Record investment is reshaping data center delivery

The momentum behind AI data center development continues to accelerate. Big Tech has announced plans to invest an estimated US$660 billion in AI and data center construction in 2026 alone. To put that figure into perspective, the combined annual spend of just four major technology companies now rivals the gross domestic product of countries such as Sweden or Argentina.

With this unprecedented scale of investment, the challenge of delivering data centers on time and on budget is becoming more complex. Access to reliable baseload energy, availability of land with viable power connections, planning approvals and rising local community opposition are all emerging as binding constraints. Against this backdrop, the traditional approach to delivery — siloed optimization of individual projects — is under strain. A different market model may be requisite, one that places greater emphasis on partnerships to build capability, share risk and manage uncertainty.

From project delivery to system‑level risk

As the scale and complexity of data center development increases, the core question is no longer whether the market can build fast enough, but whether existing delivery models are fit for a system defined by long‑term power uncertainty, regulatory volatility and growing community scrutiny. In this context, partnerships and alliances are becoming essential — not simply to accelerate delivery, but to enable the deliberate allocation of technical, financial and regulatory risk across parties over the full life of the asset.

Power uncertainty and the growing risk of stranded assets

In conversations with clients across the value chain, market risk increasingly dominates the discussion, and one theme that surfaces repeatedly is the risk of stranded assets. Data centers and associated infrastructure are often designed for a 30+ year lifespan, yet they are being built amidst significant uncertainty around long-term power demand. Transformational technology shifts, including advances in computing efficiency and the potential emergence of quantum computing, could materially alter future power requirements, challenging the assumptions underpinning today’s capital investment decisions. Regulatory volatility, driven by political change over relatively short cycles, adds another layer of risk to long-term planning. These uncertainties are forcing developers, utilities and capital providers to reconsider whether traditional, single‑party delivery models can adequately manage risk over multi‑decade horizons.

Permitting complexity is now a critical path risk

Permitting is also emerging as a critical constraint on data center growth. There are three layers of approval: federal, state and local. While reform efforts are underway at the federal and state levels, the critical path — time-sensitive approvals that ultimately determine project timelines — increasingly run through local jurisdictions. Permits relating to air, water and energy can take years to secure, even in states with relatively accommodating regulatory frameworks. Many developers report that the complexity of local permitting and approvals can significantly shape project timelines, making close coordination with local authorities crucial for project delivery.

Community scrutiny and the importance of social licence

Alongside permitting, community stakeholder opposition is becoming more pronounced. Concerns around power prices, emissions, water demand and noise levels are prompting greater scrutiny of new developments. This reinforces the need for early, transparent and sustained engagement with local communities. For data center developers, articulating the tangible benefits a project brings to a region — jobs, infrastructure investment and long-term economic value — is central to securing support and maintaining momentum.

Taken together, these pressures raise a fundamental question: what is the most effective way for companies to approach delivery in a rapidly evolving data center ecosystem? As illustrated by the breadth of participants working towards a common goal — from developers and hyperscalers to energy providers, utilities, municipalities, financiers and real estate owners — all parties must come together to share risk and expertise to deliver data centers to the scale that our current and future energy needs demand.

Why partnerships and alliances are becoming essential

Partnerships and alliances are becoming essential, but the nature of these partnerships is changing. The challenge is no longer collaboration for speed or efficiency alone; it is how technical, financial and regulatory risk is allocated across parties over the full life of the asset. Who carries which risks, and for how long, matters more than ever. Successful models will be those that identify natural synergies across the ecosystem and structure partnerships deliberately, with clear risk‑return logic and sufficient flexibility to adapt as market conditions evolve.

The executive takeaway is clear: data center delivery is no longer about optimizing individual projects. It is about structuring the right partnerships early to manage system-level risk across power, permitting, capital and community considerations over decades, not just delivery schedules measured in months.

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Based in Madrid, Diego Camazano is a seasoned leader in data center design and strategy, balancing his professional achievements with life as a father of two. He began his career as an engineer at various design firms and consultancies before joining ArchTam eight years ago as a project manager. Over the years, Diego has advanced to become Head of Data Center in Spain and now serves as Data Center Sector Lead in Spain and is responsible for the growth of the co-location (CoLo) sector in Europe. In this role, he drives ArchTam’s expansion into CoLo markets, scaling operations and championing sustainable growth across international regions. His work focuses on identifying strategic opportunities, developing growth initiatives, and aligning cross-functional teams to deliver impactful results globally.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.

My passion for engineering and construction began early on. I’ve always been fascinated by how the spaces we live and work in are conceived, designed and built. That curiosity naturally led me to pursue a degree in engineering, and my professional journey began over 20 years ago at a Spanish firm, where I had the opportunity to learn from talented professionals, including one of my former university professors.

