns the same way. Communication is key because once people understand, they’re often able to take it on board and help drive towards it. Effective communication and clear goal setting in driving operational scalability is essential for company-wide change. Understanding the purpose of tasks is essential for motivation and performance, and the successful implementation of new systems and processes relies heavily on the acceptance and adaptation of team members. Not everyone is comfortable with growth and change, however, self-managed, self-motivated and adaptable leaders who can handle change can be empowered with the responsibility to contribute to the organization’s growth.

Industry shifts

Covid accelerated the industry’s growth, emphasizing the importance of supply chain management and the ability to respond to changing demands quickly. At Subzero, we shifted towards greater flexibility in serving customers and the potential for addressing more esoteric requests due to increased capacity.

Operational sustainability and scalability are vital for growth and profits, and investing time, effort, and resources into processes, systems, and people is essential. But all the time you’re investing in these, a close eye needs to be kept on technology changes and clients’ demands. We’re currently looking at the role of AI in the data center industry and the challenges of integrating AI into systems while maintaining our sustainability goals. We need to plan for future infrastructure to support AI and other emerging technologies.

Our industry’s shift towards liquid cooling highlights challenges in terms of cost and scalability. I predict a hybrid solution will emerge, with traditional cooling methods used alongside liquid cooling, and we need to be sure that Subzero’s products will be scalable and adaptable to future requirements. Our ongoing journey towards becoming a total solutions provider focuses on sustainability and meeting customer needs, as well as the impact of rising interest rates on customers’ spending capabilities.

Company
Team

International Women’s Day 2024

In celebration of International Women’s Day 2024, we applaud some of the women within Senneca and Subzero Engineering who buck the trend of bias, stereotypes and discrimination.

Across the tech or manufacturing industry, many women hold the same roles as men but are never valued equally. The campaign theme for International Women’s Day 2024 is Inspire Inclusion. Today, we take action to drive gender parity by extolling our female engineers and operational personnel who create so much value across Senneca Holdings.

With that being said, let us meet some of the inspirational women on our team, and learn a little more about them and their role – in their own words.

Alexa McFarlane
Buyer in the Supply Chain for Subzero Engineering

This is the first organization I’ve been with where I don’t feel that being a woman is a conscious issue.

This is the first organization I’ve been with where I don’t feel that being a woman is a conscious issue. It has its moments, but I think the tech industry, in general, feels more data and performance-driven. There’s trust in the data and the systems that we use. And when our numbers are good, it doesn’t matter who you are.

I’m consistently impressed by how many women we have on the manufacturing floor in our offices. I feel like we add an element of humanity where we don’t judge each other if we’ve had a bad day and support each other in those rough moments. And when you have a great day, it’s fantastic to have people to celebrate with. We recognize that everybody makes mistakes. It’s nice not constantly feeling on the spot or that you can’t afford to have one of those days. Just having that breathing space allows all of us here to grow and be ourselves, personally and professionally. We’ve all achieved things most of us wouldn’t have expected by being allowed that breathing room.

What advice would I give to someone wanting to come into manufacturing? First off, don’t be scared. Don’t be afraid to get dirty. But the biggest thing is learn to toot your own horn. It’s not something that comes particularly naturally. You discover very quickly that there often isn’t anybody to do it for you. Bragging about yourself is okay.

Cathy Knutson
Office Manager & Site Services Install Team Coordinator

Women’s backgrounds, their life experiences and the multifaceted jobs they have often mean they need to be very detail-oriented. I didn’t think I was a good project manager until I told my manager that in the space of two weeks, I had moved my kids into a new apartment, got everybody enrolled in school, and got myself a new job, he asked me how I got all of that done in two weeks and why I wasn’t a project manager? I had never thought of that. It’s just something that we do, and we don’t apply it to the business sector, which we should do.

I feel my role needs to be very positive. It’s about encouraging people to know they already have the solution and know what to do. You have to go out of your comfort zone and you’re going to have to problem-solve in areas that you didn’t think was your job. I’m able to see where teams can benefit from working together or see what’s going on and say, I’ve been able to do this in the past, how can I help you with that? Invariably there’s always something to do to help, a natural skill for women because of the different viewpoints we see things from.

Seeing men and women on the production floor, it’s good to see them standing next to each other, working and problem-solving together. To me, that’s really exciting.

Chelsea Traver
Vice President of Finance at Senneca Holdings

One of the key ways to empower is to give people the ability to make decisions. 

