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Research, analysis, and perspectives on the built world.
Speculative Data Center Development: How to Underwrite Without a Signed Lease
Speculative data center development has become a defining feature of the AI infrastructure cycle, with developers breaking ground on powered shells before hyperscale tenants sign. This piece covers why the spec build model is rational given grid constraints, how capital is structured without pre-leasing, and the three failure modes that break the model.
June 12, 2026 ·5 min read
Data Center Brownfield Redevelopment: Why Infill Sites Are Back in Play
Brownfield and infill sites are back in the hunt because power, permitting and community alignment matter more than raw acreage. The winning sites already have industrial history, utility access and enough room for phased expansion.
June 10, 2026 ·5 min read
Data Center Water Strategy in 2026: What Developers Need to Model Before Site Control
Water strategy is now a site control issue for data center developers. This piece explains how cooling choice, water rights, drought exposure and permitting interact before a site is under contract.
June 10, 2026 ·4 min read
What Is a Data Center Microgrid? When On-Site Power Makes Sense
Data center microgrids are behind-the-meter power systems, not backup generators with better branding. This guide explains when on-site power makes sense, what it solves and where it adds cost.
June 7, 2026 ·5 min read
On-Site Power for Data Centers in 2026: Gas, Batteries and Bring-Your-Own-Power
This post explains why on-site power is becoming central to data center development in 2026. It covers natural gas bridge power, battery storage, bring-your-own-power mandates, AI workload demand and how developers should evaluate power strategy before site control.
June 4, 2026 ·5 min read
Edge Data Center Development Requirements for AI Inference
This post defines edge data center development requirements for AI inference workloads. It explains why latency, power, cooling, network access and utility coordination now matter more than simple proximity to end users.
June 3, 2026 ·5 min read
Data Center Stormwater Requirements: Site Criteria and AI Review
This post explains why stormwater management is a core site selection issue for data center developers. It covers impervious coverage, NPDES permitting, detention requirements, flood risk, AI screening and the civil engineering judgment that still matters.
May 31, 2026 ·5 min read
Data Center Campus Development: Site Criteria, Power Strategy, and AI Screening
This guide explains what separates data center campus development from single-building projects, including phased power, land banking, fiber diversity, cooling, zoning and construction sequencing. It shows how AI screening helps developers compare campus opportunities before committing to expensive diligence.
May 30, 2026 ·5 min read
Behind-the-Meter Data Center Power: When Private Generation Changes Site Selection
Behind-the-meter power is becoming a serious option for large data center campuses that cannot wait for grid upgrades. This post explains where it works, where it fails and what developers need to underwrite before treating private generation as a site advantage.
May 29, 2026 ·5 min read