Data Centre Build News & Insights

Macquarie to buy A$240m site for 200MW data centre

Australian data centre operator Macquarie Data Centres, part of Macquarie Technology Group, has announced plans to develop a new engineering and technology campus alongside a proposed 200MW data centre campus in Macquarie Park, Sydney, Australia. The company has exercised its option to acquire a 34,200m² development site for A$240 million (£124 million), with completion of the purchase subject to standard settlement procedures. The proposed development remains subject to planning and other regulatory approvals. Located in Sydney's North Zone (AZ1), the campus is intended to support AI, cloud, and cybersecurity infrastructure, whilst also providing engineering and research opportunities through a partnership with Macquarie University. Initial construction is expected to be completed in late 2029, subject to approvals. David Hirst (pictured above), CEO of Macquarie Data Centres, comments, "Alongside the ~200MW of Australian-owned and operated data centre [capacity] this will deliver to Sydney's North Zone, the proposed campus will also deliver lasting benefit to the local community. "In partnership with Macquarie University, students and researchers will gain hands-on access to the latest data centre, cybersecurity, and cloud technologies. It will also provide a more than one-acre-sized, intergenerational community park for City of Ryde residents." Campus plans extend beyond data centre infrastructure Macquarie says the proposed facility is being designed to support high-density AI workloads using advanced air cooling, closed-loop cooling technology (to minimise operational water consumption), and direct-to-chip liquid cooling within the data halls. The company also plans to incorporate community facilities into the site, including a park of more than one acre, a community garden, and an outdoor art gallery, subject to planning approval. Macquarie Data Centres says the development builds on its existing partnership with Macquarie University and is intended to provide students and researchers with access to operational data centre, cloud, AI, and cybersecurity technologies. For more from Macquarie Data Centres, click here.

Schneider research examines AI data centre maintenance

Global energy technology company Schneider Electric has published new research examining the role of condition-based maintenance (CBM) in supporting AI-era data centres. The IDC whitepaper, The Self-Aware Datacenter: How Condition-Based Maintenance Turns Fragmented, Multi-Vendor Datacenters into Predictable Infrastructure and System Intelligence, explores how increasing rack densities, multi-vendor environments, and shortages of skilled technicians are influencing maintenance strategies. According to the report, traditional, calendar-based maintenance is becoming less effective as data centre infrastructure becomes more complex. Instead, it highlights condition-based maintenance, which uses continuous monitoring and predictive analytics to identify potential equipment issues before failures occur. Jerome Soltani, Global Head of Services at Schneider Electric, says, "By combining remote monitoring capabilities with AI-assisted orchestration, you can gain insights regarding the health of your assets and systems, and get an early identification of abnormal behaviour that might precipitate a failure. "This ensures that downtime is minimised, but also that equipment that is working within specification is not disturbed or needlessly addressed." Research highlights growing operational challenges The whitepaper states that AI deployments are increasing rack power densities well beyond those typically found in conventional data centres, while mergers, acquisitions, and brownfield developments are creating more complex, multi-vendor environments. It also highlights the shortage of skilled engineers as a growing operational challenge, citing research indicating that demand for qualified personnel continues to outpace supply in many markets. According to IDC, organisations adopting AI-assisted CBM have reported reductions in manual interventions, operational expenditure, and unplanned downtime, alongside improvements in asset lifespan and operational efficiency. Luis Fernandes, Senior Research Manager at IDC and author of the whitepaper, explains, "Condition-based maintenance is an optimised operating model for AI-era infrastructure that reduces manual interventions, lowers OpEx, and extends asset lifecycle. "By scaling predictive analytics to correlate behaviour across every vendor, asset, and failure trajectory, CBM enables operators to build machine-driven, human-validated system intelligence." For more from Schneider Electric, click here.

Black & White Engineering expands into Spain

Data centre design consultancy Black & White Engineering has expanded its European operations with the opening of a new office in Madrid, strengthening its presence in Spain's growing data centre market. The new office will support increasing demand from data centre clients across Europe, providing civil, structural, MEP, and design management expertise from a local base. The Madrid operation will be led by Hector Hernandez (pictured above), Area Director, Spain, while Marcos Uttley has been appointed Regional Director, Europe, with responsibility for supporting the consultancy's growth across southern Europe. Marcos says, "Spain is an important market for data centre investment and gives us a strong base from which to support clients locally and across wider Europe. The Madrid office reflects our continued focus on building depth in key markets while drawing on the technical experience of our global team." Strengthening support for Europe's data centre market Hector Hernandez brings more than 20 years' experience in data centre and critical infrastructure engineering, having worked on projects across Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and the Americas. His experience spans hyperscale and colocation facilities, including advisory, design, construction, commissioning, and operational delivery. He comments, "The opportunity to build Black & White Engineering's presence in Spain from the ground up was a major draw. The market here is developing quickly and clients need advisors who understand both the technical demands of these projects and the local delivery environment." An Accredited Tier Designer by the Uptime Institute, Hector will work with the company's wider European leadership team as it continues to expand its operations in Spain. For more from Black & White Engineering, click here.

