A new type of firm: Build partners with 
Index.to accelerate institutional development with AI. Learn More
Insights
Research, analysis, and perspectives on the built world.
Data Center Ratepayer Protection Laws Are Reshaping Site Selection in 2026
Oklahoma, Virginia, and North Carolina passed or advanced ratepayer protection legislation in June 2026 requiring data center developers to fund their own grid upgrades. This post explains what the laws require, the cost implications for project underwriting, which markets are most exposed, and what belongs in pre-LOI diligence now.
June 15, 2026 ·5 min read
The Data Center Utility Timeline Gap: How AI Helps Developers Stop Underestimating It
Bloom Energy's 2026 Power Report documents a 1.5-2 year utility delivery gap that is widening in Northern Virginia, the Bay Area, and Atlanta. This post explains where the gap comes from, how AI helps development teams model and monitor it, and where human judgment still governs the critical decisions.
June 15, 2026 ·5 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
BIM in Data Center Construction: How Developers Get Value From the Model
BIM is the coordination backbone for data center construction, enabling clash detection, MEP coordination, and prefabrication support in projects where system density makes conflicts expensive. This guide covers the core BIM use cases, where AI adds value in 2026, practical limitations, and how developers should define BIM requirements before project kickoff.
June 13, 2026 ·5 min read
Data Center O&M Handoff: How Developers Avoid Leaving Problems for the Operator
O&M handoff transfers custody, documentation, warranties, and maintenance data from developer to operator. Poor handoffs leave operators reconstructing asset registers and missing warranty claims for months. This guide covers the five key documentation packages, where AI helps compile and verify handoff data, and the contract obligations developers should include to enforce handoff quality.
June 13, 2026 ·5 min read
Data Center Moratoriums in 2026: What the Policy Shift Means for Developers
As of June 2026, 14 US states are considering or have implemented data center construction restrictions, with New York passing a one-year statewide moratorium. This piece explains the three forces driving the wave, what the restrictions look like in practice, and why regulatory risk now belongs in the first pass of site selection diligence.
June 12, 2026 ·4 min read
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
AI-Assisted Data Center Site Acquisition: The Pre-LOI Workflow
Data center site acquisition has changed structurally: developers who win are completing substantive power and regulatory screening before signing LOIs. This post breaks down the five-step pre-LOI workflow, from geospatial power screening to LOI structure, and explains what AI can automate versus what requires human judgment.
June 12, 2026 ·5 min read