Building the Data Center of Tomorrow

Today’s data centers are very different from those of 20 years ago in terms of what is on the floor, how the racks are organized, overall rack densities, and the amount of compute power that is available. Peering into the crystal ball, how will data centers look in the future and how are data center design and construction techniques evolving? Such questions will be answered during the Data Center Build track at Data Center World 2025. 

We are assembling some of the brightest minds in chip making, construction, design, infrastructure, cooling, and power distribution to dig into the many ways in which data centers are changing. The traditional approach of designing each new data center from scratch is fading as modularization and standardization take hold. If this is the future of the industry, it becomes even more critical that the highest degree of quality is maintained. 

“Third party studies show that 30% of work that's done in construction has to be done twice,” said Matthew Kleiman, CEO of Cumulus QES, a provider of systems to digitize mission-critical construction and maintenance activities. “It’s been that way for decades, yet 90% of data generated on a construction site isn't used because the data is kept in silos that don't talk to each other.”  

His session in the Data Center Build track at Data Center World 2025, What Data Center Construction Can Learn From Boeing's Quality Woes, uses a real world examples of serious failures in quality control at Boeing to showcase ways that data center construction quality can be greatly improved. Kleiman will lay out how many of Boeing's issues were traced to failure to have proper procedures, failure to properly instruct workers on how to follow procedures, and failure to ensure procedures were followed before aircraft left the factory. Unfortunately, many data centers suffer similar issues, which are compounded by tight schedules and inexperienced labor. The solution, he says, is to follow the ISO 9000 framework to ensure there is a procedure for all work activities, that workers are properly trained on each procedure, and procedure compliance is objectively verified before commissioning, will prevent costly rework and safety issues such as overheating and arc flashes. 

That’s just one of many sessions that will make up the Data Center Build track at Data Center World 2025. 

Further highlights from the Data Center Build Track include:  

• A Recruiters Playbook: Recruiting Construction and Real Estate Pros from Data Center Builds, will uncover effective recruitment strategies tailored for construction and real estate development professionals by Roxxann Sczepanik of executive search firm Joseph Chris Partners. 
• A panel discussion of Community Engagement in the Cloud, led by Jesse Duker and Karen Cooper of DLR Group, a global, integrated design firm with a core practice in architecture, engineering, interiors, and planning.
• Native Habitat Landscape Design for Data Centers with Sandra Rolph of landscape architecture, master planning, and environmental design firm O2, and Amy Paulson, Senior Environmental Manager and Subject Matter Expert for Biodiversity and Land Management at Meta. 
• Advancing Sustainability with Hybrid Air/Liquid Cooling Schemes using Sea Water by Gemma Reeves, Business Development Manager Data Centers at Alfa Laval, a provider of repair services and technical support for a range of heat transfer, separation and fluid handling products, along with Imran Latif, Chief Operations Officer at DC Infrastructure Brookhaven National Laboratory.
• Aquifer Energy Cooling: Sustainability Below the Surface by Thom Jackson, Sr Associate, Mechanical Engineer at Dunham Associates, a preferred partner for architects and building owners who demand a higher level of mechanical and electrical engineering expertise and service. 

Clearly, data centers are destined to change markedly in the coming years. Those involved with design, construction, commissioning, component/equipment supply, and data center operators should mark their calendars and attend as many of the sessions in the Data Center Build track as possible. After all, next-gen chips and AI are driving change and causing disruption in infrastructure.New liquid cooling solutions are forever shifting the plumbing and electrical side of data center operations and maintenance. There is so much change to keep up with and so many advances to hear about. The Data Center Build track is the best way to stay current.  

“Data Center World is a popular event where industry professionals network, learn about the latest technological trends from top OEMs, and hear about owner/operator experiences in planning and implementing equipment in a demanding environment,” said Martis.  

Attend these sessions and many others on the latest advances in data center design, construction, and operations at Data Center World 2025. Register today.