Driving Environmental Innovation: IT Telecommunications Support for EPA’s NVFEL

Client Overview

As a partner to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Zolon Tech Inc. supports the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL). Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, NVFEL is a critical EPA facility responsible for conducting emissions testing and advancing vehicle and fuel technologies to meet stringent federal environmental standards. With its analysis impacting over $2 trillion in economic activity, NVFEL plays a crucial role in ensuring that motor vehicle specifications and environmental standards support both economic growth and public health.

Project Background and Objectives

Zolon Tech was engaged to provide IT Telecommunications Support Services for NVFEL. Our mission was to enhance NVFEL’s IT infrastructure, ensuring reliable and secure communication networks across laboratory and administrative functions. The objectives were to support NVFEL’s data- intensive testing and analysis operations, facilitate seamless connectivity within its dual-network structure (Program Management Network and Laboratory Network System), and ensure compliance with EPA standards for data protection and cybersecurity.

Services Provided

Our team delivered a comprehensive suite of IT services, including network administration, system integration, data security management, and laboratory information management system (LIMS) support. These services were critical for NVFEL’s vehicle emissions testing, data analysis, and modeling processes, enabling scientists and engineers to analyze vast amounts of data effectively and meet rigorous regulatory standards that influence the automotive sector and beyond.

Solution Implemented

To support NVFEL’s advanced analytical needs, Zolon Tech developed high-performance computing clusters with in-memory databases and VMware-based clusters. This infrastructure facilitated complex modeling and simulations to assess the environmental impact of electric vehicles (EVs) and evaluate carbon footprints across different vehicle technologies. Additionally, we deployed a hybrid solution combining cloud technologies and secure on-premises infrastructure, leveraging AWS GovCloud for scalable data storage and secure access. ServiceNow was integrated for efficient incident tracking and IT service management, ensuring prompt resolution and optimal network uptime.

Challenges Overcome

NVFEL’s operations required handling vast datasets from emissions testing and managing complex system integrations across multiple research functions. Implementing and managing high-performance computing clusters posed unique challenges related to data processing speed, memory management, and data security. We addressed these challenges by utilizing advanced in-memory database technology and VMware clusters, which provided the computational power and flexibility NVFEL needed for real-time modeling. Additionally, we ensured compliance with stringent EPA protocols through enhanced cybersecurity measures and streamlined workflows, effectively managing and securing NVFEL’s Laboratory Network System (LNS) and Program Management Network (PMN) environments.

Results and Impact

Higher Operational Efficiency

Zolon Tech’s efforts enabled NVFEL to achieve higher operational efficiency, data security, and analytical capabilities.

Advancing Environmental Protection

The upgraded IT infrastructure supported critical emissions modeling, simulations, and data analysis, allowing NVFEL to assess the impact of EVs and quantify carbon footprints, directly contributing to their mission of reducing vehicle emissions and advancing environmental protection.

Safeguarding both Economic Stability and Environmental Standards

By ensuring that NVFEL can accurately analyze motor vehicle specifications and environmental compliance, our work indirectly supports the $2 trillion automotive industry, safeguarding both economic stability and environmental standards.

Enhanced Security

Automated workflows, secure cloud integrations, and continuous monitoring provided NVFEL with the reliability needed to meet federal emissions standards and advance public health goals.

Conclusion and Future Outlook

Our work with NVFEL underscores Zolon Tech Inc.’s commitment to supporting environmental protection through robust IT solutions. By enabling advanced modeling and simulation capabilities, we’re helping EPA’s NVFEL drive forward initiatives for cleaner air and enhanced fuel efficiency.

With NVFEL’s data analysis and vehicle testing requirements only expected to grow, Zolon Tech is poised to continue delivering innovative IT support to meet evolving environmental standards and sustain the economic impacts of the automotive industry.

Explore Zolon Tech Inc.’s capabilities in supporting federal environmental programs. Contact us to discover how we can assist with your IT modernization needs.