Technology is not fairy dust that you sprinkle onto a problem to sort it out.

Latency requirements, local regulation, and land constraints mean that ‘cookie-cutter’ single-storey facilities are no longer the only game in town.Lincoln points out that multi-storey or retrofitted data centres may soon become more common, especially when operators seek low-latency connections in city centres..

However, building in dense urban environments introduces new complexities: community relations, architectural design considerations, and zoning regulations all come into play.The standardised ‘kit of parts’ concept helps here too, as a platform-based design can be more readily adapted to tighter sites or existing structures..Ensuring adaptability and reliability.

For all the emphasis on innovation, Lincoln reiterates that data centres are mission-critical: even minor downtime can be cripplingly expensive for operators.This means that adopting new methods - be they industrial construction techniques or cooling advancements - demands careful piloting and collaboration.

He stresses that Edged’s approach is built on tested engineering principles, explaining:.

‘Everyone is on a learning curve… The workloads that exist now were unimaginable only a few years ago, so it’s not about replicating the old formula - it’s about rethinking it.’.We’ve got to get under the skin of the client, or Government department, and understand what’s really valuable.

Moving to a value-based process requires us to be braver.It requires more innovation..

Using process design thinking to highlight efficiency.One thing which happens when working this way, is that we’re forced to approach projects differently.