Meeting the challenge in Europe
In the digital era, data centres are the silent engines powering our connected world.
As demand accelerates across Europe, clients face a new level of complexity and expectation. Data centre design services are no longer just about design. They are about enabling business, resilience and sustainability at scale.
“Data Centre clients today operate in a landscape defined by speed, reliability and regulatory scrutiny. Every day lost to delays can mean millions in missed opportunity."
Mark Gillett
Head of Data Centres
Understanding your world
Power and cooling systems must be engineered for absolute reliability - downtime is not an option. Regulatory frameworks, from energy efficiency mandates to cybersecurity, are tightening across the EU and EFTA regions. With global supply chains under pressure, proactive planning and risk management are essential.
“These challenges are amplified by local market dynamics. Clients expect deep understanding of regional standards, permitting processes and sustainability goals. The ability to deliver global best practices with local expertise is what sets leading Data Centre Design partners apart,” explains Mark.
The data centre design advantage: more than design
Architecture and Engineering (AE) teams act as an extension of the client’s vision. They bring together multidisciplinary expertise - architecture, engineering, construction and commissioning - to deliver solutions that are scalable and future-ready.
This approach needs to be built on:
- Future-proof design: flexible, scalable facilities that can adapt to evolving technologies and business needs
- Mission-critical reliability: engineering solutions that ensure zero tolerance for failure, with resilient power and cooling systems
- Regulatory and sustainability leadership: the expertise to navigate complex European regulations. Delivering designs that meet or exceed local and international standards, including energy efficiency and environmental responsibility
- Integrated delivery: embedded teams within the client’s organisation, to ensure seamless coordination from concept to commissioning
Addressing key challenges
Clients face unique hurdles. Such as stringent planning laws, high expectations for sustainability and the need for rapid deployment in competitive markets. Data centre design services need to be tailored to these realities:
- Speed-to-market: leveraging precision scheduling, lean delivery and robust documentation to keep projects on track
- Stakeholder engagement: teams that lead on stakeholder management, risk mitigation and technical coordination. This ensures all voices are heard and risks are proactively managed
- Global consistency, local execution: across Europe, the combination of international standards with local know-how, delivering projects safely, on time and to the highest quality
Inspiring the future
As the data centre sector continues to mature, Data centre design has become central to strategic decision-making. Clients are seeking partners who can deliver not just buildings, but business outcomes: resilience and flexibility