I’ve been in manufacturing for a while, but it’s a very male-dominated profession. However, I like being able to hold my own, being viewed as a trusted advisor, influencing things or being sought out for how to improve processes.

The biggest strength I bring to my role is my ability to build partnerships with any area of the business, whether it be sales, marketing, operations or direct labor. I don’t speak financially even though I’m in finance. I look to find common ground in which to move forward.

As you grow as a leader, you become less task-based and more development-based. It doesn’t matter whether you are a male or female of any race if they have the drive to grow, as a leader, you have the responsibility to help them get there. As a leader, your job is to empower people and give them the opportunities to step out and take a leap, while being there to catch them if they fall or praise them if they do well.

One of the key ways to empower is to give people the ability to make decisions. Diversity leads to better innovation because you get different ideas. Not everybody has the same upbringing. It’s where they came from in life and what they bring to the conversation. Sometimes if you only surround yourself with like-minded people, you can become set in the ways that you do things.

Gloria Huegel
Vice President of Human Resources at Senneca and Subzero Engineering

Organizations need to reinforce women in the workplace and recognize those who have excelled in technology, overcoming that traditional glass ceiling or barriers to entry.

I see my role in human resources as identifying and supporting women and people from underrepresented groups. We miss out as an organization when we don’t identify and leverage that talent, it’s extremely important for our success and our differentiation in the market to have those multiple voices.

Mentorships helped me get through different levels and different industries, and I found it very important to build those relationships and trust early on in my career. Now that I have acceded to a leadership level, I see it as my role to look out for other females who may not have had the same opportunities that I did.

Organizations need to reinforce women in the workplace and recognize those who have excelled in technology, overcoming that traditional glass ceiling or barriers to entry. Women who may have had to work a little harder to get into that space is a commendable achievement. And we need to recognize that.

With women primarily being the caretakers not only of children, but of aging parents, neighbors, and patrons within the church, they need lots of different communication styles. I think women adapt to their audience very well and wear multiple hats. They change their style according to what the situation demands.

At both Senneca and Subzero, we prioritize an environment of respect for all perspectives. We miss out if we censor or shut down different voices and different opinions. Diversity keeps us all growing and progressing, and that will differentiate us for success.

Jane Neil
Supply Chain Manager at Subzero Engineering

Women in management positions and leadership positions speak volumes to the younger females.

I have an extensive background in tech, starting as an electrical engineer in the British Royal Navy. I’ve also worked in oil and gas, electronics and construction. In my younger days, I would feel that you had to give 150% to stand still, but back then, the opportunities weren’t as available as they are now.

I have seen a lot of changes over the years and have encountered some challenges. But I think that if you turn back time, I wouldn’t want to take away any of those challenges. I think they’ve made me the character that I’m to be.

A lot of women don’t believe they’ll have the same opportunities as men. But I think having women’s voices on social media helps. I’ve also worked in places where we have a women in technology mentorship program where the senior leaders that are females are paired up with the younger females that want to advance and coach them. Women in those management positions and leadership positions speak volumes to the younger females.

I feel very determined to support the women here. I make extra effort to make sure they know that I’m around and that I’m here to support them, spending time with them one-on-one and letting them trust that there’s a path there for them. Sometimes we just need to have someone believe in us.

Women bring diversity and different approaches. Sometimes females can bring a softness to harder environments. Whenever there’s diversity, there’s innovation and growth. Everyone has their unique journeys in life and their unique backgrounds and cultures, which makes them look at things from a bunch of different angles. It’s proven that the more diversity in companies, the better their innovation. Everyone brings something different.

Liz Carranza
Production Planner at Subzero Engineering

The more people you have with different backgrounds and the different approaches that you have, the more well-rounded you become.

Communication as a production planner is imperative. You can’t get anything done if you’re not constantly talking to the production manager or the engineers. I have to keep tabs on what’s coming or going.

For companies looking to attract or empower more women, they would need to look at what Senneca is doing with regard to its Diversity and Inclusion Committee. It’s progressive with people from all backgrounds, ethnicities and genders highlighting our differences and how it makes the business great.

Diversity is really important in a company because it allows companies to be more empathetic. The more people you have with different backgrounds and the different approaches that you have, the more well-rounded you become.

Makenna Deamer
Sales Application Engineer at Subzero Engineering

When you are surrounded by people who know and trust you as a good engineer, being a female engineer is no different than being a male one.

I’ve always been into engineering. My dad’s an engineer and he’s always encouraged me to kind of look into things and how and why they work. I’ve worked in various industries with different jobs, however, this is the first job that I’ve had where I actually have an engineering title.

