As AI-driven data center demand doubles global capacity toward 2030, ER Steel makes the case that responsible infrastructure depends on integrated construction coordination, modular fabrication, energy diversification, and environmental stewardship rather than speed alone.
The rapid expansion of AI infrastructure seems to have brought data centers into a new phase of global development, with growing attention on computing power, digital capacity, and speed to deployment. Alongside that momentum, ER Steel observes another conversation gaining importance: the challenge of building and powering these facilities responsibly and efficiently while maintaining long-term operational resilience. A global fabricator of structural steel and building systems, ER Steel views this moment as an opportunity to rethink how large-scale infrastructure is coordinated from design through delivery.
Demand for AI-related infrastructure continues to accelerate as cloud computing, machine learning, and digital services expand across industries. According to a global data center market outlook report, nearly 100 gigawatts of new data center capacity could come online between 2026 and 2030, effectively doubling global capacity during that period. The report also notes that AI workloads may account for half of all data center activity by 2030, creating sustained demand for new facilities and regional deployments.
“It’s not surprising this rapid expansion has elevated discussions around construction capacity, utility access, and infrastructure readiness into central planning considerations,” Scott Dunlop, President of ER Steel, remarks. For him, the broader issue extends beyond constructing buildings quickly. “The conversation around AI infrastructure often begins with computing demand, but the real complexity begins with power access, construction coordination, and long-term operational planning. Those elements determine whether a project performs responsibly and efficiently years after commissioning,” he adds.
In ER Steel’s view, elements of this complexity appear across a range of major data center markets, where strong investor interest is increasingly tempered by interconnection delays, evolving permitting timelines, and supply-chain fragmentation that can influence project delivery. The company notes that these pressures are becoming more pronounced as wait times for grid connections in several primary markets now stretch beyond four years, prompting developers to explore alternate energy strategies, battery storage integration, and modular deployment approaches to maintain momentum.
The cumulative effect of these constraints has also contributed to rising construction costs, with average global data center build costs increasing from $7.7 million to $10.7 million per megawatt between 2020 and 2025. As facilities become larger and more technically demanding, project teams seem to be placing greater emphasis on predictability across procurement, fabrication, logistics, and installation.
ER Steel’s operational model was developed with coordination in mind. By integrating engineering, fabrication, logistics, and project oversight within a unified management structure, the company aims to help reduce communication gaps that commonly emerge when multiple contractors operate independently across large infrastructure builds. This integrated structure also allows project teams to sequence fabrication and site delivery in alignment with installation schedules, helping projects maintain continuity through each phase of execution.
Lloyd Kamlade, COO of ER Steel, believes consistency across disciplines creates stronger outcomes over the life of a project. “Infrastructure projects involve thousands of moving parts, and every decision influences another stage of the build,” he explains. “If engineering, fabrication, logistics, and field coordination operate within the same framework, teams can gain a clearer understanding of timelines, sequencing, and site conditions before challenges escalate.”
This visibility, ER Steel emphasizes, is important amid the current landscape. An analysis of the global trade effects of the AI infrastructure boom noted that rising data center construction has significantly increased demand for critical materials, industrial equipment, and semiconductor-related inputs. The report further observed that AI-related investment supported a substantial share of merchandise trade growth in early 2025, reinforcing the scale and global reach of current infrastructure expansion.
As projects accelerate, ER Steel observes industry discussions have shifted toward the question of how facilities are built, not simply how quickly they can be delivered. Dunlop believes long-term infrastructure planning requires balancing urgency with disciplined execution. “There’s tremendous pressure to compress schedules,” he says. “But successful projects depend on creating efficiencies through planning, coordination, and design integration so teams can move forward throughout the construction cycle.”
This philosophy has influenced ER Steel’s work in modular construction and integrated fabrication systems. By manufacturing key structural components in controlled environments before shipment to the site, modular methods support greater speed to market, higher quality, and more efficient installation timelines while allowing project teams to manage quality assurance earlier in the process. These systems also offer flexibility for future expansion as computing demands continue to evolve.
The conversation around energy sourcing has also become more significant, according to ER Steel. Data centers require substantial electricity capacity, while many regions continue working through transmission constraints and utility limitations. Developers are exploring diversified energy strategies that include on-site generation, battery storage, renewable integration, and private power arrangements to support future demand.
Alongside those technical considerations, ER Steel stresses that environmental stewardship continues to influence infrastructure planning decisions. ER Steel notes that data centers require large-scale cooling systems and water management strategies, particularly in regions already experiencing resource pressures. The company believes thoughtful design coordination plays an important role in helping facilities operate in alignment with surrounding communities and infrastructure systems.
“We want projects to contribute positively to the regions where they operate,” Kamlade explains. “Responsible infrastructure planning includes understanding water systems, energy use, long-term expansion potential, and the realities of local communities before construction begins.”
ER Steel recognizes that the rapid expansion of AI-driven infrastructure is bringing renewed attention to issues such as energy availability, supply-chain coordination, and responsible construction practices. It believes these evolving priorities create space for deeper engagement in shaping infrastructure systems that emphasize long-term operability and integrated execution.
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