Market Briefings: Data Centers & Telecommunications-Market Briefings Data Centers & Telecommunications Recording

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The American Council of Engineering Companies hosted the final 2024 market briefing focusing on data centers and telecommunications, featuring experts Kevin Bowden (EdgeConnects), David Fanning (Gensler), and John Papasello (CBRE). They discussed trends impacting data center markets, cooling technologies, power challenges, fiber infrastructure, and regional growth.<br /><br />Kevin Bowden highlighted Northern Virginia's dominance in data center space, though development constraints and high land costs are pushing growth to markets like Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix, Dallas, and emerging secondary markets such as Columbus, Austin, and Reno. He noted skyrocketing power demands driven by AI, with rack densities now exceeding 132 kW, requiring a shift from traditional air cooling to advanced liquid cooling systems.<br /><br />David Fanning detailed data center design complexities, noting the industry's move from single-story to multi-story facilities to maximize limited land. He emphasized sustainability efforts—including renewable power sourcing, carbon reduction strategies, and innovative cooling such as liquid cooling and Microsoft's hybrid mass timber data center—as well as stricter regulatory and community engagement requirements influencing site development.<br /><br />John Papasello explained the critical role of fiber optics as the digital infrastructure's backbone, connecting data centers via extensive conduit systems underground, aerially, and undersea. He described the OSI communication layers, the difference between dark and lit fiber, and the massive growth in connected devices driving demand for dense, high-capacity fiber networks.<br /><br />Q&A covered Northern Virginia's limited space, fire suppression strategies avoiding water, and recommended industry events like PTC and 7x24 Exchange for networking and education. The briefing underscored the complex interplay of power, cooling, design, fiber connectivity, and sustainability shaping the evolving data center ecosystem.

Keywords

American Council of Engineering Companies

2024 market briefing

data centers

telecommunications

Kevin Bowden

David Fanning

John Papasello

Northern Virginia data centers

liquid cooling technology

fiber infrastructure