As a female engineer, you tend to run into a lot of biases. It’s unfortunate and something that we can work to change. But the only way that we’re ever going to be able to change is by creating better environments in which those biases don’t exist.

There’s a lot of distrust but once you’ve earned that trust, it’s no longer a roadblock to breaking into a position. If you can get past the initial double-checking of your work or questioning your decisions, and get to a point where you are surrounded by people who know and trust you as a good engineer, being a female engineer is no different than being a male one.

One of the challenges as a woman in engineering is coming across as assertive, but not so much that it’s seen as emotional. One of the best ways that you can do this is by developing a good rapport with your team and encouraging a positive environment for women with the technology. This starts from the top down.

Collaborative environments that allow women to speak their piece within informal settings where it’s less likely to come across incorrectly, or teambuilding activities that help encourage women to find their voice and to encourage positive communication all help to contribute to a positive environment.

Getting women, especially young girls, interested in science, technology, engineering and math is critical. One of the best things about tech is that you can start children early getting into STEM and getting them comfortable with computers and science and asking those questions. This can make a huge difference in how comfortable they are within the environment. It can help counteract other biases that can happen as the more comfortable you are, the more you’re likely to stay within the field, even as challenges arise.

Yvette “Shorty” Garcia
Lead on Manufacturing Line at Subzero Engineering

We get more women into the industry by asking their opinions. Women are going to see that. They’re going to read this.

I’m the only lead woman out of six men. I can be more humble than the guys. I pay attention to my workers, I care about their opinions and what we’re doing. I take their advice and they always give me feedback. I like having women on my line because they can be more detail-oriented. I love working with women because they’re easy to train. Women want to be challenged and to learn and build.

We get more women into the industry by asking their opinions. Women are going to see that. They’re going to read this. They’re going to see somebody working in manufacturing or tech and that gives other young women the incentive to do the same.

Forging equality

When we inspire others to understand and value women’s inclusion, we forge a better world.

And when women themselves are inspired to be included, there’s a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment.

International Women’s Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating women’s social, economic, cultural, and political achievements. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality.

#InspireInclusion

Company
Press Release

Subzero Engineering Relocates Headquarters to New State-of-the-Art Facility in Salt Lake City, Utah

Subzero Engineering, the global leader in turnkey engineering solutions for data centers, industrial cleanrooms and mission-critical environments, is delighted to announce a new 155,000-square-foot facility in Salt Lake City, Utah. The extensive premises enables the company to expand its capabilities while enabling the company to relocate its Simplex manufacturing facility into the same premises.

The new headquarters is set to transform the industry with its cutting-edge amenities. The new facility comprises 95,000 square feet of dedicated manufacturing space, 25,000 square feet for shipping, receiving and storage, and an additional 35,000 square feet of office space.

This strategic move, coupled with recent expansions in the sales, engineering, manufacturing, and installation teams, positions Subzero Engineering for remarkable growth in the coming years.

The new facility, located at 805 South 3600 West, Salt Lake City, Utah, represents a significant milestone for the company and the industry as a whole. This new facility will provide the space needed to support the combined teams of Subzero Engineering and Simplex Modular Cleanrooms, one of the most prominent names in modular cleanrooms, softwall curtains, strip doors, separation and process isolation, and their growing customer base. It will also encourage and develop the collaboration and teamwork of both teams to assist customers with custom projects, product enhancements, and new products while delivering support for all cleanroom and separation needs.

With an entire area dedicated to research and development, the company will be in a pivotal position to progress innovation, design and productivity. This is expected to become a prominent resource, establishing the company as a key partner in the evolution of the industry.

Take a Video Tour OF THE FACILITY

Notable highlights of the relocation include:

  • Expansive Product Demo Room
    The product demo room showcases the full range of the organization’s data center and cleanroom products, allowing customers to comprehensively explore their options. The new product demonstration room is a testament to the company’s commitment to showcasing its cutting-edge offerings.
  • Cross-Product Knowledge Sharing
    The new facility fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing between the data center and cleanroom product lines.
  • Research and Development
    The dedicated Research and Development area will be the company’s epicenter of innovation, driving the development of cutting-edge solutions.
  • Enhanced Inventory and Materials Storage
    The larger space allows for expanded inventory stock and improved materials storage capabilities, ensuring timely deliveries and better service.
  • Improved Customer Support
    With the additional personnel and facilities, Subzero Engineering is committed to providing even better customer support and assistance.
  • Central Shipping Hub
    Salt Lake City’s strategic location as a central shipping hub will expedite shipping and receiving processes, benefiting customers nationwide.

