Postgraduate Diploma in Refrigeration and Efficiency (PUE/DCiE)
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in Refrigeration and Efficiency (PUE/DCiE). 8 modules covering ISO/IEC 30134-2 (energy effectiveness, PUE), EN 50600-4-2 (PUE indicator in data centres) and Cadence Reality DC Design. Assigned tutor and enrolment open.
Postgraduate Diploma in Refrigeration and Efficiency (PUE/DCiE) — studying from South Africa
Energy is a defining sector in South Africa, with Eskom operating the bulk of the national generation and transmission network and independent power producers increasingly contributing renewable capacity. Grid modernisation, renewable integration and distribution management create steady demand for engineers. The National Energy Regulator of South Africa oversees electricity regulation, while municipalities manage local distribution. Energy engineers typically work on generation, transmission, protection and system planning.
Fees for South Africa: R 16 700 (South African rand), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in South Africa
Typical roles
Questions from South Africa
Which South African bodies regulate energy and networks engineers, and would SEIUM count?
Energy engineers in South Africa are registered through ECSA, and the electricity sector is regulated by NERSA. Utilities and networks often require registered professionals for certain work. SEIUM is a private online institute, and its qualifications are not official state degrees or accredited by a national body. Recognition is for employers and the relevant body to decide, so verify this before enrolling.
Will this qualification help me find work with energy or network employers in South Africa?
South Africa's energy sector includes Eskom, municipalities, independent power producers and grid-related firms, which typically hire registered and experienced engineers. A private online qualification may support your application but does not guarantee a role. Check with target employers how they view it, and combine it with practical experience where possible.
How do I manage the workload, and can I get help with fees?
The programme is fully online and taught in English, so you need good English, and no student visa is needed to study from home. Master's programmes are 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, with an assigned technical tutor and a final project. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible, so ask your employer whether they would support the cost.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Analyse the energy consumption of a data centre by subsystem.
Apply thermodynamics to cooling cycles.
Compare air, water and direct liquid cooling systems.
Optimise airflow with aisle containment.
Calculate PUE, DCiE and complementary metrics such as WUE.
Implement control strategies and free cooling.
Propose a plan to improve the efficiency and sustainability of the data centre.
Who it's for
- Data centre cooling engineer looking to specialise in Refrigeration and Efficiency (PUE/DCiE).
- Data centre energy efficiency manager looking to specialise in Refrigeration and Efficiency (PUE/DCiE).
- CFD simulation specialist looking to specialise in Refrigeration and Efficiency (PUE/DCiE).
- HVAC engineer looking to specialise in Refrigeration and Efficiency (PUE/DCiE).
- Data centre operations manager looking to specialise in Refrigeration and Efficiency (PUE/DCiE).
- Digital sustainability consultant looking to specialise in Refrigeration and Efficiency (PUE/DCiE).
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the data centre sector.
What you'll work with
- ISO/IEC 30134-2 (energy effectiveness, PUE)
- EN 50600-4-2 (PUE indicator in data centres)
- ASHRAE TC 9.9 (thermal guidelines for data centres)
- EN 50600-2-3 (environmental control in data centres)
- Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1364 (data centre rating scheme)
- Regulation (EU) 2024/573 (fluorinated gases)
- ISO 50001 (energy management systems)
8 modules · 800 h
1.1Architecture of a data centre1.2Power densities per rack1.3Electrical distribution and UPS1.4Uptime Institute Tier classification1.5EN 50600 standard1.6IT and non-IT energy balance1.7PUE and DCiE indicators1.8ISO/IEC 30134-2 standard1.9Energy Efficiency Directive (EU) 2023/1791 and data centres1.10Case study: PUE calculation for a server room
2.1Thermal load of IT equipment2.2Applied psychrometrics2.3ASHRAE TC 9.9 thermal envelopes2.4Equipment classes A1 to A42.5Dew point and humidity2.6Airflow and flow rate per kW2.7Server delta T2.8Supply and return temperatures2.9Reliability versus temperature2.10Workshop: thermal balance of a server room
3.1CRAC and CRAH units3.2Water chillers and condensation3.3Cooling towers3.4Air-side and water-side free cooling3.5Indirect evaporative cooling3.6In-row and rear-door cooling3.7Direct-to-chip liquid cooling3.8Single-phase and two-phase immersion3.9Refrigerants and the F-gas Regulation3.10Laboratory: comparison of systems by climate
4.1Hot and cold aisles4.2Aisle containment4.3Blanking panels and sealing4.4Bypass and recirculation4.5Raised floor versus overhead supply4.6Sensor placement4.7CFD modelling of server rooms4.8RCI and RTI indices4.9Change management in the room4.10Practical exercise: CFD analysis of a room with 6SigmaRoom
5.1Partial PUE and subsystem PUE5.2WUE and water consumption5.3CUE and carbon emissions5.4ERF and energy reuse5.5REF renewables indicator5.6Continuous measurement and measurement categories5.7Common errors in PUE calculation5.8European Code of Conduct for Data Centre Energy Efficiency5.9Reporting to the European database5.10Case study: metrics audit of a data centre
6.1Raising temperature setpoints6.2Variable speed drives on fans and pumps6.3Differential pressure control6.4Chiller plant optimisation6.5Artificial intelligence in control6.6Heat recovery for district networks6.7IT load management and virtualisation6.8DCIM and monitoring6.9Predictive maintenance6.10Workshop: PUE improvement plan
7.1Site selection and climate7.2Modular and scalable design7.3N+1 and 2N redundancy7.4Strategies for high-density AI loads7.5Water use and water stress7.6Renewable supply and PPAs7.7LEED and BREEAM certifications7.8Life cycle analysis7.9Total cost of ownership7.10Case study: thermal design of an AI data centre
8.1Data centre characterisation8.2PUE measurement and baseline8.3Thermal analysis of rooms8.4Selection of improvement measures8.5Savings simulation8.6Economic analysis8.7Implementation plan and risks8.8Metrics monitoring plan8.9Report and presentation8.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetable: students progress at their own pace within the intake, making it possible to combine the programme with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Cadence Reality DC Design, ANSYS Fluent, EnergyPlus, Python (pandas), in free, academic or evaluation versions. Exercises are based on real CFD simulation procedures for server rooms, airflow audits and contained aisles, and on PUE and DCiE calculations using real measurements. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Analyse the energy consumption of a data centre by subsystem.
Apply thermodynamics to cooling cycles.
Compare air, water and direct liquid cooling systems.
Optimise airflow with aisle containment.
Calculate PUE, DCiE and complementary metrics such as WUE.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to follow technical standards documentation.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours, spread over 6 to 8 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
The programme uses Cadence Reality DC Design, ANSYS Fluent, EnergyPlus, Python (pandas). Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An own diploma from SEIUM upon passing the continuous assessment and the final integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area can be credited towards the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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