In the early stages of my career, I focused on designing a wide variety of building projects. This experience gave me a comprehensive view of the industry and a deep understanding of the unique challenges each project presents. In 2008, I designed my first data centre, and I was immediately drawn to the technical complexity, operational criticality and fast evolution of this sector.

In 2010, driven by a desire to bridge the gap between design and execution, I made the decision to transition from engineering into construction. I wanted to experience firsthand how design takes shape on site and how challenges are resolved during the construction phase.

Since then, I’ve worked across sectors like hospitality, defense, infrastructure and data centres — always with a mindset of learning, adapting and embracing new challenges. ArchTam has been the ideal place to consolidate that journey: a global company with multidisciplinary teams and a strong commitment to technical excellence and international collaboration. In 2020, I returned to the data centre sector to lead a hyperscale construction project. By 2022, I was given the opportunity to head our data centre sector in Spain. Today, I also support its growth across Europe and serve as client account manager for several key international clients.

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

More than a single project, I would highlight my journey leading the data centre sector in Spain. In 2022, I stepped into this role at a time when we had only one client in the country. It was a challenging beginning, building trust, aligning and connecting geographically dispersed teams, and structuring the service delivery model.

Through collaboration, perseverance, and a shared vision, we’ve built a strong, multi-skilled team capable of delivering high-impact results across the lifecycle of data centre projects. Seeing the sector grow — with new clients and increasing complexity — has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career so far. It’s not just about project success; it’s about building long-term relationships and becoming a trusted advisor to our clients in a fast-evolving industry.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

The data centre sector plays a pivotal role in enabling the digital transformation of our society. The projects we deliver help strengthen the technological infrastructure of entire regions, generate local employment during construction phases, and support broader economic development.

Our work also increasingly integrates sustainability standards from energy efficiency to the circular economy, making a positive environmental impact. But perhaps one of the most fulfilling aspects has been working with multicultural, multi-geography teams — shaping the way we collaborate with greater empathy, cultural awareness, and a truly global mindset. That shift not only improves our delivery, but it also strengthens our connection to the communities we serve.

Share a piece of career advice.

There’s a quote that always keeps me going: “Don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better. Don’t wish for less problems, wish for more skills. Don’t wish for less challenge, wish for more wisdom.” – Jim Rohn

Invest in your own development, embrace complexity, and see each challenge as a chance to expand your skills and perspective. Surround yourself with strong teams, build trust and focus on creating value.

Throughout my career, I’ve learned that growth often comes from discomfort, from those moments when you’re out of your depth but choose to lean in instead of step back. The most meaningful achievements are rarely the easiest. That mindset has helped me stay grounded and keep evolving, personally and professionally.

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When digital twins first entered the market, they were met with the excitement and high expectations that often accompany new technological innovations. Providers and vendors naturally sought to capitalise on this enthusiasm, often promising significant cost savings in facility operations and maintenance.

Over a decade later, the mistakes made in those early days have become apparent. Instances of overpromising, unmanaged expectations, and lack of clarity around costs have led to jaded clients and asset owners.

Efforts are now needed to clarify and effectively communicate the potential of digital twins. How can we, as an industry, remove the buzz from the buzzword and effectively convey the potential of digital twin technology? The term itself is challenging due to the lack of a clear definition, which contributes to confusion and misunderstanding. Our experience in working with different customers at a global scale has allowed us to eliminate distractions regarding what works and what doesn’t, providing us with the expertise to understand what delivers value, prioritise client outcomes, and partner with clients to deliver cost-effective solutions.

Global excellence

ArchTam demonstrates global excellence and reach through client delivery, thought leadership, and innovation in digital twins. Due to the diversity of sectors ArchTam serves, the tools developed adapt across diverse sectors, providing robust, open reporting of key project data appropriate to the audience. This makes ArchTam an ideal partner for complex digital transformations.

By leveraging digital technologies, ArchTam enhances funding mechanisms and market differentiation, ensuring smarter, more efficient systems post-construction, positioning ourselves as a leader in the infrastructure sector.

Dynamic and connected

Digital twins can best be defined as dynamic, connected digital representations of real-world entities that enhance decision-making, drive action, improve outcomes, and enable predictive analytics. Success depends on developing them with a specific use case in mind, providing solutions to clients’ current or future problems.

The industry’s scepticism stems from how digital twin technology was initially pitched — product-based and focused on building space. This led to overengineered, one-size-fits-all solutions that often didn’t suit specific tasks, raising unrealistic expectations and ultimately disappointing clients.

