The UK data centre sector is undergoing a period of accelerated change. Demand continues to rise, but operators are also under pressure to remain competitive, compliant, sustainable and prepared for an uncertain future.
In this conversation, EMCOR UK’s Steve Clifford, Director of Data Centres, and Oliver Sander, Delivery Director, unpack the challenges and emerging solutions shaping data centre operations today, from retrofit and automation to talent, sustainability and security.
First up, our experts discuss the benefits of retrofit what advantages this can provide operators looking to stay ahead of the curve. With planning permissions often stretching timelines by two or even three years before construction can begin, retrofit offers operators a much faster route to increasing capacity. In some cases, the journey from initial enquiry to getting work underway can be compressed into just three to four months. When speed to market is crucial, and sustainability is becoming more important than ever, retrofit is a strategic advantage. Not only does it accelerate delivery, but it supports the reuse of existing assets, aiding sustainability targets.
The conversation then turns to automation and predictive maintenance; areas that are at the forefront of data centre operations. In most UK data centres today, you will find engineering teams still spending a lot of time on reactive work, managing routine checks, dealing with emergency callouts and addressing maintenance. Automation promises to dramatically change this. So how can operators redirect skills to free up time for engineers to work on higher-value work? And what does this mean for engineering roles in the future?
There has been a clear shift in automation over the past 18 months; emergency callouts are decreasing as predictive approaches take hold. We dive into how automation can give back valuable time to engineers, and what this means for the way teams operate, the skills they prioritise and the value they can deliver across the data centre.
Our experts move onto a topic affecting almost every UK industry: skills gaps and the future of the workforce. This is an issue that can’t be solved by simply increasing recruitment spending. Instead, organisations need to rethink how they attract, develop and retain top talent if they want to stay ahead.
A key question for the sector is how to broaden diversity, bringing in people with different backgrounds, perspectives and skill sets. How can organisations build teams equipped not only for today’s demands, but for the rapidly evolving needs of the future?
They discuss the skills gap issue and future workforce, touching on recruiting across design, commercial and administrative functions, and the importance of building resilient teams that will stand the test of time. They also cover EMCOR UK’s commitment to apprenticeships, which nurture new talent and provide clear career pathways for the next generation of engineers.
Next up, our experts delve into sustainability and ESG goals within data centres, forming an important part of the discussion. For an energy-intensive sector, there is a need to improve environmental performance for large-scale strategies, renewable energy integration, heat recovery systems, as well as smaller initiatives that might fly under the radar.
Circular economy thinking is gaining real traction too, and the conversation around retrofit naturally aligns with this approach by prioritising reuse and extension of existing infrastructure. Our experts discuss how circular principles can be applied more broadly across data centre services, from equipment lifecycle management with specialist suppliers.
Security and compliance also form a crucial part of the conversation. While cyber security breaches often make headline news, it’s important to understand that these incidents often begin with physical access; essentially people gaining entry to places where they shouldn't be. They discuss how operators navigate this complexity without becoming paralysed by it and how to build security and compliance into operational DNA rather than treating them as bolt-on requirements.
As the discussion draws to a close, our experts turn to a topic that is on everyone’s mind: financial pressures. In today’s environment, operators must be increasingly cost-conscious, scrutinising every expenditure and seeking supply chain partners who deliver real value without compromising quality. One of the most significant operational pressures they face is energy consumption. EMCOR UK addresses this challenge directly, finding ways to achieve more with less while continuing to drive innovation.
Retrofit plays a crucial role here, offering multiple advantages. Not only can it shorten project timelines, but when combined with automation, it can reduce maintenance costs and extend the lifespan of assets.
This naturally raises a pressing question: how can operators maintain performance and resilience when budgets are tighter than ever? What worked yesterday may no longer be sufficient tomorrow, and the sector must remain adaptable as the boundaries continue to shift.
Looking to the future, our experts share their thoughts on a rapidly changing data centre sector and highlight how the industry can rethink its approaches going forward: from automating intelligently, considering the benefits of retrofitting, to building diverse teams, embedding sustainability, and engineering long-term value. EMCOR UK is tackling these pressures head on through a design, build, manage and maintain model.
Throughout this discussion, our experts share what they’re seeing on the ground; what’s working, and where the sector is heading. For operators and decision-makers navigating these same challenges, their insights offer a valuable perspective on building resilience, sustainability, compliance, and cost.
Watch the full conversation here to explore these themes in depth.
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