Contractors Face Record Data Center Demand as AI Drives Market Expansion

BOSTON, MA — MOCA Techniques, Inc. (MSI), a building providers and know-how agency, has launched a brand new market evaluation by means of its analysis arm, MSI Economics. The Sizing the Surge: US Knowledge Heart Building Outlook to 2030 report provides an in-depth take a look at the forces driving document information middle building throughout the nation, together with what it means for engineering, contracting, and trades professionals in one of many fastest-growing segments of nonresidential building.

Report Highlights Knowledge Heart Building’s Unprecedented Acceleration

The 17-page report blends analyst forecasts, MSI’s proprietary capital deployment information, and project-level analysis to supply a complete snapshot of the US information middle building market by means of 2030. MSI Economics’ findings level to near-term development that’s considerably outpacing conventional long-range fashions—suggesting that relying on compound annual development charges (CAGR) alone might result in underprepared planning round labor, infrastructure, and capital.

Whereas most fashions challenge 15%–30% CAGR by means of the last decade—with some AI-related forecasts reaching as excessive as 65%—MSI’s near-term information reveals much more aggressive, front-loaded exercise already underway.

Monitoring the Actual Measurement and Affect of the Increase

MSI Economics analyzed greater than a dozen market forecasts and mixed them with information on dedicated initiatives, energy utility filings, and allowing pipelines. The ensuing image reveals fast enlargement in information middle building tied to AI coaching demand and hyperscale cloud development—tempered by rising stress on grid capability, expert labor, and long-lead gear.

Key Findings

• Contractors stay central: Contractors will proceed to seize nearly all of spend as engineers and designers give attention to fixing complicated energy and cooling challenges.

• $86 billion surge in 2026: AI-driven demand and secured energy positions will push US market development sharply larger.

• Grid constraints: Transmission interconnection timelines have stretched considerably, with gigawatt-scale initiatives competing for restricted capability.

• Labor shortages: Expert workforce gaps stay a significant bottleneck throughout trades.

• Allowing delays: Website approvals usually stretch from six to 18 months throughout constructing, environmental, and utility businesses.

• Gear lead occasions: Transformers, switchgear, and mills are seeing procurement home windows so long as 80–210 weeks.

• Know-how adoption accelerating: Fast digitization of challenge supply will form which companies come out forward.

Actual-Time Knowledge Beats Lengthy-Time period Fashions

“For stakeholders, the message is obvious: relying solely on easy CAGR fashions dangers underestimating the present growth,” mentioned Brandon Michalski, MSI’s principal economist and writer of the report. “Companies should anchor their planning in real-time capital deployment, project-level information, and the realities of grid interconnection queues, labor bottlenecks, and gear lead occasions. Success will come to those that can steadiness near-term depth with long-term adaptability—designing initiatives that meet right this moment’s necessities whereas retaining flexibility for the following wave of development.”

A Useful resource for Building and Trades Professionals

The report gives actionable insights for companies concerned in information middle design, building, and infrastructure supply—significantly contractors navigating the intersections of energy, cooling, and digital infrastructure. It additionally serves as a reference for traders, trade analysts, and journalists monitoring the enlargement of US information middle capability by means of the last decade.

To obtain the report go to mocasystems.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/MSIDataCenterReport_Final.pdf. 

To study extra about MOCA Techniques, go to mocasystems.com.