Integrated solutions implementation

As a systems integrator across sectors, ArchTam’s unique value proposition for deploying digital twins at scale is not only the diversity of the services that we provide, but also the scope and complexity of the programs of work that we deliver. ArchTam’s approach to digital twins combines domain expertise, strong collaboration with global technology partners, and partnerships with key industry organizations to drive standards in implementation, execution and operations of technology ecosystems.

As an example, we have worked to create digital twins for water, energy management and sustainability, and urban space as outlined below.

Our Global Digital Leader, Mike Karl is a key contributing member of SWAN Smart Water Networks Forum and has co-published a digital twin values guide for the industry at large. His forward-thinking approach and perspective have helped us deliver digital twins for Scottish Water.

Our Sustainable Legacies strategy is fundamental to the way we deliver work for clients all over the globe. Our deep partnership with the National Renewables Energy Lab allowed us to put that strategy into practice with a campus wide implementation of a digital twin that focused on energy management, sustainability, and the reduction of carbon across all their facilities. This model is being reviewed for the potential to scale across multiple Department of Education labs within the United States.

Our involvement in the development of Europe’s first smart canal in Glasgow, partnering with Autodesk, highlights our ability to create a dynamic digital representation of the canal system, enabling real-time monitoring and management of key operations and environmental factors.

Enhancing value

At ArchTam, digital twins are developed as ecosystems of different data sources, harmoniously brought together to resolve business needs, to provide a solution that prioritises resolving the specific use case or business need. We move away from multipurpose, off-the-rack solutions to more tailored, quick-time-to-value approaches.

Achieving value for the end user involves determining the necessary interface to provide required information, reducing components to their simplest form. Starting light, with a vision and long-term strategy, allows continuous growth and integration of new technologies and data sources over time.

Integration of systems is consistently improving. The ability to bring different data sets together is continuously advancing. This enhances the value proposition of digital twins by improving how they are perceived and function holistically. By placing digital twins in their operational context and considering external factors, we maximise their effectiveness, for customers and communities.

The role of Geographic Information Systems

As discussed, an asset does not operate in isolation, even if it’s a bespoke piece of infrastructure. There will inevitably be external factors that impact operations, planning, and other processes. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are integral components of digital twins, unlocking value for end users. GIS and the geographic approach incorporate digital twins into a spatial context, enabling links to external systems. This provides a pathway to a “twin-of-twins” mindset, which we at ArchTam call a ‘distributed twin.’

The concept of extended reality (XR) further enhances the digital twin’s ability to connect with its user base. XR encompasses virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality, making the digital twin more interactive and immersive for the end user. By integrating XR, digital twins can provide a more collaborative and engaging experience, allowing users to visualise and interact with data in a more meaningful way.

As you can see, digital twins can be used for more than just buildings. It’s a common misconception that the technology needs to be applied to a 3D model or visual representation of a building or facility. Instead, digital twin technology can be applied to planning, design and construction, customer experience, maintenance and driving decarbonisation. By leveraging GIS and XR, we can create more comprehensive and effective digital twins that address a wide range of use cases and deliver enhanced value to end users.

Tailoring a digital twin

Indeed, the great benefit of a digital twin is its ability to be tailored across an organisation’s various functions. Identifying these functions is crucial to maximising the technology’s value. Instead of focusing on using digital twins for a single department, it is essential to explore use cases that are relevant across the organisation to realise integrated opportunities and benefits. By examining one function in isolation, you are less likely to achieve your goals, and digital twins may not be feasible or worth the effort.

In short, while the scepticism surrounding digital twins is understandable, the issue lies in how they were initially defined and marketed. The value that digital twins can provide is very real, but the focus needs to be on the use case and the functionality of the solution, prioritising business needs. With great excitement comes great expectations, but we must prioritise great delivery above all.

The post Dispelling the disillusion: Demystifying the digital twin appeared first on Blog.

Where it all begins

Identifying and securing funding is the first step in planning for CBTC development. Transportation agencies often must juggle competing priorities within their capital programs, departmental budgets and timelines. To tackle this, agency leaders need to set clear priorities and align their train control migration with overall capital improvement plans. With funding usually tight, exploring federal, state and local grants can be a crucial part of project development. By identifying these resources early, agencies can map out a realistic project scope and create a phased plan for rolling out the CBTC system.

Partnering for success

By engaging with a trusted partner, agencies can advance a smoother, safer and more cost-effective CBTC transition while building a solid foundation for long-term operational success. Experienced partners bring specialized expertise in key areas such as technology, design, alternative delivery and implementation strategies, risk mitigation, cost reduction and knowledge transfer. Their know-how and deep understanding help them spot potential challenges early on, resolve issues quickly and avoid design or implementation mistakes — saving agencies time and money.