Pure DC begins first phase of 550MW Finnish AI campus

Pure Data Centres Group (Pure DC), a designer, developer, and operator of hyperscale data centres, has begun the first phase of a planned 550MW AI data centre campus in Seinäjoki, Finland, with Phase One representing an investment of more than €1.5 billion (£1.2 billion). The initial 110MW phase has been fully leased, with planning permission secured and the substation for the first data hall already operational. Subject to future approvals and commercial agreements, the development could expand to more than 550MW of IT capacity, representing a total investment exceeding €7.5 billion (£6.3 billion). The campus is being developed in partnership with SDC Ventures and is expected to create more than 3,000 construction jobs over the course of the project. Pure DC says the development will also support improvements to local electricity and telecommunications infrastructure. Gary Wojtaszek, Executive Chairman and Interim CEO of Pure DC, notes, “Countries building AI infrastructure over the next decade will shape the global economy for the next 50 years. Finland has all the ingredients required to lead this transformation: world class engineering talent, abundant renewable energy, and a culture of innovation that gave rise to Nokia. “We are not building data centres in Seinäjoki; together with our partners, including the Seinäjoki Municipality, we are helping create one of Europe’s most important AI ecosystems capable of supporting global tech leaders as well as the next generation of Finnish entrepreneurs and innovators.” A campus designed for large-scale AI workloads Known as SJK01, the 370-acre campus is planned to support more than 550MW of IT capacity for AI and machine learning workloads. The site will have access to more than 700MVA of renewable power and will be built using repeatable 40MW modules incorporating direct liquid cooling for high-density computing. The development will also include closed-loop cooling systems that use no water during operation and will support district heating through waste heat recovery. In addition, Pure DC says it will work with Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences and local vocational institutions to develop specialist training programmes aimed at supporting future employment in the data centre sector. The British Ambassador to Finland, Laura Davies, comments, “I am delighted by this major UK investment into Pure DC’s new site in Seinäjoki - the largest yet by a UK company in Finland. It's an example of the growing role of UK companies in financing and delivering digital infrastructure across Europe, which is a key component of building our shared data sovereignty. “Not only will this AI data centre campus become one of Finland’s largest inward investment projects, but it will be a critical enabler of scientific excellence and [will] provide a platform to develop industrial competitiveness and sovereign capability. "Side by side in the top 10 of the Global Innovation Index, the UK and Finland already lead the way on AI and AI security, and this kind of world-class compute infrastructure will further support our ability to shape the future of AI for the better.” For more from Pure DC, click here.

Meta commits $50bn to 5GW Louisiana data centre campus

US technology company Meta has increased its investment in its Richland Parish data centre campus in Louisiana, USA, to more than $50 billion (£37.4 billion), expanding the site to almost 10 million square feet (929,030m²) with a planned IT capacity of 5GW. The facility will house Hyperion, Meta's largest AI training cluster, making it the company's biggest data centre campus and one of the largest data centres ever announced. The expansion comes as demand for AI infrastructure continues to increase, with the campus expected to play a significant role in supporting Meta's AI operations. Expansion brings jobs and energy investment The project is expected to support up to 7,500 construction jobs at peak activity, alongside approximately 1,000 operational roles. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the development will also generate around 1,900 indirect jobs across the region. Meta says it has already awarded more than $1.6 billion (£1.1 billion) in contracts to Louisiana businesses and has invested over $1 million (£748,000) in community projects across Richland Parish since construction began. The company has also established workforce partnerships with local colleges and training providers to support careers in skilled trades and data centre operations. The expansion is supported by an agreement with Entergy Louisiana, which includes investment in new electricity infrastructure comprising seven natural gas-fired power stations, three grid-scale battery projects, potential nuclear generation developments, and additional purchased power. Meta has also committed to funding up to 2.5GW of renewable energy and says it plans to return 100% of the site's water consumption to local watersheds through restoration and water infrastructure projects. Rachel Peterson, Vice President of Data Centers at Meta, comments, "From the beginning, this project has always been about more than building infrastructure; it's about building alongside the community. "The people, workforce, and partnership we've found in Louisiana have enabled this project to be a cornerstone of our global infrastructure. "With more than $1.6 billion already contracted with local companies and thousands of jobs being supported, we're delivering real economic impact alongside the AI infrastructure that will power the future." For more from Meta, click here.

