AI is changing the shape of U.S. infrastructure. Power-hungry clusters, accelerated build schedules, and novel cooling schemes are pushing data-center MEP systems harder than ever.
Global electricity demand from data centers is set to more than double by 2030—with AI as the main driver—so reliability upgrades can’t wait for next year’s refresh cycle.
Instead of swapping entire plants, the fastest way to stabilize capacity is to modernize the interfaces—the flexible hardware that carries heat, movement, vibration, fuel, and chemicals between your major assets. That’s where EFP lives.
Where the AI Build Is Happening (and Who’s at the Table)
Utah (Eagle Mountain / SLC metro)
- QTS has broken ground on a new campus at Eagle Mountain, with the city positioning itself as a fiber-rich, low-risk hub in the Intermountain West.
- Land developer Tract has acquired hundreds of acres nearby for future DC parks.
- Utility partner: Rocky Mountain Power, now revisiting contract structures for large AI loads.
Everywhere else you see cranes: Northern Virginia (Loudoun “Data Center Alley”), Texas (abundant energy + new gas-to-power concepts), Arizona, Ohio, Georgia, Nevada, and Midwest edge markets.
- Design brief is the same: build fast, move big heat, isolate vibration, and plan for enormous step-ups in load.
Buyers & Operators
- Hyperscalers: AWS, Microsoft, Google, Meta
- Colocation & wholesale: QTS, Digital Realty, Equinix, Vantage, CyrusOne, Switch
- Developers: Tract, PowerCampus/Aligned, others
- EPC/CM & MEP design-build: DPR Construction (mission-critical leader), plus Mortenson, Turner, JE Dunn, HITT, Southland, McKinstry, Syska, Jacobs, HDR, Black & Veatch
Public stakeholders
- State EDOs and city councils (entitlements, tax agreements)
- Electric & water utilities (interconnects, substation lead times, reuse/water rights)—e.g., Rocky Mountain Power in Utah
The Problem Behind Most Unplanned Work
Not the chiller — the links.
Whether you’re running air-cooled halls, rear-door heat exchangers, or warm-water liquid loops, most avoidable outages trace back to interfaces:
- Movement: thermal growth in long headers and risers
- Vibration: pumps, cooling towers, compressors, genset exhaust
- Chemicals: water treatment, glycol, inhibitors, oxidizers
- Cycling: generator exhaust and large-ΔT lines starting/stopping
Strategic upgrades focus here first—because they pay back across every phase, from commissioning to PUE tuning.
The EFP Retrofit Map for AI Data Centers
1. Chilled & Condenser Water: Let Steel Grow
Where It’s Safe
- Axial/lateral expansion joints at long runs and building transitions with correct guides & anchors.
- Compensators for tight interstitials; U/V seismic loops on roof drops.Effect: fewer flange leaks, fewer anchor failures, cleaner commissioning.
2. Pump & Equipment Isolation:
Kill Vibration
- Metal bellows pump connectors (with control rods) on CHW/CW pump suction/discharge.
- Short braided drops to isolate strain at coils, HX, skids.Effect: longer seal/bearing life, quieter floors, fewer nuisance trips.
3. Chemical Dosing & Water Treatment:
Use the Right Wetted Path
- PTFE-lined hose & fittings with dripless QDs for oxidizers, inhibitors, biocides, acids/alkalis.
- Color-coded, tagged assemblies for fast, safe changeouts.Effect: low permeation, fewer leaks, safer chemical rooms.
4. Generator & Boiler Exhaust:
Absorb Heat Cycles and Motion
- Fabric or metal flue-duct expansion joints sized for temps and vibration.
- Corrugated metal hose where flexible service or vacuum risk exists.Effect: end sheet-metal cracking, fewer hot-spot repairs, better stack reliability.
5. Instrument & Controls Protection
- Braided stainless pigtails + pulsation snubbers.
- Flexible connectors where vibration or thermal shift would fatigue hard piping.
Quick Wins in a Maintenance Window (2–4 Hours)
- Swap hardened elastomer spools for stainless bellows pump connectors
- Add guides/anchors around existing EJs so they actually work
- Convert dosing skids to PTFE assemblies with dripless QDs
- Add flue-duct joints at genset stacks to stop recurrent cracking
Kits You Can Order Today (Standardized, Field-Friendly)
- CHW/CW Pump Isolation Kit: Bellows pump connectors + control hardware + gaskets + torque chart
- Long-Run Thermal Movement Kit: Axial/lateral EJs, guide/anchor layout, hanger notes, calc worksheet
- CRAH/Coil Flex Drop Kit: Short braided assemblies + unions/flanges, strain relief
- Chemical Dosing PTFE Kit: PTFE hoses, dripless QDs, color tags, wall plates
- Genset Exhaust Joint Kit: Fabric/metal joints with liners/insulation and install checklist
- Instrument Protection Kit: Stainless pigtails, snubbers, isolation valves, tags, mounting hardware
Each kit ships with a one-page install card and commissioning checklist.
Why This Matters Now
- Power & cooling are the bottleneck. AI demand is projected to more than double electricity use by 2030; substations can’t be built overnight.
- Utah as a case study: QTS at Eagle Mountain shows how fast load is ramping before utilities finalize long-lead infrastructure. Correct links reduce surprises.
- Builders want repeatable details: Mission-critical contractors (e.g., DPR) are standardizing flex packages to compress schedules. Pre-engineered hardware reduces friction across bids and buy-outs.
Stakeholder Map (Who Touches the Spec)
- Economic buyers: Hyperscaler/colo real estate & finance, campus GM, development SVP
- Technical decision-makers: MEP engineer of record; EPC/CM; design-build mechanical; reliability/controls leads; commissioning agent
- Public partners: Electric & water utilities; state EDOs; city planning; regulators (air/water)
Speak to each: uptime & MTBF (tech), schedule & risk (EPC/CM), capex deferral & opex (finance), safety & compliance (public).
Engineer’s Walkdown Checklist for AI Halls
- Media & conditions: CHW/CW temps, ΔT, flow, chem list, exhaust temps
- Movement: pipe length, building transitions, roof sway, seismic needs
- Vibration: pump HP/RPM, tower/compressor data, stack vibration history
- Layout: anchor locations, hanger condition, room for loops/compensators
- Testing & QA: hydro vs pneumatic, leak acceptance, thermal soak
- History: hotspots for leaks/rattle, photos, maintenance notes
From Audit to Uptime: How EFP Executes
- Movement & Risk Map (free): Walk CHW/CW, chemical, and exhaust; model growth; flag vibration.
- Retrofit Spec Pack: Joint type tables, spacing, seismic allowances, outage plans.
- QA & Spares: Hydro/helium test plan, torque/retorque, commissioning checklist, spares kit.
Outcome: higher usable capacity now, fewer leaks, cleaner commissioning data—without waiting for the next capex cycle.
What’s Next
- Utah / Intermountain: book a Movement & Risk Map for Eagle Mountain, West Jordan, or SLC metro.
- National rollouts: align kits with EPC standards so every campus uses the same details.
- Sourcing: EFP ships assemblies (expansion joints, metal hose, PTFE hose/fittings, seismic loops, flue-duct joints, guides/anchors) with commissioning docs.
Keep the iron. Upgrade the links.
That’s how AI data centers build fast, pass commissioning, and stay online.