Collaborating with the right team can pave the way for long-term success in agencies. By prioritizing the future, they can assist in training agency staff, providing clear and thorough documentation, and developing scalable systems that simplify maintenance and facilitate seamless growth. Moreover, a partner who understands agency procedures, departments, and business processes can customize procurement and rollout strategies to align with agency requirements. Our ArchTam team offers these insights to the Maryland Department of Transportation / Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) as it implements a new CBTC system for the Baltimore Metro. As the program and construction manager for the project, we act as MDOT MTA’s trusted advisor, working alongside the agency and leveraging our technical expertise and understanding of agency operations to guide the contractor toward optimal solutions that fulfill MDOT MTA’s needs. This collaborative approach is streamlining the process and reducing costs for the new system.

Plan the rollout

CBTC offers many benefits — like cutting down on system maintenance — but it’s no secret that development and installation is challenging, particularly when it is overlayed onto an existing system. For agencies with tight budgets, breaking the project into phases, such as assessment and planning, design and integration, and pilot demonstrations can keep it moving forward.

Building a solid phased approach is often a juggling act. To create an effective plan, agencies need a clear understanding of their current system — its strengths, needs, available funding and resources. This all must be weighed against CBTC components and installation capabilities to establish the rollout timeline and how to tackle it. Whether it’s a short- or long-term project, the goal should be to complete each phase thoroughly, build on progress and get the system ready for full CBTC installation.

Improve the current system

Introducing CBTC components incrementally is often the most practical means of installation. This allows transit agencies to lay the groundwork for full system deployment while improving existing transit infrastructure.

Fiber optic networks, for example, serve as the backbone of CBTC and represent an excellent starting point for development. Building out and integrating these networks enhances older transit systems by enabling critical functions such as station-to-station communication, live CCTV monitoring for security, and real-time public service announcements. These capabilities prepare the system for CBTC migration while providing immediate benefits, including improved safety and communication. Real-time wayfinding and emergency incident management information can assist passengers during disruptions. To ensure a smooth transition, agencies might consider issuing requests for information to the industry to confirm that communication infrastructure installed in advance will fully support future CBTC signaling migration.

The path forward

Transitioning to CBTC is a journey, not a leap. By securing funding, collaborating with experienced professionals, planning phased rollouts, and enhancing existing infrastructure, transit agencies can build a foundation for safer, faster and more reliable service. Incremental improvements today pave the way for tomorrow’s CBTC systems, delivering immediate benefits while setting the stage for long-term success.

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Imagine if we built a model in Lego or Meccano at home and then threw all the pieces in the recycling bin when we wanted to change our model. Wouldn’t that extra trip to the toy store be a bit wasteful and expensive.

We are all aware of the net zero challenge, in particular with the embodied carbon associated with structural frames. How structural engineers use their skill set and adapt is key to reaching net zero targets.

In the United Kingdom, our building regulations and legislation are becoming increasingly tighter from a carbon and environmental perspective and the targets for carbon emissions of buildings by 2030 are ambitious.

Across the design and construction sector, our consumption of raw materials is vast. In a future net zero world, it would be expected that purchasing high-carbon traditional building materials might come with a significant offset penalty. The question to ask is how are we considering the real value of these materials — especially in terms of their sell-on price and circularity?

The structure “is what it is”

Our default approach as engineers can all too often be tried and tested, and familiar to us.  Material selection can tend to be based on nothing more than speed of design, familiarity of construction typology and the commodity of a competitive tender process.

If we seek to improve the industry environmentally, there needs to be a new way of thinking. A collective change in approach to the project brief.

Unfortunately for too long the structural frame and its construction materials are seen as “cost” outputs of the design process with little control — “it is what it is” I’ve heard some clients say.

Building materials and construction forms are still being specified without being challenged on what happens next. We need to start routinely addressing what happens at the end of the building’s life, who owns the materials during the building use and understand its potential sell-on value.

The London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI) published data that paints a bleak picture demonstrating how embodied carbon consumption has remained relatively stagnant in our building designs for decades.

Targets require embodied carbon emission targets to halve current business as usual methods across almost all end markets. So how do we get there?

Procuring engineers early

One way to achieve these targets is by reclaiming materials, rather than buying new. Challenging the fundamentals of how we design our new buildings and investing more in a circular economy. Spending time to research and determine what materials are potentially nearby or on site, testing out the old Lego pieces and generating architectural form around them to accommodate the pieces we have would be novel and could be how we get close to ambitious targets without offsetting.  

An adaptable building concept called Rightsizer proved that new ways of thinking can help us achieve LETI 2030 carbon targets in a tall residential building.

This project remains a concept idea, but it has proved that consideration of material sourcing and construction options at a very early stage can yield a step-change in building design. Engineers must be afforded an opportunity to work alongside an architect early — but it must happen at feasibility stage (Stages 0-1 in the RIBA Plan of Work 2020).