DeepInfra opens its first international AI data centre

DeepInfra, a US cloud platform providing inference infrastructure for AI, has opened a new data centre in Toronto, Canada, marking the company's first facility outside the US as it expands its AI inference infrastructure. The 1.7MW site is DeepInfra's ninth data centre and will host more than 1,000 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs. The company says the expansion increases its AI inference capacity whilst supporting lower-latency services for customers across North America and other international markets. Supporting growing AI inference demand According to research from McKinsey & Company, AI inference is expected to account for more than 40% of total data centre demand by 2030. The growth is being driven by organisations moving AI models into production, increasing demand for GPU infrastructure capable of supporting real-time applications, AI agents, and high-volume API traffic. DeepInfra says the Toronto deployment forms part of its wider infrastructure strategy as demand for AI inference continues to grow. Nikola Borisov, CEO and co-founder of DeepInfra, notes, "Enterprises are moving from experimentation to production at unprecedented speed, and that shift demands infrastructure that is both scalable and globally distributed. "This Toronto cluster is a foundational step in expanding our capacity beyond the US and ensuring customers can run AI workloads closer to where their users and data reside." The Toronto facility follows DeepInfra's 'Series B' funding round and forms part of the company's plans to increase AI inference capacity in strategically selected regions. Additional international deployments are also being evaluated as demand for GPU-intensive AI workloads continues to increase.

GreenScale sets data centre sustainability commitments

GreenScale, a developer of hyperscale data centre campuses, has published 12 sustainability commitments that will guide the development and long-term operation of its data centre campuses. The commitments conclude a 12-week campaign that began on Earth Day 2026, with one commitment announced each week. Together, they set measurable targets covering areas including renewable energy, embodied carbon, water stewardship, local communities, and responsible supply chains. GreenScale says it will report publicly on progress against each commitment as its developments move forward. Among the commitments are designing all data centres to enable heat export whilst seeking opportunities to reuse waste heat, operating backup generators using hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel, targeting a water usage effectiveness (WUE) score of 0.4 or below, and requiring major design and construction suppliers to achieve an EcoVadis rating of "Good" or higher. Campus designed around renewable power GreenScale says its sustainability strategy is linked to developing data centre campuses in locations with renewable energy resources and resilient connectivity. The company points to its planned Tonstad Campus in southern Norway as an example of this approach. New visualisations show the proposed 300MW campus, which is planned to comprise four data centre buildings across a 420,000m² site, representing more than €2.5 billion (£2.1 billion) in planned investment. Located next to the Ertsmyra substation and supplied by electricity from the nearby Tonstad Power Plant, one of Norway's largest hydropower facilities by annual electricity generation, the campus has been selected to take advantage of the region's renewable energy resources. Anna Dowson, Senior Director of Sustainability at GreenScale, says, "These commitments reflect the areas where we believe GreenScale can make the greatest positive impact. "By setting clear, measurable targets from the outset, we're creating a transparent way to track our progress over time and hold ourselves accountable as our campuses move through development and into operation." Dan Thomas, CEO of GreenScale, adds, "Data centre campuses are long-term infrastructure assets that will operate for decades. The decisions made before construction begin influence their performance throughout their lifetime. "That's why we've embedded sustainability into every stage of our approach, from selecting the right locations to designing, building, and operating our campuses. These commitments provide the framework that will guide that journey." GreenScale says the commitments were developed following a materiality assessment aligned with the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), and the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB). For more from GreenScale, click here.

Schneider calls for collaboration on London data centres

Global energy technology company Schneider Electric has brought together organisations from across the public and private sectors to discuss the infrastructure challenges facing London's data centre market and the collaboration needed to support future AI growth. Held in partnership with Opportunity London and SEGRO, the roundtable explored how London can maintain its position as Europe's largest data centre hub while addressing growing demand for digital infrastructure. The event, chaired by Laura Citron, Chief Executive of London & Partners, included representatives from government, local authorities, energy companies, data centre operators, real estate, and the wider technology sector. Participants discussed the need for greater coordination around planning, electricity infrastructure, land availability, water use, and emerging technologies such as liquid cooling. The discussions also highlighted the importance of improving understanding of data centre requirements among policymakers as demand for AI and cloud infrastructure continues to grow. The roundtable also examined the role of data centres as critical national infrastructure (CNI) and their contribution to economic growth and AI development. Industry highlights need for coordinated infrastructure planning Matthew Baynes (pictured above), Vice President, Secure Power UK & Ireland at Schneider Electric, says, "Today, there remains a fundamental gap between how policymakers perceive and understand data centres [and] how the industry actually operates. "Decisions around planning, land allocation, and power provision are being made without a complete picture of what's required to meet the AI opportunity, and the UK now risks losing ground to markets where that understanding is far more mature. "As the UK's largest data centre hub, and its default AIGZ, London offers all the advantages needed to lead, but closing the gap between ambition and action is not optional; it is the prerequisite for success." Jace Tyrrell, Chief Executive of Opportunity London, adds, "Data centres are no longer a niche; they are foundational to London’s future economic growth, AI ambitions, and global competitiveness." Maria Jose Rivas-Duarte, Director of Sustainability at Pure Data Centres, also says the discussions demonstrated the importance of collaboration between industry, policymakers, and local communities to support responsible digital infrastructure development, while Luisa Cardani, Head of the Data Centres Programme at techUK, notes the UK's data centre sector has significant potential to contribute to economic growth, but that achieving this will require coordinated action between government and industry. For more from Schneider Electric, click here.

