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American DC Construction Forum in numbers
The American Data Centers Construction Forum 2026 in Houston, Texas is a leading data center construction conference, offering an exclusive opportunity to connect with data center general contractors, EPC contractors, developers, and owner-operators at one of the most anticipated data center industry events 2026.
This focused B2B data center event explores key innovations in data center site selection, commissioning, MEP systems, critical facility construction, cooling systems installation, power infrastructure, and Tier III / Tier IV data center construction, alongside trends in hyperscale, colocation, and edge data center development.
Experience a curated lineup of speakers, exhibitors, and delegates driving data center construction trends, investment, and next-generation digital infrastructure development.
We’ve gathered leading global experts to share deep insights and strategies shaping the data center construction industry, including the evolution of hyperscale, colocation, and edge facility development.
Discover cutting-edge data center infrastructure solutions shaping the future of the industry.
Network with leading data center investors, infrastructure engineers, data center EPC contractors, and decision-makers. Build partnerships across data center construction, hyperscale and colocation development, and next-generation critical facility infrastructure.
American Data Centers Construction Forum
The American Data Centers Construction Forum is a national platform dedicated to the energy, infrastructure, and innovation driving the next generation of U.S. data centers. Taking place in Houston, Texas, in October 2026, the event brings together Data Centers owners, utilities, EPCs, policymakers, and technology leaders to address the challenge of scaling digital infrastructure sustainably, efficiently, and at speed.
Join industry peers shaping how modern data centers are planned, built, and powered – aligning construction, energy strategy, and advanced technologies to meet the demands of an AI-driven future.
Key American DC Construction Forum Topics
From navigating the complexities of AI-driven data center construction to exploring the latest data center construction trends, the American Data Centers Construction Forum 2026 in Houston, Texas addresses key challenges and opportunities across data center site selection, MEP systems, cooling, and power infrastructure. This leading data center construction conference brings together global experts to discuss HPC, cloud, and storage solutions—advancing efficient, scalable, and sustainable critical facility infrastructure for the digital economy.
The Land & Grid Logic: Where to Build and Why It’s Changing
• Power Sovereignty: Controlling energy supply vs relying on the grid
• Grid Risk Mapping: Comparing markets under ERCOT, PJM Interconnection, and CAISO
• Behind-the-Meter (BTM) Power Strategies: Onsite generation, private wire agreements, and co-location with generation assets
• Interconnection Queues & “Queue Arbitrage” Strategies
• Onsite Generation & Hybrid Power Models (Gas, Storage, Emerging Nuclear)
• Land Banking & Powered Shell Campuses
• Water Availability as a Site Constraint
EPC War Stories: Delivering Projects in a Broken Supply Chain
• The Long-Lead Crisis: Transformers, switchgear, and generators
• Designing for Availability: Engineering around what you can get
• Factory-Integrated Systems & Pre-Assembled Equipment: Scaling factory-built mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems
• QA/QC in the Factory: Improving quality through controlled production environments
• Owner-Furnished Equipment (OFE) & Early Procurement Strategies
• Logistics & Reshoring: Navigating global and domestic supply constraints
The 2026 Labor Cliff: Industrializing the Job Site
• The Skilled Trade Crisis: Securing electricians and pipefitters at scale
• Industrialized Construction (DfMA): Moving from field-built to factory-assembled
• How Much Can Be Built Off-Site? Defining the modular tipping point
• Robotics & Automation on Active Job Sites
• Workforce Pipelines: Partnering with unions and technical schools
• Training for High-Voltage DC Environments
The Grid-Ready Paradox: Permitting, Policy & Public Pressure
• NEPA Timelines & Environmental Review Bottlenecks
• The “Kill Switch” Reality: Curtailment risk in markets like Texas
• Community Pushback (NIMBY): Rethinking design, noise, and visual impact
• Water Use Scrutiny & Cooling Innovation
• Data Centers as Critical Infrastructure: Regulatory implications for EPCs
• Fast-Track Permitting: Myth vs reality
The Second Life Challenge: Retrofitting for AI Workloads
• Structural Limits: Can existing floors support 3,000+ lb AI racks?
• Power Density Shock: Why Legacy Facilities Fail Beyond ~80-100 kW per Rack
• The Plumbing Pivot: Retrofitting liquid cooling and CDUs
• Live-Site Construction: Upgrading without downtime
• Scrap vs Retrofit: Decision frameworks for owners
• Brownfield Advantage: Leveraging existing grid and permits
Circular Construction: Building Net-Positive Data Centers
• District Heating: Exporting waste heat to cities and agriculture
• Low-Carbon Materials: Green steel and carbon-sequestering concrete
• 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy (CFE): Matching supply and demand in real time
• Water Positivity & Closed-Loop Cooling
• Circular Supply Chains & Design for Deconstruction
• Community Integration & Shared Infrastructure
American DC Construction Forum Speakers:
Meet and learn from world-class speakers at the American Data Centers Construction Forum 2026 in Houston, Texas, where experts will share insights into data center infrastructure, data center commissioning, and MEP systems. Discover transformative advancements in machine learning (ML), data center cooling systems, and colocation data center construction.
