Change is nothing new in the data center industry. AI is pushing power density and cooling demand beyond the limits facilities were built to handle, and the technology inside is evolving faster than the buildings themselves.
At the same time, developers are navigating site-specific constraints, environmental limits, and communities that have more say in what gets built than ever before. Designing for flexibility is no longer a preference; it’s a requirement.
PowerHouse is one of the companies challenging conventional thinking. By laying everything they know about data centers on the table and rearranging the pieces for the realities of today, the company seeks a balance that works for developers, operators, and crucially, the communities that host each individual project. In doing so, it aims to demonstrate that responsible environmental choices can be made without compromising performance.
PowerHouse’s senior director of data center development and construction, Ginger Phelps, has spent more than 25 years in industrial construction and heavy power utilities. Her unique perspective on the challenge is direct: the most successful projects aren't the ones with the most sophisticated technology; they’re the ones built to adapt.