Pure DC, SEGRO to develop Paris data centre

Pure Data Centres Group (Pure DC), a designer, developer, and operator of hyperscale data centres, and SEGRO, a UK-listed real estate investment trust (REIT), have formed a second joint venture to develop a 48MW fully fitted data centre in Paris, targeting a long-term lease with a global hyperscale operator. The proposed development will be built in a Paris Availability Zone on land contributed by SEGRO, alongside a pre-secured 75MVA power connection. The companies say the project represents their second collaboration following their joint venture at Premier Park in West London. The development is expected to require around £800 million of investment, including the value of the land contributed by SEGRO. SEGRO's cash equity contribution is expected to be approximately £60 million during construction, with the remaining equity provided by Pure DC. The facility will be delivered in phases, with construction due to begin once planning permission has been secured and a pre-let agreement has been signed. The first phase is expected to complete after around three years, with the remaining capacity delivered approximately one year later. Joint venture builds on London project The partners say the project combines SEGRO's land portfolio and development expertise from Pure DC's experience in designing, building, and operating hyperscale facilities. The data centre will include mechanical and electrical infrastructure, together with power distribution, cabling, and cooling systems. IT equipment, including servers and racks, will be supplied by the future occupier. David Sleath, Chief Executive of SEGRO, comments, "This second joint venture with Pure DC builds on the momentum across our European data centre platform and demonstrates how SEGRO can crystallise the significant value in its 3.0GVA power bank through a repeatable, capital-efficient model. "This project in Paris will be our first data centre development in Continental Europe, and [it's] another great example of how combining our carefully assembled, prime, power-secured sites with Pure DC’s technical expertise can accelerate the delivery of highly profitable, fully fitted facilities. "Our first project together at Premier Park is progressing well, with planning approval secured ahead of schedule and active discussions underway with two global hyperscalers." Gary Wojtaszek, Executive Chairman and Interim CEO of Pure DC, adds, "Large-scale, powered sites in Europe’s leading metropolitan markets have become one of the scarcest and most strategically valuable resources in digital infrastructure. "Demand for digital infrastructure across Europe is accelerating, but access to suitable sites with secured power and favourable planning positions in the FLAP-D markets remains the defining constraint." The announcement follows progress at the companies' first joint venture at Premier Park in West London, where planning permission was approved in March 2026. The partners say discussions are underway with two hyperscale operators interested in occupying the site's full capacity. For more from Pure DC, click here.

Barings extends Stockholm data centre lease

Alternative investment manager Barings has secured a 10-year lease extension with a global data centre operator at its Vanda 3 site in Kista, Stockholm, Sweden, while also obtaining an additional 30MW of power capacity to support future expansion. The agreement strengthens occupancy at the Vanda 3 asset and supports further data centre development as demand for power capacity continues to grow. Infrastructure work is already underway to connect the additional capacity to the site. Vanda 3 is a mixed-use site within Stockholm's established data centre cluster in Kista. Covering approximately 65,000m², it currently includes data centre, logistics, storage, and industrial space, with the unnamed global data centre operator occupying around 15,000m². Additional power supports future expansion The additional 30MW of capacity, secured through Ellevio, will enable the conversion of existing buildings for further data centre use, including space expected to become available in the future. It will also support additional development across the site. Barings is also seeking planning approval for a further 25,000m² of building rights in 2027, increasing the site's long-term development potential. Olli Forsman, Director, Transactions & Asset Management Nordics at Barings, comments, "The lease extension with the global data centre operator is a strong endorsement of Vanda 3's quality and long-term relevance as a data centre location. "Alongside this, securing additional power capacity is a pivotal milestone that significantly enhances the asset's ability to support further expansion. In a market where access to power remains a key constraint, this puts us in a strong position to support both existing and new operators looking to scale in Stockholm." Kristina Johnson, Senior Director, Nordics Asset Management at Barings, adds, "The combination of secured power, existing infrastructure, and development flexibility creates a compelling proposition for data centre operators and positions the asset well to capture future demand. "The Nordics is one of our preferred markets across a range of asset classes and capital profiles, and we will continue to explore all opportunities where we can create value on behalf of our partners."