News & Insights
VIDEO: Speed to market for data centers
Why this matters now
Demand for data center capacity is outpacing the industry’s ability to deliver it. Power constraints, supply chain pressure, and a tight skilled trades market all push schedules in the wrong direction at the same time hyperscale and colocation owners need capacity online faster. Every month of delay carries real revenue cost and competitive risk. Speed to market is no longer one project metric among many. For many owners, it is the defining metric.
What leaders are weighing
Owners are weighing the appeal of accelerated delivery against the risk of decisions made under time pressure. They are deciding how far to push prefabrication, modular components, and standardized designs versus customizing each site. There are tradeoffs around procurement timing, switchgear lead times, cooling architecture, and entitlement strategies. Operators want reliability and operability, not just early certificates of occupancy. Finance teams want clear cost certainty. The right approach moves quickly without creating problems that show up later.
How Salas O’Brien is helping clients respond
Our data center team helps owners compress schedules without compromising the systems that have to run for decades. We support site selection, design, and delivery with a focus on procurement strategy, modular thinking, and operational handover. We help clients sequence decisions so the critical path stays clear and surprises stay small. Hear Vello Ehvert, Curt Williams, and Karoline Derse discuss what speed to market really takes.
Vello Ehvert, P.Eng., PE, LEED AP, Uptime Accredited Tier Designer
Vello Ehvert has a global reputation for delivering innovative data center solutions by employing a manufacturing approach to engineering and advanced mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems. With over four decades of engineering, construction, and project management experience in the mission-critical sector, Vello continues to lead industry advancements in data center design and construction. Vello serves as Managing Principal, Mission Critical for Salas O’Brien. Contact him at [email protected].
Karoline Derse, NCARB, AIA
Karoline Derse is a registered Architect with extensive experience in architecture and project management for data centers, critical environments, office tenant improvements, and retail. She enjoys leading multi-disciplinary design teams and working together to develop creative, cost-effective solutions to address the most challenging design situations. Karoline serves as a Managing Principal for Salas O’Brien. Contact her at [email protected].
Curt Williams, PE
Curt Williams has extensive expertise in mission-critical projects and is known for delivering precise, constructible designs within tight timelines. His relational and collaborative approach fosters strong, long-term client partnerships, enabling him to consistently support projects across multiple phases and needs. Curt serves as a Managing Principal at Salas O’Brien. Contact him at [email protected] .