If we wait until RIBA Stage 2, then often the spaces, building heights and massing is already established and engineers can only try to fit structure into already congested bulk and mass. So by this stage, it is too late.

Introducing engineers as early as RIBA stage 1 could also lead to form-driven design adopting modern methods of construction with time to develop initial designs of key elements that would reduce waste, consider design redundancy and potentially reduce costs.

Building in redundancy for future adaptability potential perhaps defeats the object of reducing carbon in a time where we still use highly intensive carbon materials. Nobody yet can predetermine how soon it will be when low carbon materials form the majority of an engineer’s design for a building, but it’s likely technology will improve by the time a building needs to be strengthened for any future adaptability.

Building efficiently and reducing waste

Our buildings should be carbon-costed from day one. Engineers must consider end-of-life as the next most important aspect of good building design, targeting “dismantlability” and circular design principles.

We shouldn’t confuse re-use with recycling either. We know that reinforcing steel and structural steel gets recycled after the point of demolition — but as a process, this is an energy intensive activity as result of the transportation, and the shredding, melting, and refining processes.

Connection details should be with an engineer, not a contractor to ensure dismantlability is integral to the building frame design. Contractors have often reiterated that there is a misconception of economy in standardisation.

Adding steel-to-steel connection design to a consultant’s scope and designing them on a case-by-case basis using AI algorithms or dynamo scripts within our digital platforms can save significant waste generated through standardisation. The days where cost savings could be had by fabricating standardising connections are of the past.

Ethical sourcing of materials

In the food industry, we label the source of the product and its core ingredients. Is it not the time to do that for our materials?

Should we approach local manufacturing facilities and specify locally sourced material in our specifications where we can, and legislate around ethical sourcing in the UK to make it transparent?

Structural teams need to ensure early engagement with batching plants, steel fabricators and timber producers as we typically do with other specialist design items such as piling, secondary steelwork and waterproofing.

The benefits of encouraging off-site manufacture and modern methods of construction (MMC) over traditional methods are obvious, but let’s not stop at precast columns and cores. The majority of the embodied carbon of a building sits in the horizontal elements: slabs and foundations.

Moving forward starts at grass roots level and from the designers themselves. Target deadlines mean we can’t wait for legislation and each project has its own complexities so a standard brief will not always be the most appropriate route.

Initially designers could benefit from more time to consider novel approaches to construction, allow informed comparisons of the options, materials and quantities being consumed. This is where the industry must try harder to not rush into the construction phase.

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Shabna Hayes is a chartered electrical engineer with a rich background in technical fields, starting with her education in South Africa to her impactful roles in the UK. Shabna’s wealth of experience encompasses comprehensive mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP), civil, structural and architectural solutions. She is also a dedicated mentor and advocate for diversity and inclusion in the engineering field, actively participating in diversity and inclusion programs to inspire the next generation of engineers.

Tell us a bit about yourself – your role and career journey.

From a young age, I always knew I wanted to pursue a career in a technical field. At school in South Africa, I focused on technical drawing and electronics, reflecting my passion for engineering.  I graduated with a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and have a higher national diploma in Power Engineering.

After completing my studies, I joined KKA Consulting Engineers, where I learned the fundamentals of building services engineering. Moving to the UK, I spent nine years at Atkins, working on projects for BT and Crossrail, and also the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games for three years. I then joined WSP, focusing on data center projects.  I’ve been with ArchTam for the last five and a half years, where I’ve delivered multiple data center projects for many major global hyperscale clients.

I am part of ArchTam’s technical practice network and mentoring programs, working closely with junior engineers, to provide guidance and support. I collaborate with our training teams to ensure we offer the best possible technical training opportunities for our engineering graduates. I am a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, actively championing gender equality and equity through “She Builds”, Women’s Engineering Society (WES) and Infrastructure Masons (IMason), which promote women in engineering, construction and digital roles.

Talk to us about a technology or data center project that has impacted or been a major highlight of your career. How is it solving the challenges and issues our clients and communities are facing today?

One major highlight of my career was delivering a hyperscale data center for a global tech client. The complex project required adapting a standardized design to meet local codes and regulations across multiple countries. The key challenges included managing vendor engagement for critical equipment and ensuring a modular design that allowed for incremental expansion without disrupting operations. Using this approach allows for our clients to scale their data centers quickly to meet growing demands.

The project was also a great example of ArchTam’s strengths in communication and global collaboration. Our team comprised experts from United Kingdom and Ireland, South Africa, India, and the U.S. to deliver comprehensive MEP, civil, structural, and architectural solutions for our client. This project not only enabled us to meet our client’s needs but also allowed us to demonstrate how modular data center designs can efficiently support rapid growth and technological advancements, addressing the evolving demands of our clients and communities.