CHAIR OF THE EVENT
Khia Chukudebelu
Senior Director, Global Supply Chain, Microsoft Cloud Operations + Innovation (CO+I), Microsoft
Chairman of the Event
Fernando C. Hernandez
Chairman of the Board, Society for Low Carbon Technologies
Chris Hinkle
CEO, TRG Datacenters
Jeffrey Edwards
Senior Lease Construction Manager (AI Delivery), Microsoft Cloud Operations & Innovation (CO+I), Microsoft
Dianne Eldridge
AI GTM I Google Cloud, Power & Energy Lead, Google
Panneer Kanniappan
Senior Construction Manager, Crusoe Energy Systems
Justen Aguillon
Director, Partnerships & Ecosystem | AI Market Development, Equinix
Amit Prakash
Executive Director US Market Lead | Energy, NTT DATA Europe & LATAM
Antonio Montero Pérez
Executive Director - Investment Banking, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria
Ana Quelhas
EVP Hydrogen and Data Centers, EDP
Eric Rubenstein
Managing Partner, New Climate Ventures
Previous Speakers
CHAIR OF THE EVENT
Khia Chukudebelu
Senior Director, Global Supply Chain, Microsoft Cloud Operations + Innovation (CO+I), Microsoft
Chairman of the Event
Fernando C. Hernandez
Chairman of the Board, Society for Low Carbon Technologies
Sid Janga
Senior Director, Land Development, Microsoft
Ahsan Yousufzai
Global Managing Director Energy, NVIDIA
Joseph Boccuzzi, Ph.D.
Head of 5G/6G End-2-End Systems, NVIDIA
Shilen Jhaveri
Program Manager, Data Center Capacity Planning, Google
Marc Bhuyan
Product Manager, Google
Shelley McCain
VP of Energy Strategy, Aligned Data Centers
Carlos Forero
Chief Operating Officer, ODATA – an Aligned Data Centers Company
Chris Hinkle
CEO, TRG Datacenters
Jeffrey Edwards
Senior Lease Construction Manager (AI Delivery), Microsoft Cloud Operations & Innovation (CO+I), Microsoft
Scott Mason
Regional Administrator, EPA
Dado Slezak
Executive Vice President of Utility Innovation, QTS Data Centers
Asad Raza
Data Center Commissioning Manager, Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Sanjay Basu
Senior Director, Cloud Engineering, Oracle
Eric Hoegger
Senior Director, Power and Energy, CyrusOne
Aaron Drucker
Senior Commercial Director, McDermott International
Amit Prakash
Executive Director US Market Lead | Energy, NTT DATA Europe & LATAM
Amanda C. Duhon
VP & Regional Director, North & Central America, EIC
Juliana Garaizar
Partner, Energybackers
Noah Fons
Senior Manager, Regional Economic Development, Greater Houston Partnership
Jon B. Brown
CEO, DCIP Group
Hadassa Lutz
Advisor, DCIP Group
Carolina Villegas
Sr Global Director, Business Development, EagleBurgmann
Cam Yearty
Manager Economic Development, CenterPoint Energy
Jean-Marc Denis
Chief Product Officer, Submer
Abdumalik Mirakhmedov
Founder and Executive President, GDA
Erik Norgren
VP of Development and Engineering, Prime Power
Pervez Siddique
Chief Development Officer, Prime Power
Radha Soorya
Senior Vice President Transmission, BrightNight
Ana Quelhas
EVP Hydrogen and Data Centers, EDP
Ben Jawdat
Founder & CEO, Revterra
Dave Lall
CEO, Ambit Polyurethane
Kirk Stalis
Director, Power Generation, Enerflex
Andy Steinhubl
Founding Board Member, Energy Abundance
Latrice Harkness
Director of Engineering, North American Electric Reliability Corporation
Moshe Bonder
Head of Origination, National Grid Ventures
Eduardo Ramirez Bettoni
Director of R&D, Powell Industries
Kyle B. Reynolds
President, American Association of Professional Landmen
Eric Rubenstein
Managing Partner, New Climate Ventures
Ron Mann
Vice President, Compu Dynamics Modular
Maksim Sonin
Fellow, Stanford University
James E. Campos
President, Red Post Energy Futures | Frmr. Dep. Secretary of Commerce & Trade/Energy, Virginia | Frmr. U.S. DoE Assistant Secretary
Testimonials from previous events
As an event organizer, ALJ Group has been successfully uniting an impressive array of different industry experts at its forums for years now. The positive feedback is a testament to the quality and impact of our conferences.