Shane Kilfoil, President of Mission Critical Environments, covering both Subzero Engineering and Simplex product lines said: “We’ve gone from starting in a garage, to now having a 155,000 square foot facility and seven different production lines. We’ve also tripled our workforce to help keep up with demand over the past 18 months. We foresee that continuing — but we also recognize that not everything can be done just with people. So, we’re making active investments in machinery and automation that will help us to further keep up with demand and take the strain off our employees to allow them to focus on other more value-added offerings and solutions that we can give to the customers and end users.”

Schedule an in-Person tour of the facility
Data Center
Video

Data Center Sustainability and CFDs

Video Overview

In the first episode of “The Data Center Expert Series”, we’re joined by Gordon Johnson, Senior CFD Manager. Gordon talks us through his career and role at Subzero Engineering, before sharing insights into his latest white paper, titled The Future of Containment – Has Air Cooling Reached Its Limits? which looks into the cooling options available to cope with today’s rising demands on data centers.

Further highlights include:

  • Subzero Engineering’s company history and its key differentiators
  • Data center containment’s role in sustainability and cost savings
  • Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD), and why is it vital to help operators drive data center performance and efficiency
  • Insight from 15 years in the data center industry and the challenges facing the sector
Download the Whitepaper
Cleanrooms
Video

Simplex Cleanrooms Overview

Video Overview

In this latest installment of “The Cleanroom Expert Series”, we’re joined by Jerry Cross, Simplex Cleanroom Regional Sales Manager at Subzero Engineering. Jerry talks us through why Simplex cleanrooms by Subzero Engineering is the right choice for its customers and how, with a 40-year industry heritage, customers directly benefit from its industry knowledge and experience.

Other key discussion points and takeaways from this episode include:

  • Simplex product line history
  • Custom cleanroom solutions
  • The advantages of a modular cleanroom solution
Learn more about Simplex Cleanrooms by Subzero Engineering
Company
Video

Video Tour of Subzero Engineering’s Massive Industry-Leading Facility

Video Overview

Welcome to Subzero Engineering’s groundbreaking facility in the heart of Salt Lake City, Utah—an impressive 155,000 square-foot powerhouse of progress that’s set to redefine the industry. Join us on a journey through our state-of-the-art facility, where innovation meets immersion in our expansive product demo room showcasing cutting-edge data center and cleanroom solutions. Focused on collaboration, our cross-product knowledge-sharing approach brings together teams for comprehensive support on custom projects and new innovations. With a dedicated research and development area, we’re pushing the boundaries of engineering solutions. Our enhanced inventory and materials storage, coupled with a larger workforce, ensure efficient operations and improved customer support. Positioned strategically in Salt Lake City, a central shipping hub expedites deliveries nationwide. Hear from Shane Kilfoil, our President, as he reflects on our journey from a garage startup to this impressive facility, underscoring our commitment to value-added solutions. Join us in pioneering the future of turn-key engineering solutions for critical environments. Visit our website and schedule a tour to witness the Subzero Engineering difference firsthand.

Further highlights include:

  • Tour our expansive product demo room featuring our complete Data Center and Cleanroom product line
  • Learn how cross-product knowledge sharing contributes to the turn key solutions we provide for critical environments
  • Learn about the value of our dedicated Research and Development area
  • See our robust material and inventory storage capabilities
  • Gain confidence in our improved customer support department, ensuring your needs are met promptly and efficiently
  • Details about our centralized shipping hub which guarantees faster delivery times and smoother logistics
Read the Press Release
How does Simplex Cleanrooms Benefit from the New Facility?
Data Center
Educational Article

Dynamic Operations: Safeguard Your Data Center With CFD Simulation Software Safeguard your Data Center with CFD Simulation

Article by Gordon Johnson, Subzero Senior CFD Manager as published in Data Center Knowledge

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software can help data centers anticipate cooling failures and optimize energy efficiency.

What happens if critical components within a data center, such as cooling units, fail unexpectedly? And what if an entire cooling system fails at once due to a power outage or a major event, like a breakdown at the chilled water plant? The solution lies in using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling and simulation, leveraging software tailored specifically for data center environments.

The recent rise in AI has led to vast amounts of computational power and data storage being required. This has led to a significant increase in the need for high-performance servers capable of handling complex tasks, pushing data centers to adopt a more robust infrastructure. However, promises to invest in AI products are clashing directly with assurances to reduce CO2 emissions. 

