Exploring the Future of Mission Critical Infrastructure

As the appetite for AI grows, the pressure on providing power and efficient cooling systems is fundamentally reshaping the way we design and operate data centers. The entire ecosystem, from infrastructure to operations, is evolving to keep pace with rising demand. At Henderson Engineers, we’re not just responding to this shift; we’re leading it, helping clients navigate the complexity with smart, sustainable, and forward-thinking solutions. 

BYOP: Bring Your Own Power 

Access to power has become the defining challenge for mission critical centers. Today, success depends on access to reliable, sufficient energy sources, increasing project delivery speed and ability to keep up with demand. With organizations racing to balance speed to market, cost, and compliance, many are finding creative ways to power their operations.

When determining the best solution for your facility, we look at the opportunity to generate power onsite as utility companies scale their resources or retrofit existing sites with long-term energy solutions to meet growing energy needs. This shift is transforming how we design facilities. As utility providers struggle to meet demand growth, the resulting supply-demand imbalance pushes the industry to develop innovative power solutions for owners and partners.

To reduce dependence on traditional grids, many organizations now embrace self-generation strategies, including “behind the meter” systems. Technologies like microgrids, nuclear energy, and other onsite solutions have moved from experimental to essential. These strategies reflect a new industry reality: Reliable power access now outweighs nearly every other consideration. While short-term fixes help meet today’s needs, long-term solutions must anchor tomorrow’s mission critical. As partners for the life of your building, our team will collaborate with you from the master planning stage to final commissioning and provide continuous feedback on opportunities to future-proof facilities to incorporate new technology when it comes. By being involved from the initial concept stage, we can accommodate scalable design to proactively plan for ongoing changes in technology and data center needs.

Building for Tomorrow 

Whether addressing tenant-specific needs, cooling demands, or geographic challenges, teams must prioritize adaptability in every new build. Beyond power concerns, the market is focused on ensuring their infrastructures are future proof as the industry continues to evolve rapidly. While purpose-built facilities still dominate, we’re seeing a steady move toward flexible, scalable buildings that can keep pace with evolving technologies and regulations.

With change accelerating, project teams must combine technical expertise with strategic planning. Decisions made today directly shape tomorrow’s capabilities. Power constraints may spark innovation, but infrastructure demands adaptability. The way to succeed will be to deliver high-performing solutions now, while staying ready for what comes next. Our team works with local and state utility providers to manage new and additional power sources, including natural gas and chilled water services.  This helps offset challenges that the entire industry faces in keeping up with the go-to-market priorities of our clients. 

Another emerging trend is the change in site selection for data centers. In the past, these facilities have been built around existing hubs like Northern Virginia, Phoenix, and Washington State. Emerging regions, like Texas and Georgia, offer alternatives to power sources, space constraints, and even local regulations. Still, creating future-proof centers remains a key consideration as sustainability and environmental regulations change. Creating infrastructure that can evolve alongside technological advancements will be a driving force in sustained growth. 

Cool Solutions 

Liquid cooling technologies, once considered specialized solutions, are becoming standard considerations for mainstream data center design. This new approach is perhaps most evident in cooling operations planning. 

AI and machine learning workloads have increased significantly in the last five years. Increasingly, we see liquid cooling gaining momentum as a more efficient, sustainable alternative to traditional air systems. Technologies like direct-to-chip and immersion cooling are no longer reserved for high-performance environments. Instead, they are now an option for a broader range of data centers seeking to reduce energy consumption and meet ESG goals. As the industry shifts and new requirements emerge, we can now design facilities with liquid cooling in mind from the outset, rather than retrofitting later. This proactive approach ensures we provide our clients with long-term scalability and positions facilities to support the next wave of data centers. 

In addition to newer technologies for keeping data center operations cool, converting traditional air-cooled facilities to data centers offers a unique solution. We are starting to see many reevaluated underutilized buildings as options for retrofitting, especially in regions where they may face constraints-like power, access, and local regulations. By integrating hybrid cooling systems or adapting infrastructure to support liquid cooling retrofits, we can accelerate deployment timelines. However, these conversions require careful planning to address structural limitations, airflow dynamics, and increased thermal loads. When done right, retrofitting not only extends the lifespan of existing buildings but also bridges the gap between today’s needs and tomorrow’s sustainability.  

State of the Market  

The industry is undergoing huge transformations, driven by technological advancement and market pressures that demand new approaches to traditional challenges. This presents both exciting challenges and opportunities. Our industry has entered a new era where adaptability determines success. Henderson is positioned to build infrastructure that evolves as fast as the technology it supports. 

Looking ahead, the convergence of power, cooling, and adaptability will define the future of mission critical design. Organizations that invest in flexible infrastructure and proactive strategies will be best positioned to thrive in an increasingly data-driven world. We remain committed to helping our clients stay ahead of the curve with solutions that meet today’s demands and anticipate tomorrow’s possibilities.