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The Construction Summit: Building the Data Centers Powering the AI Era

As AI workloads reshape infrastructure requirements, developers, contractors, and operators are under pressure to deliver facilities faster while designing for constant change. The Construction Summit at DCD Connect | Virginia brings together hyperscalers, colocation providers, operators, AECs, investors, and policymakers to explore how construction models are adapting to meet the demands of the AI era. Discussions will focus on future-proofing facilities, modular and prefabricated construction, workforce and supply chain challenges, collaboration between construction and operations teams, and the regulatory hurdles shaping project delivery in key growth markets.

  • 3,000+ Senior Data Center Professionals
  • 250+ Expert Speakers
  • 100+ Exhibitors
  • 61% Buyer Audience

    • Construction Summit Agenda

    Stage

    Session type

    Channel

    9:00 a.m.

    • Construction Summit | Spotlight Stage | Lansdowne Ballroom

      Panel: Building for uncertainty - Future-proofing data centers in the age of AI

      • Data Center Construction
      • Open Session
      MHI (1)

      Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world’s leading industrial groups, spanning energy, smart infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on spectra.mhi.com.

      Speakers

      Stuart Lawrence

      Stuart Lawrence

      SVP AI Innovation, Stream Data Centers

      Sweta Dutta

      Sweta Dutta

      Construction Program Lead, AWS

      Kara Anderson

      Chief Design Officer, Sabey Corporation

      Shin Gomi

      Head of Global Data Center & Energy Management, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

      Dan Loosemore

      Dan Loosemore

      CEO, DCD

    10:00 a.m.

    • Construction Summit | Spotlight Stage | Lansdowne Ballroom

      Panel: From the ground up - Closing the gap between construction and operations

      • Data Center Construction
      • Open Session
      SherwinWilliams 228x114

      Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine delivers world-class industry subject matter expertise, unparalleled technical and specification service, and unmatched regional commercial team support to our customers around the globe. Our broad portfolio of high-performance coatings and systems – including protective liquid and powder, fire protection and resinous flooring – excels at combating corrosion and helps customers achieve smarter, time-tested asset protection. We serve a wide array of markets across our rapidly growing international distribution footprint, including Bridge & Highway, Energy, Commercial and Institutional Structures, Manufacturing & Processing, Marine, Rail, Power, and Water & Wastewater.

      Speakers

      Joe Windover

      Construction Executive, Sherwin-Williams Construction Solutions

      Pavan Kundurthi

      Head of Systems Modeling and Simulation, AWS

      Mike Regan

      VP, QuEST Forum, TIA

      Krystyna Witt

      Krystyna Witt

      VP Solutions Engineering & Implementation, Prime Data Centers

      Matthew Stansberry

      Matthew Stansberry

      SVP of Content, Yotta

    11:00 a.m.

    • Construction Summit | Spotlight Stage | Lansdowne Ballroom

      Debate: Modular construction - Transformative shift or temporary hype?

      • Data Center Construction
      • Open Session

      Speakers

      Valerie Crafton

      Valerie Crafton

      Chief Revenue Officer, Mod42

      Kristen Sanderson

      SR VP, Duos Technologies Group

      Manesh Patel

      Head of Data Center Development, Radiant

      Meloni Boatswain

      Meloni Boatswain

      Director, Data Center Infrastructure Delivery, Oracle

      Dan Swinhoe

      Dan Swinhoe

      Editor in Chief, DCD

    11:45 a.m.

    2:00 p.m.

    2:30 p.m.

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    New for 2026: connecting the data center industry with the construction ecosystem shaping the AI era

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    Join developers, contractors, operators, AECs, investors, and infrastructure leaders at the Construction Summit at DCD Connect | Virginia

    • virginia connect

      Debate: Modular Construction

      Join industry pioneers as they debate whether off-site modular construction can deliver value or introduces new costs and complexities that void any benefits.

    • virginia connect

      Closing the Gap Between Construction and Operations

      Hear from leaders as they explore how developers, contractors, and operators can align across the entire project lifecycle to protect assets and minimize unexpected risks.

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      Future-Proofing Data Centers in the Age of AI

      Industry experts examine how teams are introducing flexibility into new builds across emerging power, cooling, and structural systems.