Panel: Before the Build: Designing Data Centres for AI Scale, Density and Change

02 Sep 2026

As AI drives higher densities and faster change, the most important decisions are made before construction begins. Design now defines how well data centres scale, adapt and perform over time.

This session focuses on the critical design choices that shape long-term efficiency, flexibility and resilience.

  • How are operators rethinking design architectures for AI-scale environments?

  • Which early decisions have the biggest impact on cost, performance and upgradeability?

  • How can data centres be designed for flexibility as requirements evolve?

  • Where is standardisation working — and where is customisation still needed?

  • How do you design for future change, not just day-one delivery?