Don’t just take our word for it— watch video testimonials from our esteemed guests
Event Highlights of the American Data Centers Forum
Visionary Keynote Sessions
Gain insights from global leaders, energy sector pioneers, and policymakers as they present cutting-edge strategies for integrating energy technologies into data centers and AI infrastructure. These sessions will explore the pivotal role of artificial intelligence in transforming industries, driving innovation, and shaping the future of AI-powered data center facilities.
Innovative Energy Technology Showcases
Discover the latest breakthroughs in energy advancements, thermal solutions, cooling systems, energy optimizations. Attendees will experience Tools and Techniques for Managing Petabytes of Information, solutions to implement Zero-Trust Architectures and more.
Strategic Networking Opportunities
Engage with top industry experts, data center professionals, and key energy sector stakeholders in exclusive networking sessions. These gatherings provide a unique platform to build partnerships, exchange ideas, and collaborate on the future of AI-powered data centers, innovative data center projects, and digital infrastructure development.
In-Depth Panel Discussions
Participate in thought-provoking panels on pressing topics such as data center energy innovations, the future of AI infrastructure, the impact of industry regulations, importance of data center heat reuse and advancements in Environmental Footprint of AI Training Models. Gain actionable insights and learn about groundbreaking initiatives like the Stargate Project.
Exclusive Technical Sessions
Attend specialized sessions offering in-depth exploration of critical aspects of AI technology, policy developments, and emerging market trends, delivering practical knowledge and actionable insights for participants.
Additional Benefits
1. Buyer Representation
Many of our attendees represent Hydrogen buyers, offering exhibitors and sponsors unique opportunities for face-to-face meetings with key decision-makers.
2. Exhibitor, Speaker, and Sponsor Support
We provide targeted business matchmaking services for our exhibitors, speakers, and sponsors, ensuring you connect with the right people to drive your business forward.
3. Executive-Level Attendance
Our event attracts senior executives and decision-makers from top organizations in the Hydrogen industry, making it the perfect platform to foster high-level connections.
5. Comprehensive Marketing
Your participation as a speaker, exhibitor, or sponsor comes with exclusive marketing support, ensuring your brand gains maximum visibility across our social media channels, newsletters, and more.
4. Prestigious Event Organization
As a well-established business event organizer, ALJ Group’s meticulously curated events are synonymous with prestige and professional excellence.
Other ALJ GROUP event at a glance
They speak about us
We are grateful to see our event attendees actively sharing about their participation at our events. Join the online conversation about upcoming events by following us on Linkedin.
References
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Sandra Pacin Lopez, Project Engineer, Reganosa
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Sandra Pacin Lopez, Project Engineer, Reganosa
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Sandra Pacin Lopez, Project Engineer, Reganosa
2026 Sponsors
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Connect with Industry Leaders at the American Data Centers Construction Forum
Discover opportunities to engage as a speaker, sponsor, partner, or attendee at the American Data Centers Construction Forum. For more information on participation, please reach out to our team at info@alj-group.com.
FAQ
How to build a data center?
Data center construction best practices typically focus on early alignment between data center EPC contractors, developers, and owner-operators, strong planning of critical facility construction, optimized energy efficiency, and scalable design for hyperscale and edge growth. To gain deeper insights, benchmarks, and real-world case studies, we invite you to attend the American Data Centers Construction Forum 2026 in Houston
Data center construction best practices
A data center construction checklist usually includes: site due diligence, RFP and procurement strategy, design validation, power and cooling capacity planning, construction execution, commissioning, and operational readiness.
How long does data center construction take
On average, timelines range from 12 to 36+ months depending on size, permitting, supply chain conditions, and whether it is a modular or full-scale build. These and many other questions will be answered at the American Data Centers Construction Forum 2026 in Houston, Texas, where leading experts, data center EPC contractors, developers, and investors will share insights on data center construction best practices, costs, timelines, MEP systems, cooling, and power infrastructure across hyperscale, colocation, and edge projects.
What Data Centers to Invest In?
Investors are looking at facilities that combine scalability, energy efficiency, and strong connectivity hubs. The most promising opportunities often align with growing AI and cloud workloads. Discover expert insights and strategies at the American Data Centers Construction Forum 2026, in Houston.
What are the Top 5 Data Centers in the World?
The largest and most advanced data centers are known for vast capacity, cutting-edge cooling, and global network reach. Rankings shift as technology evolves and new mega-campuses open. Join the American Data Centers Construction Forum 2026 to learn which facilities lead today – and what’s coming next.