{"id":157561,"date":"2026-01-12T07:08:28","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T07:08:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=157561"},"modified":"2026-01-12T11:13:34","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T11:13:34","slug":"spotlight-on-schedule-delivering-data-centre-construction-at-pace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/digital-construction-news\/construction-technology-news\/spotlight-on-schedule-delivering-data-centre-construction-at-pace\/157561\/","title":{"rendered":"Spotlight on schedule: Delivering data centre construction at pace"},"content":{"rendered":"

The AI data centre rush is raising alarm over the construction supply chain\u2019s ability to cope, writes Leon Wright of Turner & Townsend<\/a><\/h2>\n

For data centre developers and operators<\/a>, speed to market is absolutely critical. These are major investments on typically very large parcels of land \u2013 so enabling swift access for customers is essential both from a revenue perspective and a reputational standpoint. The highly competitive nature of the industry is enhanced by the fact customers have the freedom to choose a new location elsewhere in the world if one market is unable to deliver the goods.<\/p>\n

At the same time, the factors developers must consider are ever more complex \u2013 and delivery programmes are often becoming delayed. Public and political concerns about overdevelopment and local impact are increasingly hindering planning processes. Access to necessary water and power via state utility providers, discussed earlier in this report, can now take years, not months \u2013 leaving operationally ready centres standing empty.<\/p>\n

Given these other complexities and delays, it\u2019s vital that the construction elements of the delivery programme are as streamlined as possible.<\/p>\n

Access to power remains top challenge<\/h3>\n

As highlighted in Turner & Townsend\u2019s recently published Data Centre Construction Cost Index for 2025, access to power remains the top challenge<\/a> for data centre projects achieving committed schedules.<\/p>\n

But our survey findings also raise several other key hurdles, with most focused on construction \u2013 including the impacts of design changes during works, equipment delivery issues, regulatory delays and labour availability.<\/p>\n

The majority (58%) of survey respondents said critical equipment delivery was delayed more than 10% of the time. Some 21% went further, saying delays are \u201cmore often than not\u201d or \u201cconsistent\u201d. While 62% were at least moderately confident in the supply chain\u2019s ability to meet critical equipment delivery dates in the year to come, that still leaves a significant portion concerned.<\/p>\n

To manage and mitigate these risks, alongside other areas of the construction programme, there has been a significant increase in the role of project controls in the data centre sector. A key component of this is schedule management, which has become indispensable to the sector, with clients increasingly adopting schedule management processes.<\/p>\n

To this effectively, clients should be looking to:<\/h3>\n