The global data centre boom is creating major opportunities for contractors and engineers. Artificial intelligence, cloud computing and growing demand for digital services are driving investment across the US, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.

But where is construction happening, and which locations should the industry be watching?

Comparing markets by capacity gives a clearer picture than counting buildings: one large campus can provide more computing capacity than several smaller facilities.

United States: the largest construction market

The US remains the main driver of global data centre development. Northern Virginia is an established hub, but investment is spreading rapidly into Texas and other locations with access to power and suitable land.

JLL’s midyear 2026 report recorded 66GW of capacity under construction across North America, with 95% already committed to customers. Texas had 26GW of combined existing and under-construction capacity, ahead of Virginia’s 13GW. West Texas, Ohio, Louisiana and the Carolinas are also attracting substantial investment.

For the supply chain, this expansion creates opportunities across construction, electrical installation, cooling, network infrastructure and technical fit-out.

Europe: established hubs remain busy, but development is spreading

Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris and Dublin remain central to Europe’s data centre market. Together, these five hubs had 1.4GW under construction at midyear 2026, according to JLL.

Paris delivered 72.5MW of new capacity in the first half of the year, while power availability and planning restrictions continue to influence delivery across the established markets. Developers are increasingly considering larger sites further from major cities to accommodate power-intensive AI campuses.

In the UK, London and its surrounding counties remain the dominant cluster. CBRE forecasts 180MW of new supply during 2026, with development extending into locations including Hertfordshire, Oxfordshire and Essex as operators seek additional power capacity.

Southeast Asia: Johor, Bangkok and Jakarta stand out

Southeast Asia is one of the most active regions for new development.

Cushman & Wakefield’s first-half 2026 research recorded:

• Bangkok, Thailand: 859MW under construction.
• Johor, Malaysia: 602MW under construction.
• Jakarta, Indonesia: 395MW under construction.

Johor benefits from its proximity to Singapore, while Bangkok and Jakarta are seeing rapid increases in construction activity. These figures relate to capacity being built, rather than the much larger totals that include planned projects.

Australia and India: substantial development pipelines

Sydney and Mumbai are important markets to watch, although pipeline figures need careful interpretation.

At midyear 2026, Sydney had a 2,134MW development pipeline, of which 2,018MW was still at the planning stage. Mumbai’s development pipeline stood at 1,726MW. These figures indicate substantial potential future activity, with delivery dependent on projects progressing through approvals, power connections and construction.

Middle East: major investment, with changing delivery timelines

The Middle East is becoming an increasingly significant market for AI infrastructure, particularly through developments in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

JLL reported 2.6GW under construction and a further 13.8GW in the planning pipeline at midyear 2026. However, regional tensions have delayed some investment decisions and extended delivery schedules, making project timing an important consideration for suppliers and contractors.

What does this mean for data centre recruitment?

The US leads overall construction activity, Europe’s established hubs continue to expand, and Southeast Asia is producing some of the strongest emerging hotspots.

For recruitment, our view is that this creates opportunities for structured cabling engineers, fibre splicers, rack-and-stack teams, security installers, supervisors and project managers. The timing of those requirements will depend on each project’s construction and fit-out programme.

At Bauhaus Recruitment, we support clients with experienced technical personnel for data centre and infrastructure projects. As development expands into new locations, access to reliable engineers who can travel and deliver becomes increasingly valuable.

Planning a data centre project or looking for your next engineering opportunity? Contact Bauhaus Recruitment to discuss your requirements.