Even tech giants such as Google, Amazon, and Microsoft admit their net-zero targets are in jeopardy. Google recently revealed that its greenhouse gas emissions had risen 48% over the past five years and that electricity consumption by data centers, alongside supply chain emissions, were the primary cause of the increase, endangering its goal of being carbon-neutral by 2030.

The International Energy Agency has estimated that data centers’ total electricity consumption could double from 2022 levels to 1,000 terawatt hours in 2026, with AI resulting in data centers using 4.5% of global energy generation by 2030, according to calculations by research firm SemiAnalysis. 

As power and heat loads continue to rise, efficient cooling in the data center is becoming more and more challenging. Cooling is responsible for up to 40% of a data center’s total energy consumption. In addition, data center thermal management is often a reactive process, meaning we tend to wait for server alarms or increased server inlet temperatures before we react.

Key Benefits of CFD Simulation for Data Centers 

Data center CFD software creates a 3D model or digital twin of the physical attributes of the facility, including the performance characteristics of the cooling units, information technology equipment (ITE), and other significant equipment, described by some as an MRI of what is really happening inside the data center. 

CFD provides a detailed understanding of the complex interactions between airflow, heat removal from the ITE, and cooling systems. This enables data center operators to make informed decisions to reduce energy consumption and improve overall cooling efficiency.

The key benefits of using CFD software include, but are not limited, to: 

  1. Identifying potential server ‘hot spots’ 
  2. Validating the pre-construction phase of a data center 
  3. Correctly placing additional ITE and cooling units in existing data centers 
  4. Optimizing airflow and reducing excess and unnecessary cooling 
  5. Simulating via transient modeling the ITE ride-out time due to power and/or cooling system failure. 

Data Center CFD Software as a Design Tool 

CFD software can aid in the design phase of data centers by simulating a variety of layout configurations. It looks at the placement of servers, racks, cooling units, and airflow containment systems to ensure optimal thermal performance, starting with the design phase down to the operational phase of the data center. This means that designs can be validated by avoiding and preventing costly mistakes. 

However, CFD is not just for new design. Legacy data centers can also take advantage of the software through simulating the results of proposed changes to the existing room layout such as capacity redistribution or ITE expansion. In all cases, a CFD allows data center operators to make data-based informed decisions while minimizing or eliminating critical potential equipment downtime. 

A CFD also accurately simulates and provides a detailed analysis of airflow and temperature distribution at all stages of the cooling process. These patterns include temperature distribution in both cold and hot aisles, in addition to the temperature across the server inlets from the bottom to the top of the racks. 

Data center CFD simulations further evaluate the performance of different cooling strategies. For example, it can simulate air cooling strategies deployed in conjunction with liquid cooling designs, such as those using air cooling to remove the supplemental ITE heat not removed via the circulating liquid in Direct-to-chip cold plate cooling.

Additionally, CFD now can accurately reduce risk from power and cooling system failure with transient modeling, showing via time increments what will happen to the ITE when either cooling is lost or both cooling and fan power (airflow) fail. 

When both cooling and fan power fails throughout the data center, cooling is not lost immediately since the fans will take some time to come to a complete stop. CFD can simulate this period, showing how hot the ITE server inlets will get and how soon this will happen before power is restored to the data center. 

How CFD Can Reduce Data Centers’ Carbon Footprint 

The growing focus on data center sustainability has highlighted our need to work towards energy-efficient designs, recognizing the need to reduce our energy footprint while maintaining safe and optimal operating temperatures at the ITE.

CFD software assists with this important endeavor by identifying server hot spots before they occur. This results in reduced downtime and improved overall ITE reliability.

The software further aids in extending the lifespan of the ITE by ensuring it operates within the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers’ recommended thermal temperature guidelines. This way, potential issues can be addressed before they lead to costly problems, improving both the overall reliability and uptime of the data center. 

The Challenges of Implementing Data Center CFD Systems 

Implementing CFD into existing data center management processes is not without its challenges. As with any analytical tool, the accuracy of assessments and simulations depends on the quality of the data used. 

For accurate modeling, a baseline of how the data center is currently operating is crucial for reliable results, and this should include current rack kW, cooling unit supply and return temperatures, rack and room leakage, as well as other additional room and airflow characteristics.

Data center experts agree that all new data centers should always perform a CFD before construction, while existing data centers should also perform a CFD before making any ITE and cooling changes for design validation. 

