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Research, analysis, and perspectives on the built world.
Data Center Fire Suppression Systems: What to Specify Early
Data center fire suppression is a room-level design choice that affects code, insurance, downtime and handover. This piece breaks down what NFPA 75 and FM Global actually require and where clean agent, pre-action and hybrid systems fit.
June 28, 2026 ·4 min read
Dry Utilities for Data Centers: What Developers Need to Prepare Before Construction Starts
A practitioner guide to dry utility coordination for data center development. Covers electrical service coordination (load studies, utility service agreements, transformer placement), fiber and telecom redundancy, duct bank and handhole design, and the six most common developer oversights that cause schedule slippage and cost overruns.
June 27, 2026 ·5 min read
Generator Sizing for AI Data Centers: What the New Math Looks Like
AI-era data centers require fundamentally different generator fleet sizing -- Amazon runs 93 generators at 2.5MW each for a single site. This post explains the current methodology: how to calculate fleet size, why transient AI loads matter, fuel logistics at scale, and the regulatory constraints (Illinois Tier 4, Virginia NOx) shaping procurement decisions in 2026.
June 26, 2026 ·5 min read
Nuclear-Adjacent Data Center Sites: A Developer's Guide to Power-Certain Site Selection
Nuclear adjacency has moved from a secondary consideration to an explicit site screening criterion for data center developers in 2026. This post covers the five dimensions of nuclear-adjacent evaluation, the FERC colocation framework, and AI's role in screening -- alongside what still requires direct relationships and engineering judgment.
June 24, 2026 ·5 min read
Colocation Data Center Development in 2026: What the Market Looks Like When Vacancy Is at Zero
North American colocation vacancy hit 0.3% in Northern Virginia and 1% in Atlanta in Q1 2026, with 73% of the pipeline preleased before completion. This post explains how those market conditions change colocation underwriting, how colo and hyperscale development differ in practice, and where developers are finding viable opportunity in a supply-constrained market.
June 23, 2026 ·4 min read
Data Center Grounding and Bonding: What Developers Need to Verify Before Construction
A deficient grounding and bonding system in a data center causes equipment failures, EMI interference, and safety risks that are difficult and expensive to correct after energization. This guide covers the three layers of a data center grounding system, separately derived system requirements, lightning protection coordination, and what developers should verify in design review.
June 21, 2026 ·5 min read
Off-Grid Power Plants for Data Centers: What the 73 GW Shadow Grid Means for Developers
At least 57 off-grid U.S. power plants are proposed or under construction to serve individual data centers, with combined capacity of 73,000 MW. This post explains the site criteria, regulatory risks, and underwriting considerations for developers evaluating private generation as a grid interconnection alternative.
June 17, 2026 ·7 min read
AI Factory Data Centers: What the New Development Format Actually Requires
AI factories -- exemplified by Nvidia's DSX architecture and hyperscaler GPU clusters -- operate at 50-100 kW per rack and cost up to $25M per MW to build. This post explains how the format differs from standard hyperscale development across site criteria, design, underwriting, and where AI tools apply across the development workflow.
June 15, 2026 ·5 min read
Immersion Cooling for Data Centers: What Developers Need to Know Before They Commit
Immersion cooling moves heat from chips to fluid rather than air, enabling power densities that conventional air cooling cannot reach. This guide explains single-phase versus two-phase systems, infrastructure implications for developers, vendor options in 2026, and the limitations that need to be modeled before committing to immersion in a new build.
June 13, 2026 ·5 min read