Sabey Ashburn Data Center is a 38-acre data center campus residing in the heart of the nation’s densest connectivity corridor. Located in Ashburn, VA in Loudoun County (commonly referred to as Data Center Alley).

Attendance is limited and pre-registration is required. 

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Data center developments are having their day. Yet community backlash over environmental and other concerns are rising -- and all the while, demand is skyrocketing. With energy and power companies grappling to support enormous forecasted requirements, and a lack of public awareness of why these facilities are needed in the communities they serve - along with the economic benefits that they can bring - the industry has a real problem. How can it be solved?

Led by Buddy Rizer, Director of Economic Development for Virginia's Loudoun County, this session will explore the threat to data center developments, while taking an honest look at how we got here -- and what we need to do, as an industry, to be better stewards of the land we develop, and the industries we enable. Attendees will learn why it's important to start communications and PR efforts before land is bought, and how associations and other champions of industry can coalesce to educate about the need for data centers.

The discussion will also discern the great importance of environmental stewardship in data center developers' approach to ensure a healthy ecosystem in the communities they serve.

This session will highlight the new SE and NVIDIA collaboration, as well as exploring the direct impact of AI on rack power density, and infrastructure challenges faced by data center operators. The talk will explore the direct impact of AI on rack power density and the ensuing physical infrastructure challenges faced by data center operators. As AI workloads continue to surge, the demand for higher rack power density poses significant operational and design challenges, necessitating innovative solutions to ensure optimal performance, reliability, and energy efficiency. This session will unravel the complexities and present actionable strategies to address these critical challenges, offering insights into the evolving landscape within the white space data center environment.

Other topics include how the proliferation of AI workloads directly correlates with escalating rack power density, and the implications this has on the physical infrastructure of data centers. Next-gen cooling strategies are also on the agenda, notably direct-to-chip liquid cooling solutions, as a transformative approach to effectively manage and dissipate heat in high-density AI environments, mitigating thermal challenges and enhancing overall performance. Attendees will also learn how software tools play an instrumental role in supporting the design and operation of data centers, including Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM), Energy and Power Management Systems (EPMS), Building Management Systems (BMS), and digital electrical design tools.

The evolution of edge and by association, modular data centers has not met initial expectations, largely due to an insufficient network infrastructure and the lack of a commercially viable platform that requires local compute. Despite this, there's a new shift towards modular solutions that adhere to hyperscale standards, a trend that is being adopted by enterprises, the Department of Defense, and various federal and state agencies.

This shift is driven by several factors, including but not limited to the rapid advancement of technology, the increasing need for a shorter time to market, the growing demands of powering and cooling for AI, sustainability requirements, data sovereignty, and local power limitations. While this trend towards modular data centers is increasing, it remains under the radar, overshadowed by the industry's focus on AI and the growth of large hyperscale data center campuses. This paper explores the factors that are making customers choose modular data center solutions over traditional on premise, retail, or wholesale spaces.

The average rack density in most data centers today is 7-10 kW. Modern AI workloads are driving deployments of GPUs and other AI infrastructure that can require 50 kW today and, in fact, well over 100 kW in a single rack. The rapid acceleration in power densities and performance needs are driving change in data center facility design, and the need for more sustainable infrastructure.

This session will cover the theoretical and practical design limitations to support AI, and solutions to engineer around them. We will discuss how a data center is designed and built, how the use cases that the infrastructure deployed in them supports help shape that design, and what the AI data center looks like from a construction, cooling, and connectivity perspective.

The session will also look into the variety and nuances of GPU chip considerations in data centers with relation to power density and liquid cooling technology options.

The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the electrification of infrastructure are placing a significant strain on the existing power grid. Data centers, crucial for AI development, are major contributors to this growing energy demand. A collective effort from public and private sectors is necessary to address this challenge, as no single entity can solve it independently. In this panel, participants will explore the "Trilemma" of achieving reliable, affordable, and clean energy in the context of data center growth – a timely opportunity to discuss innovative solutions and best practices for building a sustainable data center future in the age of AI.

The panel will delve into how the growth of AI is impacting energy demand and explore potential solutions. This includes exploring pathways to having enough energy infrastructure to meet demand while balancing the need for that energy to be reliable, affordable, and clean. The panel will also discuss the latest technologies that can optimize data center energy use such as grid management software, energy storage, and smart building technology. The session will also explore how data center operators can achieve sustainability goals while complying with evolving industry regulations.

In this session, data center industry analytics experts from JLL and datacenterHawk will offer their current "state of the market" update regarding data center capacity, leasing, locations, and real estate considerations.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of data center markets, understanding the dynamic interplay of supply, demand, and pricing is crucial for strategic planning and investment. This presentation will delve into key North American growth markets, highlighting the regions that are witnessing significant expansion, exploring the factors driving this growth, and discussing how these patterns are likely to evolve in the future.

Along with market growth, the presentation will examine the current trends impacting supply, demand, and pricing. With the data center industry standing at the intersection of technology and real estate, these trends have far-reaching implications for all project stakeholders.

This presentation will take as its premise the pressures data center operators face (shrinking optical loss tolerance values, increased uptime, network scalability) and the challenges of conventional spine-leaf architecture. The session will go on to examine how data center operators can benefit now and into the future by leveraging the channelization and distribution capabilities of VSFF optical transceivers. Also on the agenda: How leveraging other fiber cabling management solutions (like alignment independent multifiber interconnection systems with direct mating breakout capability) can help data center operators future-proof their facilities for imminent and escalating AI, IoT and ML workloads.