Despite these challenges, real-world case studies and success stories highlight the impact of CFD in data center optimization by demonstrating significant improvements in energy efficiency, cooling effectiveness, and operational performance. 

In the future, we expect to see CFD used extensively with the integration of machine learning, AI, ITE, and hybrid cooling infrastructure designs, with a continued priority on sustainability.

Modeling for Success 

CFD modeling is a powerful tool for designing and validating efficient technology solutions for new and legacy data center environments by providing predictive results that bridge high-performance computer server operations with the critical mechanical system. 

It also safeguards the data center by simulating failure scenarios that enable data center managers to better understand and design the appropriate redundancy for power and cooling failure scenarios.

Using CFD is one of, if not the, most important step in determining data center energy efficiency since it provides a detailed understanding of the complex interactions between airflow, heat, and cooling systems. This enables data center operators to make informed decisions to reduce both energy consumption and the data center’s carbon footprint. 

About the Author

Gordon Johnson is the Senior CFD Engineer at Subzero Engineering, responsible for planning and managing all CFD-related jobs in the US and worldwide. 

He has over 25 years of experience in the data center industry which includes data center energy efficiency assessments, CFD modeling, and disaster recovery.  He is a certified US Department of Energy Data Center Energy Practitioner (DCEP), a certified Data Centre Design Professional (CDCDP), and holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology.   

Data Center
Educational Article

Safeguard your Data Center with CFD Simulation

Article by Gordon Johnson, Subzero Senior CFD Manager

The recent rise in AI has led to vast amounts of computational power and data storage being required. This has led to a significant increase in the need for high-performance servers capable of handling complex tasks, pushing data centers to adopt a more robust infrastructure. However, promises to invest in AI products are clashing directly with assurances to reduce CO2 emissions.

Even tech giants such as Google and Microsoft admit their net-zero targets are in jeopardy. In fact, Google recently revealed that its greenhouse gas emissions have risen 48% over the past five years and that electricity consumption by data centers, alongside supply chain emissions, were the primary cause of the increase, endangering its goal of being carbon-neutral by 2030.

The International Energy Agency has estimated that data centers’ total electricity consumption could double from 2022 levels to 1,000TWh (terawatt hours) in 2026, with AI resulting in data centers using 4.5% of global energy generation by 2030, according to calculations by research firm SemiAnalysis.

As power and heat loads continue to rise, efficient cooling in the data center is becoming more and more challenging – cooling is considered responsible for up to 40% of a data center’s total energy consumption.  In addition, data center thermal management is often a reactive process, meaning we tend to wait for server alarms or increased server inlet temperatures before we react. 

What happens if critical components within the data center, such as cooling units, fail unexpectedly?  Even worse, what happens if all cooling simultaneously fails due to a power outage or other significant event such as a failure at the chilled water plant?  The answer?   Modeling and simulation with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), which includes software specific to the data center environment.

Additional Key Benefits

CFD software creates a 3D model or digital twin of the physical attributes of the data center, including the performance characteristics of the cooling units, ITE, and other significant equipment, described by some as an MRI of what is really happening inside the data center.  CFD provides a detailed understanding of the complex interactions between airflow, heat removal from the ITE, and cooling systems, enabling data center operators to make informed decisions to reduce energy consumption and improve overall cooling efficiency.

The key benefits of using CFD include, but are not limited, to:

  1. Identifying potential server hot spots
  2. Validating the pre-construction phase of a data center
  3. Correctly placing additional ITE and cooling units in existing data centers
  4. Optimizing airflow and reducing excess and unnecessary cooling
  5. Simulating via transient modeling the ITE ride-out time due to power and/or cooling system failure.

CFD can aid in the design phase of data centers by simulating a variety of layout configurations.  It looks at the placement of servers, racks, cooling units and airflow containment systems to ensure optimal thermal performance starting with the design phase down to the operational phase of the data center.  This means that designs can be validated by avoiding and preventing costly mistakes.

However, CFD is not just for new design.  Legacy data centers can also take advantage of the benefits that CFD provides, including simulating the results of proposed changes to the existing room layout such as capacity redistribution or ITE expansion.  In all cases, a CFD is always beneficial because it assists data center operators in making data-based informed decisions while minimizing or eliminating critical potential equipment downtime.

