The Advancing Data Center Construction 2023 conference is underway this week in Kansas City, Missouri, focusing on the issues and challenges facing that industry. This includes the environmental impact of data centers as the demand for cloud storage and connectivity continues to grow. (Learn more about data center sustainability.)
Changes to colocation and hyperscale data center communities are dramatically changing requirements for site selection, and it is up to the engineering professional to keep on top of the latest trends.
In his latest column for Mission Critical magazine’s On Target series, ESD Practice Leader for Mission Critical Facilities Paul Schlattman says site selection criteria used to call for around 15 acres (or so) with about 40 MW per site. In “The new site selection criteria: Data center construction has changed,” Schlattman says today those specifications have increased to 200-plus acres and 150 MW per site.
Schlattman says, “We work in a very dynamic industry. While some things do not change much, such as UPSs and generators, things like locations and processing do, and it’s very important for us as engineers to keep on top of these items.”
Schlattman notes that while in the past he has cited the “Industrial Age” of building hyperscale facilities, today’s wholesale providers have not adjusted to designing metal buildings or other criteria. Schlattman’s article offers a review of changes to land criteria, price, master planning, and utility planning.
Paul Schlattman is an internationally renowned speaker and has published numerous articles within the industry to further ESD’s mission to improve society through the built environment.
To learn more about how ESD can help with data center projects, reach out to the Mission Critical Facilities team.
