As demand for digital infrastructure accelerates, Joe Desormeaux, Vice President of Mission Critical at DataScope Systems, explores why data centre construction teams need better real-time oversight to manage safety, compliance and programme risk.

In recent years, an increasing number of businesses have migrated their workloads to the cloud. In fact, data released by the Government revealed circa 69% of UK businesses had adopted cloud-based applications or computing systems.

Further heightening the demand for data centre construction is the ever-rising adoption of AI technology, with data centres crucially providing the storage and computing power needed to generate outputs and train large language models.

As a result, the UK data centre sector is predicted to more than double its IT power capacity by 2030, reaching 6.2 GW. Furthermore, the UK is expected to lead Europe in colocation revenue, with a projected market value of USD 11,253.2 million.

With demand comes risk

While the increased demand for data centres is undoubtedly a boon for the built environment’s economic forecast, the complexities of data centre infrastructure construction are adding considerable pressures to an industry already facing ongoing skills shortages, rising material costs and tightening regulations.

In fact, the urgent rush to ensure data centres are completed and operational to meet increasing AI demands means many construction schedules are exceptionally tight, heightening the risk of rework, errors and safety incidents.

When you consider the fact that data centres are typically found in major conurbations where space is constrained, fast-tracking projects and exacerbating safety risks in confined areas where multiple trades are working simultaneously in close proximity is quite simply asking for trouble.

This also highlights a common issue found across the construction industry, particularly in the data centre sector – fragmented workforce coordination.

The management of hyperscale or colocation projects demands the accurate and up-to-date tracking of materials, costs and skilled labour. This can add substantial complexity, with materials needing to arrive exactly when needed and streamlined tradespeople coordination required to prevent congestion both on-site and externally.

For many years, construction site managers have utilised paper-based processes to monitor and identify the location of all operatives on-site at any one time. However, these are often inefficient and prone to error, and hand-written notes can occasionally be lost or destroyed, risking the creation of ‘blind spots’ that hinder critical decision-making.

It is also important to note the significant shortfall the construction industry is currently facing in regard to specialised trades required for these projects. In fact, HVAC technicians, contractors and electrical and mechanical engineers with data centre experience are particularly in short supply.

The challenges of fragmented systems

As projects become larger, more interconnected and more regulated, traditional site management approaches are struggling to keep pace with the complexity of modern infrastructure delivery.

While technology adoption is rising across the construction industry, the continued use of single-purpose systems is contributing to complex and often fragmented technology environments at a time when the need for real-time coordination and reliable data is becoming critical.

Especially on data centre construction sites, these fragmented systems can create substantial operational risks and inefficiencies. For instance, locating misplaced health and safety documentation can result in reduced productivity and administrative delays for site teams.

Additionally, misplacing or losing critical information can also increase the risk of failing to meet compliance obligations or regulatory requirements.

The reliance on disconnected systems that operate in silos can make it harder for construction site managers to maintain a continuous, trusted ‘Golden Thread’ of information throughout the project lifecycle, too.

A less controlled working environment and an increased chance of missed warnings can also be the result of the lack of integrated safety data. Potential hazards identified by one system may not be communicated quickly or clearly to workers using another system.

The result is reduced flexibility and operational resilience compared to connected, integrated systems.

Effective, streamlined workforce coordination

Data centre construction sites are likely to be highly congested, with multiple contractors, subcontractors and specialist trades all working simultaneously in close proximity.

Consequently, site managers and senior project directors require the ability to quickly visualise which operatives are working where, spot overlaps and monitor safety performance more effectively. Additionally, making sure all on site are aligned to the same plan and can identify and report real-time hazards and risks to support a more proactive safety culture across the site is absolutely imperative on any busy data centre construction site.

With this in mind, an increasing number of data centre project owners are turning to holistic, integrated technology to streamline workforce coordination and enhance safety and productivity.

Accurate, trusted data centre inspections

The increased demand for data centres, combined with the ongoing industry skills shortages and ever-tightening deadlines, can often see project teams rushing to complete projects. As a result, the likelihood of human error can significantly rise.

For those overseeing data centre construction projects, this exacerbates the importance of proactive, automated inspections. Taking advantage of technology will not only enable the fast identification of defects or deviations from the design, it will also minimise the potential for human error during inspection and expedite overall project delivery – reducing the time between the design stage and completion.

Ensuring regulatory compliance

Building regulations are changing all the time. For senior project directors and anyone overseeing a complex data centre construction project, being able to respond quickly to these changes can make all the difference.

Technology offers a crucial solution here, providing structured documentation, clear audit trails across the project lifecycle and real-time progress reporting to fully support regulatory compliance.

In fact, the leveraging of automated alerts and live dashboards for inspections, safety checks and training requirements effortlessly enables project teams to maintain full visibility of compliance obligations.

With data centre deployment struggling to keep pace with rising demand, as a result of infrastructure constraints, regulatory pressures and skills shortages, overcoming the operational and safety complexities of typical data centre construction sites should be a priority for senior project directors and site managers.

Advancements in technology have a critical role to play here, exacerbating the need for the construction industry to transition away from manual, fragmented site management processes to integrated, holistic alternatives.