How do you manage the balance between energy efficiency and maintaining high performance when it comes to data centers?

Balancing energy efficiency with high performance in data centers is challenging due to their inherent high-power consumption. We achieve this through several key strategies. We focus on efficient cooling systems to keep power usage effectiveness low. During site selection, we consider the availability of resources like electricity and water too so that strategies for zero generators and optimum cooling solutions can be provided.

We also implement waste heat recovery systems, repurposing the heat generated to warm nearby homes and facilities, thus improving overall energy efficiency. Integrating renewable energy sources where possible further supports sustainability and reduces the carbon footprint.

Higher-performing data centers naturally use more electricity, so it’s crucial to minimize mechanical cooling to maintain efficiency. Our goal is to ensure that any additional power consumption is balanced with efficient cooling solutions. By focusing on these strategies, we help our clients achieve high performance while minimizing cooling expenses and total operational costs.

What are the most significant trends and technological advancements currently shaping the data center industry?

The biggest trend shaping the data center industry today is the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This technology is experiencing astronomical growth and is a major driver of change with a very steep, upward trajectory. As AI becomes is becoming more integrated into business operations, the demand for data processing power is increasing significantly. This results in processing racks now requiring higher power, leading to a substantial increase in kilowatts per rack.

We understand that for our clients with existing data centers to be able to accommodate this increased demand associated with AI, the infrastructure supporting data centers must also expand. This includes integrating potentially larger transformers and more robust power solutions to ensure that the additional space can be accommodated within the existing building footprint. These upgrades are necessary to handle the increased power needs brought on by AI. The consideration of the overall plant area necessitates careful planning to ensure that existing data centers can meet these new requirements.

For new data centers, this means going back to the drawing board to design facilities that can handle future AI demands. For existing data centers, it’s about finding ways to optimize and increase power output without limited expansion of the physical footprint. The challenge lies in the many unknowns surrounding AI’s future needs, making it extremely difficult for clients to plan and invest with certainty. AI is significantly impacting data center design and infrastructure, requiring both new and existing facilities to adapt to its growing demands. Embracing these advancements will be crucial for maintaining competitiveness and meeting the evolving needs of the digital age.

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The coronavirus pandemic pushed the digital world forward as we worked collectively to find innovative solutions to keep us connected. However, it exposed and amplified the existing digital divide between areas with established broadband infrastructure and those without. This disparity grew as everything from remote learning, remote working, and telehealth activities required an effective digital connection. Reaching far beyond sheer convenience, an affordable and effective means to connect to data and information is now essential as it drives and influences our access to critical applications, innovation and opportunity.

In most cities across the United States, state, local and private infrastructure are separate or loosely connected, with organizations largely deploying their own broadband infrastructures. To advance our communities, we must collectively ensure quality and accessibility to these broadband networks, which can be achieved by converging what we refer to as public-private broadband stacks.

The Broadband Stack is the combination of physical infrastructures and technologies that public and private sector service providers use to connect to devices, locations, end-users and communities in order to improve quality of life experiences, enhance public safety initiatives, and increase economic development activities.

Image: The Broadband Stack

One part of the stack, or one entity, is not enough to be able to bridge this divide. A single form of implementation will not fix it, either. It requires the total partnership, integration, innovation and convergence of the entire broadband stack to create meaningful impacts on our communities, campuses and cities. This will ensure that everyone can address their most fundamental and critical needs and initiatives.

Moving toward converged stacks increases operational capability and lowers costs by reducing parallel infrastructures. The coalescing of state, local and private broadband networks  explores the potential that exists for these organizations to partner with one another in order to lay the foundation for wireless mobility, applications and transport needed to unlock access to knowledge, improvement and advancement for all.

Image: Convergence

We can strategically plan and design converged networks that meet the increasing needs for true broadband connectivity. By helping with governance and increasing interoperability, we can deliver significant cost savings for our clients while enhancing social equity for unserved and underserved communities. At present, many organizations operate in separate stacks, each having their own infrastructure. The goal is to move in the direction of a converged stack, which coalesces state, local and private networks and optimizes them through innovative and evolving partnerships. These partnerships guide a greater strategy of aggregation and allows meaningful accessibility through integrated and converged broadband infrastructures. Additionally, technology and public initiatives often extend beyond the means and reach of one organization or agency. These converged partnerships can maximize the existing budgets, unlock economic potential, and strengthen connection for those that are impacted by this digital divide.

