Concrete, Conduit, and Code: the real foundation of the data center boom

By Nathan Creech, President of CRH Americas

America is in the early stages of the largest infrastructure buildout since the Interstate Highway System. But this time, the ambition isn’t highways stretching coast to coast—it’s data centers powering the artificial intelligence revolution. And the biggest bottleneck isn’t software, chips, or capital. It’s what lies beneath the surface.

Hyperscalers are racing to expand their digital footprints across the country, competing for sites with reliable access to power and water. Their combined capital expenditure exceeded $140 billion in a single quarter last year.¹ Yet for all the attention paid to processing speed and server capacity, the systems that will ultimately determine success are the ones no one sees—power conduits, water networks, drainage systems, and the aggregates and concrete that form the foundation of every facility.

Data centers now consume roughly 4 percent of America’s electricity. Power demand from the sector is expected to grow from 25 gigawatts today to as much as 100 gigawatts by the end of the decade.² Water presents a similar challenge. In 2023 alone, U.S. data centers consumed 17 billion gallons directly, with demand projected to rise significantly as facilities scale.³

These aren’t software problems. They are infrastructure problems—and they demand infrastructure solutions.

From Suppliers to Strategic Partners

The intensity of this buildout is fundamentally reshaping the relationship between building materials providers and their customers. Multi-year supply agreements are becoming the norm, spanning everything from early site preparation to the aggregates, cement, and concrete that form a facility’s foundation. But the shift underway goes far beyond long-term contracts.

Material providers are no longer the final link in the construction chain. They are emerging as strategic partners—collaborating directly with hyperscalers, integrating with engineering teams earlier in the process, and influencing project outcomes long after construction is complete. This means taking on greater design responsibility, developing prefabricated solutions that de-risk timelines, and engineering advanced concrete mixes optimized for durability, thermal performance, and embodied carbon reduction.

Underground, the transformation is just as significant. High-capacity power conduits, resilient water systems, and communication networks must be designed not just for today’s requirements but for future expansion. Embedding sensors into water utilities and applying predictive analytics to detect leaks and bursts before they become failures is creating a smarter, more responsive infrastructure layer than ever before.

The Competitive Advantage Below the Surface

Hyperscale operators face constraints that can slow or halt even the most ambitious projects. Securing reliable, long-term power has become increasingly difficult as local grids face unprecedented pressure. Water reliability is under similar strain—growing populations, drought cycles, and aging systems are tightening supply across the country.

These challenges demand partners who understand not only the materials that go into a project but the geography, terrain, and utility networks that surround it. Few companies can offer the combination of scale, proximity, technical expertise, and deep community relationships required to navigate this complexity. That integrated capability—connecting aggregates, cementitious materials, roads, and water infrastructure—has become a decisive advantage for customers seeking greater supply chain control and stronger local insight.

Building the Foundation for What Comes Next

From the transcontinental railroad to the Interstate Highway System, America’s greatest leaps forward have always been built on bold investments in physical infrastructure. The AI era is no different. The most advanced data centers of the next decade won’t be defined by their processing power alone—but by the sophistication, resilience, and reliability of the infrastructure beneath them.

The customers who invest in these unseen systems today will be the ones leading tomorrow. At CRH, we are ready to deliver the solutions that make this future possible by building smarter, stronger, and more connected communities from the ground up.

1. Synergy Research Group, “Hyperscale Spending Spree is Driving Dramatic Growth in Data Center Capacity,” Q3 2025.
2. Goldman Sachs Research, “AI is poised to drive 160% increase in data center power demand,” 2024; Grid Strategies, “The Era of Flat Power Demand is Over,” 2023.
3. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, “United States Data Center Energy Usage Report,” 2024.