A CFD also accurately simulates and provides a detailed analysis of airflow and temperature distribution at all stages of the cooling process. These patterns include temperature distribution in both cold and hot aisles, in addition to the temperature across the server inlets from the bottom to the top of the racks.  CFD simulations further evaluate the performance of different cooling strategies.  For example, it can simulate air cooling strategies deployed in conjunction with liquid cooling designs, such as those using air cooling to remove the supplemental ITE heat not removed via the circulating liquid in Direct-to-chip cold plate cooling.

Additionally, CFD now has the ability to accurately reduce risk from power and/or cooling system failure with transient modeling, showing via time increments what will happen to the ITE when either cooling is lost or both cooling and fan power (airflow) fail.  When both cooling and fan power fail throughout the data center, cooling is not lost immediately since the fans will take some time to come to a complete stop.  CFD can simulate this time period, showing how hot the ITE server inlets will get and how soon this will happen before power is restored to the data center.

The Carbon Footprint

The growing focus on sustainability has highlighted our need to work towards energy-efficient data center designs, recognizing the need to reduce our energy footprint while maintaining safe and optimal operating temperatures at the ITE.  CFD assists with this important endeavor by identifying server hot spots before they occur, resulting in reduced downtime and improving overall ITE reliability.

This further aids in extending the lifespan of the ITE by ensuring it operates within ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers) recommended thermal temperature guidelines.  This way, potential issues can be addressed before they lead to costly problems, improving both the overall reliability and uptime of the data center.

Using CFD is one of, if not the, most important step in determining data center energy efficiency since it provides a detailed understanding of the complex interactions between airflow, heat, and cooling systems. This enables data center operators to make informed decisions to reduce both energy consumption and the data center’s carbon footprint.

The Challenges

Implementing CFD into existing data center management processes is not without its challenges.  As with any analytical tool, the accuracy of assessments and simulations depends on the quality of the data used.  For accurate modeling, a baseline of how the data center is currently operating is crucial for reliable results, and this should include current rack kW, cooling unit supply and return temperatures, rack and room leakage, as well as other additional room and airflow characteristics.

Data center experts agree that all new data centers should always perform a CFD before construction while existing data centers should also perform a CFD before making any ITE and cooling changes for design validation.

What’s Next?

Real-world case studies and success stories highlight the impact of CFD in data center optimization by demonstrating significant improvements in energy efficiency, cooling effectiveness and operational performance.  In the future, we expect to see CFD used extensively with the integration of machine learning, AI (Artificial Intelligence) ITE, and hybrid cooling infrastructure designs, with a continued priority on sustainability

In Summary

CFD modeling is a powerful tool for designing and validating efficient technology solutions for new and legacy data center environments by providing predictive results that bridge high-performance computer server operations with the critical mechanical system.  CFD also safeguards the date center by simulating failure scenarios that enable data center managers to better understand and design the appropriate redundancy for power and cooling failure scenarios.

Armed with data from the CFD analysis, a suitably experienced technology partner, such as Subzero Engineering, can advise customers on impactful data center design changes, upgrades, or tweaks to improve operating improvements – all of which will help optimize and reduce energy usage while safeguarding the data center.

Company
Video

Behind the Scenes: Women of Subzero – A Heartwarming Peek into Office Camaraderie

Video Overview

Step into the heart of Subzero Engineering and witness the camaraderie and mutual respect shared among our incredible team of women. In this delightful and endearing video, our female colleagues take center stage as they playfully and affectionately talk about one another.

From inside jokes to shared triumphs, this behind-the-scenes glimpse showcases the genuine appreciation and friendships that have flourished within our office walls. Through laughter and lighthearted banter, you’ll see firsthand the strong bonds and supportive relationships that define our workplace culture.

Join us on this heartwarming journey as we celebrate the unique connections and enduring friendships that make our team truly special. Get ready to smile, laugh, and feel inspired by the uplifting spirit of the Women of Subzero.

Company
Video

Inside Perspective: Women in Technology and Manufacturing at Subzero

Video Overview

Join us in celebrating the remarkable women driving innovation and excellence at Subzero Engineering and Senneca Holdings. In this video, we shine a spotlight on some of the extraordinary women within our team who defy stereotypes and push boundaries in the tech and manufacturing sectors.

These women continue to excel in their roles, contributing invaluable expertise and leadership to our organization. Through their stories and perspectives, we are inspired to challenge the status quo and champion gender parity in our industry.

Get to know these exceptional women firsthand as they share insights into their roles, experiences, and contributions to our team. Join us as we amplify their voices and recognize their invaluable contributions to Subzero and Senneca Holdings.