Image: Planning for Impact

The pandemic has shown us the importance of enabling remote working, learning and living. An evolution in our approach will allow us to achieve the greatest impact in ensuring equity and connectivity for our communities, campuses, and cities. This transformation in partnership demonstrates the importance of integrating and converging broadband stacks to create positive social outcomes and advancing our communities. Getting to the possible is going beyond our self-imposed limits and capacity of our traditional partnerships, infrastructures and approaches so we can realize the full potential of achieving social equity and economic development opportunity, and improving the quality of life for all.

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Vehicle electrification can stimulate the economy, create jobs and, by reducing carbon emissions and other pollution, address inequity, protect our environment and improve public health. Here, we examine current and future policy and funding mechanisms needed to advance this equitable, clean and economically advantageous form of transportation.

Where we are

As we write this blog, the federal government has yet to develop meaningful targeted policies, funding mechanisms or regulations to advance vehicle electrification. States and localities are pressing ahead, working independently of the federal government to develop innovative policies that will advance the transition.

Vehicle electrification is progressing. States like California and New York are taking aggressive approaches establishing initiatives with specific policies and targets tied to utility and transportation sustainability, and climate action goals. The California Air Resources Board is mandating that fleet vehicles across the state be electrified by 2040. Progress is not limited to the coasts. Some of the most aggressive policies are coming from the Midwest and Mountain states. In 2018, Colorado established a comprehensive plan to develop fast-charging corridors across the state. In Illinois, the governor has pledged that his state will be the best place in the United States to drive or manufacture an electric vehicle as part of his published plan, “Eight Principles for a Clean and Renewable Illinois Economy.” Together, those states have pledged to have 1.7 million EVs on state roads by 2030. Both are part of comprehensive approaches aimed at creating jobs, reducing pollution, tackling the climate crisis and ensuring that all communities benefit from the transition to a clean energy economy. They aren’t alone — more states and cities are expected to roll out their own policies once they determine which are successful for early adopters.

Utilities are studying policies to expand energy generation and grid capacity as they work to meet the expected new surge of energy demand resulting from vehicle electrification. Generation increases are expected to come from renewables such as solar, so utilities are opening studies to determine how to best optimize financial and performance success when connecting clean energy sources to battery storage. Careful planning is required to develop a grid that can move energy where and when its needed. As part of this effort, governments and utilities are undertaking studies and projections of when and how people will charge to determine grid impacts and costs.

Funding requires flexibility

Even as states work on policies to accelerate electrification, funding possibilities must be expanded to ensure accelerated goals are met. We work with utilities, regional planners and fleet operators across the country developing options to prioritize investments, tapping new financing strategies and targeting incentives to accelerate electric vehicle adoption, so that e-charging infrastructure is available and affordable.

From that work, we recognize that paying for needed upgrades and charging infrastructure for fleet, transit and personal vehicles can be a major consideration. While there are a few federal grant opportunities available, there are other varied arrays of funding opportunities that can help with the costs. These include traditional incentives from utilities, as well as local and state transportation grants. And, in some instances, states and localities are developing public-private partnerships as one more strategy to innovate on the delivery side of this new infrastructure.

Partnerships: A winning proposition

States, municipalities, regional and local agencies, and utilities have a mutual interest in advancing electrification and are developing partnerships to move the process along. Partnerships provide benefits for all concerned.

Utilities benefit from new customers, a key consideration for an industry where demand has been historically flat. Municipalities and states will see new revenue sources resulting from infrastructure investments, utility taxes and use-based franchise fees. Agencies can reduce systems costs as electrification enables transit networks to run more efficiently with less required maintenance. Importantly, communities will see improved environmental and health benefits through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollution tied to transportation.

So where do we go from here?

The transition to electrification would benefit from a national policy addressing climate change and clear policy targets requiring electrification, sending a strong signal to the markets to boost already significant and aggressive technology investment. Setting this aside, it falls to the state and municipal governments and utilities to prioritize carbon reduction and organize their policies and programs so that vulnerable communities are prioritized for the economic and public health benefits that transportation electrification can deliver.

Some states have established aggressive carbon targets and ask utilities to help meet these goals. This is often accomplished by incentivizing customer behaviors, providing rebates for actions such as installing energy-efficient light bulbs to conserve energy. Similar incentive programs are being rolled out for electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, and increasingly, these programs place equity at the center of program design and delivery.

From government actions to private investments and stronger partnerships, innovative solutions are being developed and tested across the country and the lessons we can learn from those innovations are clear. If we want to get the most from transportation electrification investments, our policies must encourage and require a clear connection between climate action, economic opportunity and equity. Even the most aggressive actions by state and local governments still need an active and supportive federal partner to engage the private sector if we want to ensure that we recover from our current public health and economic crisis and build a future that is healthy, sustainable and inclusive.

