How to Find the Right Project Partner for Data Center Construction
SME | Published on June 1, 2024
As the demand to protect, recall, and analyze an ever-growing store of information increases and the race for better AI intensifies, the construction of new data centers has become paramount. Ass hubs for data movement and storehouses for sensitive information, data centers are projected to grow by 10% annually until 2030. This signifies a growing need among owners and developers for practical, decisive data center construction planning and implementation. The right project partners understand these needs and empower project completion by aligning with the client’s vision.
Data Centers are the New Cornerstones of Digital Infrastructure
The rise of data centers as critical infrastructure points to the overarching trend of modern life becoming increasingly digital. Data centers are essential for information storage for both private and public entities, streaming, AI operations, shopping, and dozens of other information retrieval functions that support daily activity throughout the world. To accommodate growing data needs, large companies with hyperscale plans compete over sites with reliable and renewable power, cheaper construction costs, and stable weather.
However, more modest client needs are just as pressing, such as a colocation company’s next site or health record storage for hospitals and medical centers. While iconic corporations make the news with their data center plans, countless data center projects are more quietly underway to serve local and regional needs. These priorities have driven rapid planning and preconstruction hiring for data center construction in regions conducive to data centers, such as the Midwest.
Choosing a Project Partner with Expertise in Data Center Construction
SME guides clients through data center design and construction by understanding the complexities and discretion these projects require. From acquiring the right site to converting commercial offices or constructing a new 250,000-square-foot building, expertise is key to foreseeing risks and emphasizing owner priorities during data center construction. Our team leverages multi-discipline insights to provide coordinated solutions to unique challenges. We meet you where you are in the project cycle – whether it’s acquisition and design or maintenance and restoration – to bring practical solutions for your concerns.
Why Asking the Right Questions Matters in Data Center Construction
Our engineers and consultants know the right questions to ask. Does our topographical data show any deal-breakers or noteworthy features? How many feet of soil load will it take to level the area, and how much will it cost? From meticulous due diligence to specialized structural testing, these insights facilitate optimal decision-making and successful projects.
Data centers also require attention to detail, whether we’re surveying land, improving the ground, or testing materials. At each step, we’re mindful of what can affect the project’s present and future success. For instance, unfailing access to electricity is non-negotiable because outages can be catastrophic; another option is to draw power from renewable sources, such as solar energy. Water is also a top priority because it’s the primary cooling method for data centers. These contingencies require cross-disciplinary expertise, collaboration, and proactivity.
Overcoming Design Challenges in Data Center Construction
A host of similar considerations follow, including qualifying for public funding, protecting existing hardware and surrounding structures from vibrations, and the subgrade/structure needed for the heavier weight of a typical data center. While these design challenges now apply to data centers, SME has been solving them with our clients for decades. Our 60 years of experience collaborating on complex infrastructure have prepared us for the new wave data center design. A multiservice approach that facilitates coordination among a diverse team is what brings success to data center construction.
SME’s collaborative outlook is especially significant because data center construction often means enacting major infrastructure upgrades. For example, farmland is a prime target for new data center construction. While these parcels provide ample acreage, they’re inherently undeveloped. As a result, the hookups to power, gas, and water must be installed. Drainage, existing wetlands, and municipal conditions are also vital to consider.
Beyond these potential problems, owner priorities vary. A mutual understanding of what’s most important – such as schedule versus cost control – is the context necessary for practical solutions to make sense to the project team. SME’s responsive communication and knack for anticipating challenges create solution-oriented conversations that keep everyone on the same page.
Multiservice Collaboration Brings Data Center Construction Success
Instead of following conventional paths, we prioritize practical and innovative solutions. Our multiservice approach is fundamental to providing the best guidance to our partners. As the demand for data storage and processing continues to surge, embracing a collaborative approach will enhance project outcomes and position stakeholders to thrive in an evolving landscape. Talk to our leaders to learn more about how we can help you build and revitalize our world through data center construction.