Further highlights include:

  • Chelsea Traver
    “One of the key ways to empower is to give people the ability to make decisions. “
  • Jane Neil
    “Women in management positions and leadership positions speak volumes to the younger females.“
  • Liz Carranza
    “The more people you have with different backgrounds and the different approaches that you have, the more well-rounded you become.“
  • Makenna Deamer
    “When you are surrounded by people who know and trust you as a good engineer, being a female engineer is no different than being a male one.“
Data Center
Video

AisleFrame Essential Structure Overview Video

A turn-key solution, integrating containment, cable and power pathways, and cabinet docking into a single modular structure for swift infrastructure deployment

The Aisleframe Essential Structure portfolio simplifies traditionally complex designs, offering adaptable ground-supported and ceiling-hung structural support systems. These scalable middle infrastructure constructions seamlessly complement our containment solutions.

Designed for versatility, AisleFrame serves as both an aisle containment solution and a sleek floor-supported platform for busway, cable tray, and fiber runner infrastructure. Aisleframe is the perfect design solution for both Air and Liquid Cooled Data Centers that plan on deploying direct-to-chip (Cold Plate) Cooling now or in the future.

Product advantages include:

  • Modular and scalable
  • Quick deployment
  • Available for both Hot and Cold Aisles
  • Low, Medium, and High Seismic designs
  • Can span up to 10 server racks per bay
  • Both air and liquid cooling ready
Visit the Aisleframe Product Page
Data Center
Video

Subzero Engineering at Data Center World London 2024

Andy Connor, Subzero Engineering Director for EMEA Channel, is interviewed at Data Center World London 2024 about the role containment plays in Data Center Sustainability.

Highlights of the interview include:

  • Advantages of Subzero’s AisleFrame Containment Solution
  • Data Center Sustainability and Efficiency
  • How to save up to 29% on annual energy costs for Data Centers
Data Center
Educational Article

The Most Effective Strategies for Ensuring Uninterrupted Mission-Critical Operations in a Data Center, Particularly in the Face of Unexpected Disruptions

Interview with Subzero Engineering President, Shane Kilfoil
Published in Data Center Intelligence Magazine, Issue 60, page 32

Today’s data centers are the backbone of numerous industries, supporting critical applications and services. To ensure uninterrupted operations, particularly in the face of unexpected disruptions, organizations must adopt strategic measures focusing on monitoring, redundancy and failover capabilities, in addition to implementing Disaster Recovery plans and operational continuity procedures.

Of course, it’s relatively easy to design an efficient and reliable data center if you’re building one from scratch. With potential future uses, scalable capacities, data center densities and specific cooling needs considered when in the design phase, redundancy measures can be implemented from the outset with the knowledge that power surges and cooling requirements have been allowed for.

Separation and zoning of mission-critical and high-density servers that require different cooling technologies, and backup generators and monitoring infrastructure can also be built into the data center space at the construction stage. But while these strategies can also be retrofitted into an existing data center setting, additional considerations may be needed to maximize the utilization of existing infrastructure and resources.

Being able to flexibly expand and meet spikes in demand without compromising performance or reliability means monitoring systems are invaluable.

Being able to flexibly expand and meet spikes in demand without compromising performance or reliability means monitoring systems are invaluable.
These can proactively identify and address potential issues before unplanned incidences occur. Having monitoring software that can produce compliance-ready ESG reporting to track sustainability efforts and make data-based decisions, helps to prioritize energy efficiency measures and optimize resource utilization.

Monitoring also aids in identifying right-size computing requirements and working out when to retire older or more inefficient hardware to optimize energy consumption.

It’s all very well having systems and components such as backup generators in place to prevent single points of failure, but the data center also needs to conduct regular drills and tests to prepare for unexpected disruptions. Maintaining a cross-trained workforce that can quickly respond and resolve issues across different systems is vital to ensure unforeseen outages can be assessed and resolved as swiftly as possible.

A robust supply chain should also be developed to ensure reliable access to necessary materials and parts. As we have seen in the recent past, the pandemic rapidly identified vulnerable supply chains, causing untold misery across many industries and markets.

It’s important to harden the supply chain to ensure reliable access to necessary materials and parts to withstand unplanned incidents such as natural disasters, cyberattacks or unexpected interruptions of operation.

By implementing these strategies, organizations can ensure sustained operations in their data centers, in addition to optimizing resource utilization, enhancing sustainability and building resilient infrastructures capable of adapting to future challenges in the dynamic digital landscape.