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Building positive experiences for communities

The legacy I hope to create for the industry and our communities is one that makes the world a better place to live in. For us as a group in the Visualization Studio, one of the ways we contribute to a better world is by helping to communicate projects that impact people’s lives in a very direct way.

We work on all kinds of projects including architecture, transportation, water, energy and education. What continuously inspires me is that these projects directly impact local communities in incredibly positive ways. Our team helps to communicate how we help to build that better world for the people who live there.

Before I joined ArchTam, I was a college professor and two of my former students happen to be on my team. For me personally, one of my proudest moments has been seeing them succeed. My definition of success includes every time we help to win work, communicate a project impact effectively or someone

We take design, engineering and architecture and bring them to life. In 2017, we created virtual reality visualizations of a proposed rebuilding of Five Points Plaza in Charlotte, North Carolina. It’s a historic neighborhood, and the community was very concerned about what it would look like. We provided VR headsets for the public meetings to review the proposed designs, and the community members – from the youngest to the oldest – enthusiastically engaged with our plans. We were blown away by the effectiveness of the connection that we were able to facilitate! That was a proud moment.

Innovating in a changing landscape

In 2020, it seems as though everything has changed. We’re in an unknown territory, but one thing that is certain is that infrastructure will be a critical part of how we return to normalcy. I see what we do in the Visualization Studio as being a critical part of how we connect the plans for building a better world with those who we are building it for.

In these days of social distancing, we’re finding that some of the most impactful things we can offer are the virtual consultation tools and public meeting rooms. These allow for our stakeholders to visit virtual community centers and gathering places in 3D rooms over the web. There they can view documents, watch slideshows and videos, live chat, leave messages, share information and even experience virtual reality scenes of proposed designs – all remotely from their own homes and mobile devices. It’s proving to be a great way to staying connected to the people who really matter in our work – our communities.

Advancing in STEM with Humanities

I would say, to anyone wanting to move forward in the world ahead of us that science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) have never been more important, but so is our ability to connect with and understand the needs of our fellow human beings. Develop your sense of empathy and your communication abilities as much as your understanding of the hard facts of the world around you.

STEM cannot exist or thrive without the humanities. The things we build help make the world a better place only if we remember — and hear — the people we are building for.

Embracing new possibilities

My career as a designer began designing for theater. I have a bachelor’s degree in English and I studied creative writing at the University of Iowa. After graduation, I started designing and working in theater, where I met my wife, a modern dance choreographer. I later earned my Master of Fine Arts in interactive media design.

I have a theatre production company and I still design for it, although not as frequently as I once did. My role in the company is to design everything — set, light, sound, projection — and I’m now starting to design in VR and come up with ideas for performance pieces in that.

So, my next piece of advice is to stay flexible and adaptable. I’ve been lucky enough to have a career that has spanned pencils to VR for our work. Understanding and engaging with the changing flow of the world around us is key to surviving and thriving. Always stay open to new ideas.

The post Building Legacies with Stephen Paul appeared first on Blog.

Briefly tell us about yourself and your role at ArchTam

I’m a senior BIM manager responsible for setting BIM strategy for projects. Part of that includes introducing new workflows, selecting software technology stacks and introducing change management.

My work involves pushing digital methodologies that optimize BIM processes. On our latest project, Oriel Eye Hospital, we are using next-generation BIM software and process to bring virtual reality to stakeholders to better inform design decisions. Our design team meetings now take place in virtual reality with teams across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Leveraging Autodesk’s Construction Cloud platform, we have added value and innovation, reducing the need for 2D drawings.

Some fun facts about me are that I’m currently writing a digital catalogue on Venetian well heads and I have a YouTube channel, BIM Coffee.

What is your legacy? How do you make an impact?

At ArchTam, we have the potential like no other company to innovate and use digital tools, due to our variety of expertise and disciplines. We’re in a position to change the industry and improve how the industry works.

My proudest moments at work are when I get to demonstrate how the latest digital strategy can improve the design team’s working day. I enjoy seeing the sparkle in someone’s eyes when they realize the benefits and the improved communication. It’s rewarding to support and help improve the design process for project teams.

What’s next in infrastructure for you? How do you see that trend shaping the work you do today?

I believe technology will build a better world. Digital tools and BIM are a part of this, and help with reducing waste, having a more accurate product and allowing the built environment to benefit from digital transformation. It’s an astonishing time to be in AEC amidst Industry 4.0, also known as the fourth industrial revolution, and ArchTam is at the forefront of it.

What advice would you give to someone pursing a STEM education or a career in the AEC sector?

My advice would be to take online courses to stay up to date with the latest progressions made in cloud computing. Read the industry standards and attend as many industry events as you can, which are virtual during this time.

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