Two of DPR’s core market experts took the stage this winter at Bisnow’s Annual Data Center Investment Expo in Dallas, where industry leaders from across the country gathered to discuss the latest trends and innovations in data centers and industrial buildings.

Among the group of speakers and panelists were DPR’s Mark Thompson, national advanced technology market group leader and Andy Andres, a project executive in DPR’s Dallas office.

Throughout Thompson’s role as moderator of one of the panels, several topics about site selection were debated, including successful factors to hyperscale projects, and the process of locating strong regions and sites.

Thompson recalls the following takeaways:

• The key to a hyperscale project’s success is speed-to-market and partnerships, due to rapid growth and extensive project scopes.
• After the strategy behind the business direction is decided, regions are then considered and based around demand.
• The two pivotal factors following site selection include core fundamentals of infrastructure (water, sewer, power, fiber), and connectivity to populated areas for access to labor.

Andres participated in a design and development discussion focused on the importance of progressive technology when building data centers. As a panelist, Andres shared some of DPR’s best practices in technology utilization, including:

• The use of laser scanning and drones, which help transform facilities into more adaptable and flexible spaces, ultimately reducing uncertainty during the construction process.
• The creation of a collaborative work environment with real-time project management tools to continuously reaffirm what the customer wants to build and how they want to build it.
• The importance of technical platforms to integrate virtual designs in design-assist and build-out.

Industrial buildings and data centers have been equipped with more features in recent years and are continuing to evolve. Data centers are transforming to denser builds with more power and cooling. Like DPR, other client-serving companies are creating their own standards of certification, which can lead to an entirely different approach to build-outs and the overall business purpose of a project.

Overall, both conversations captured new and upcoming trends seen across the country in the business and development of data centers. From fundamental project planning to advancements in technology, both panels influenced audiences by providing a variety of outlooks and experiences, as well as robust strategy.