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Subzero Engineering has launched its new Composite AisleFrame (CAF).
In the ongoing challenge of balancing operational efficiency with sustainability, environmental consciousness combined with power resourcefulness are essential objectives for any organization. Data centers that are handling an ever-increasing complexity of AI and high-performance computing (HPC) have become hugely energy-intensive buildings.
To minimize the environmental impact of these buildings while maximizing energy use, new strategies need to be implemented and sustainable materials deployed. Subzero Engineering’s new CAF system is made of 100% recyclable composite materials and aluminum which provides a sustainable frame-based support structure for IT/HPC deployments in environmentally-conscious data centers. As durable and robust as the Steel AisleFrame (SAF) system, but with lightweight materials offering more flexibility and easier scalability, the CAF delivers on substantial cost savings and significant environmental benefits for data center owners.
CAF is 50% lighter than steel alternatives and easily reconfigurable as requirements change. The aisle frame can be flat-packed, allowing more product to be shipped in the same space, delivering lower installation and transportation emissions and costs. Offering up to 4,299 kg CO₂ savings per frame, it delivers unmatched environmental benefits without sacrificing performance.
“The CAF has many benefits over steel. Every element in a data center has an intrinsic cost, and steel aisle frame is heavy. CAF has a weight reduction of at least two-thirds over steel, significant global warming potential savings, and improved strength per linear meter. The frame also offers seismic compliance, eliminates powder coating, and reduces installation time,” said Shane Kilfoil, President,
Subzero Engineering. “The composite frame is more durable, safer, and environmentally friendly, with better transport efficiency.”
Material Benefits
CAF is not new. Composite material has been used in the construction industry for more than 20 years in many proven applications, such as airplane tail structures, outdoor utility/telephone poles, and transportation bridges. However, Subzero Engineering has refined the product for specific use in data centers to be denser, stronger and with additional fireproof properties.
Constructed with recycled aluminum, the material can be reused multiple times and has an extended lifespan, supporting waste reduction and net-zero initiatives. Its lightweight framework minimizes manual handling risks, is easier to transport, install, reconfigure and scale, and results in a reduced global warming potential in manufacturing, installation and transportation.
Weight Reduction Means Cost Savings
CAF’s strength per linear meter, combined with a 50% reduction in weight, enables multi-level data centers to have CAF systems throughout each building floor, without the additional financial risk of strengthening weight-bearing floors. Its higher tensile and flexural attributes, with a better compressive strength-to-weight ratio than steel, mean CAF is more efficient structurally.
The challenge of materials procurement also drives CAF as a convincingly positive consideration. Shane Kilfoil, President, Subzero Engineering continued, “While steel is resource heavy, CAF is non-resource heavy in implementation. This means Subzero can deliver this aisle frame in a fast and time-appropriate fashion. A steel structure could potentially take months to be shipped, but CAF could conceivably be delivered in weeks.”
As the industry shifts to greener technology, the development of sustainable infrastructure built with energy-efficient technologies and renewable energy sources will continue to be a key strategy in the next generation of high-performance data centers.
Utilizing the CAF system can enhance high performance and reliability at the same time as accomplishing long-term environmental objectives. This can lower the total cost of ownership (TCO) while helping to deliver on global environmental goals, enhancing the organization’s eco-friendliness and reputation.