This panel session will begin by addressing the reality that more data centers are needed now and can be built in a matter of months, while asking if the nuclear industry is keeping pace with the needs of its perfect customer. SEL’s Stephen Middlekauff will examine the leading providers of small and advanced nuclear reactors (SMR/AR) and their timelines for design, approval, and construction. He'll also address the hurdles and complexities that impact cost and implementation schedules, including the regulatory and political obstacles impacting the nuclear industry. For his part, Brian Gitt, head of business development for Oklo, a startup developing next-generation nuclear technologies to deliver reliable low-cost clean energy 24/7, will discuss how small nuclear plants plan to be cost competitive with other energy sources and how nuclear power purchase agreements provide data centers with new electricity supply options. Gitt's talk will provide updated target deployment timelines, and explain how nuclear power projects navigate Federal, State, and local permit requirements. He'll explain Oklo's plans to recycle used nuclear fuel, and how small nuclear plants can cool themselves without relying on people, pumps, or mechanical systems to remove heat. Nano Nuclear CEO James Walker will discuss future data center prospects for the company’s microreactors and HALEU energy fuel.

This session is a presentation of the BluePrint Supply Chain research study on the "Construction Supply Chain for Data Centers." With demand for data center capacity not slowing down, multimillion-dollar data center construction deals are popping up weekly. But keeping up with lightning-speed tech in a construction slowdown is a nightmare. Ongoing construction supply chain challenges arising from longer lead times, lack of freight capacity, inflation, labor shortages, constrained power availability, site readiness issues, and increasing regulatory pressures are jeopardizing data center completion dates, putting owners and contractors in a tough position and winding up with project schedules far outpaced by technology. Based on the results of an exclusive survey by Data Center Frontier and BluePrint Supply Chain, we'll break down the impacts of the latest construction supply chain disruption differentiators and explore innovative resilience strategies. Walk away with critical insight on optimizing contractor coordination, storage, transport, rigging, and setting to conquer tight budgets and construction timelines and get your data center up and running faster. A 15 minute results presentation will precede a 20 minute moderated Q/A with BluePrint and a 10 minute attendee Q/A.

Distinguished experts from the land use team at DLA Piper’s Reston office, Vantage Data Centers, and the Data Center Coalition will impart an understanding of the political climate affecting data center development in Northern Virginia, and the impact on recent data center projects. The discussion will survey the latest trends and updates in the regulation of data centers in key Northern Virginia jurisdictions (including Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, and beyond) and at the state level in the Virginia General Assembly. The presentation will also address the power transmission issues in Northern Virginia, provide updates on the latest projects and power projections from Dominion Energy Virginia (DEV) and the Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC), and assess the impact on local regulation of data center development in Northern Virginia.

Roundtables are opportunities to sit with your peers and discuss specific topics and themes important to you. These moderated discussions will provide both insights and new connections that will better inform your decision-making. Click on each topic for more details. 

• Sustainable Backup Power
• Water Resilience
• Edge Data Centers
• Data Center Construction
• Hybrid IT & AI

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This panel will explore the imperative for data centers to develop their onsite generation strategies in the face of escalating power scarcity. Brian Jabeck, VP of Data Centers at Enchanted Rock, will examine how new, flexible approaches to grid integration are imperative. Utilities can address new customer load demand by offering a flexible tariff or connection process. Meanwhile, data centers bring their own generation resource—flexible capacity—and operate it when called by the utility in exchange for an accelerated grid connection. The panel will then tackle the topic of harnessing hydrogen fuel cells to provide uninterrupted power, eliminating reliance on traditional grids and fossil fuels. EdgeCloudLink (ECL) VP of Strategy Yinon Eliaz will address possibilities for off-power-grid, hydrogen-powered data centers. Meanwhile, Bloom Energy VP of Data Centers Jeff Barber will highlight how circular economy principles are transforming data centers into greener facilities, while emphasizing the importance of sustainable alternative power solutions that can be used in combination with traditional energy sources to immediately address carbon emissions and the power dilemma the industry is presently battling. This panel will be moderated by Stefan Raab, Sr. Director of Market Development, AMER for Equinix.

This panel discussion pulls in experts from a range of data center operations to probe the crucial intersection of power, land, regulation, and communications infrastructure elements to support perennially rising cloud and AI/ML workloads. As providers chase power, finding the right locations that have (or can develop) all of these key attributes in a synchronized fashion is a substantial challenge. The panel will share examples of where striking this balance has worked well, and where it has not worked as well.

This panel will focus on the critical role of data centers in shaping workforce development, highlighting the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles in enhancing community relations. The discussion will cover effective strategies for cultivating a skilled and diverse workforce, including specialized training programs, collaborations with educational institutions, and comprehensive leadership development efforts. The broader societal contributions of data centers will also be considered, such as stimulating economic growth, improving local educational outcomes, enhancing digital connectivity, advancing environmental sustainability, and fostering community engagement. Ways of empowering female data center leadership with proven strategies that challenge the status quo and enrich the industry’s diversity will also be discussed. The session will also discuss ways to attract, inspire, and retain young talent while addressing the industry's aging workforce and ensuring a robust pipeline of future leaders. Examples will also be presented of how pioneering investments in LATAM foster inclusive work cultures by marrying diversity and women’s leadership goals to sustainable financing. The session will also examine the various aspects of data center apprenticeship programs and how companies can benefit from cultivating an on-ramp of talented, ready-to-learn, ready-to-work people to fill their workforce.

The distinguished panelists in this session will expound on one of five data center industry trends to watch for in 2025, as selected and curated by each. An audience Q&A session will follow. An infographic containing the top 5 data center trends to watch for 2025 will be produced to distribute after the event.