 Say podcast studio presenting data movers, showcasing the leaders behind the headlines in the telecom and data center infrastructure industry. Hi, everybody. Welcome, welcome, welcome to our podcast series, Data Movers. I'm your host, Jamie Scott of Kataya, CEO and founder of JSA, along with my fabulous co-host, Mr. Evan Kirstel, top B2B social media influencer. Hey Evan. Hey Jamie and welcome everyone to Data Movers where we sit down with the most influential men and women of today's leading telco and data center world, supporting the network infrastructure requirements of this modern world. Jamie, I'm here in Chicago. There's a big event called Hymns. Do you know what that is? I've heard of Hymns. I think everyone has, especially talking critical infrastructure and health care. Yeah, it's the annual health care event. It's back and forth, something like 30, maybe 40,000 people here gathered at the McCormick in Chicago. And there is a big agenda on the table to reinvent health care. Are you a fan of our health care system? You've you've had some access with the baby in the last, you know, a couple of years. Actually, I gave birth in my bathtub just to run away from the health care system of our country. Can't you not? Wow. Well, that's that says a lot. But there needs to be a lot of transformation in health care, not just in maternity services, but across the board, especially in health IT, where we have, you know, a trillion dollar part of our economy essentially running on paper and fax machines. Oh, wow. Yeah. Yeah, that's insanity. Digital transformation has to happen in the health care networks and our our industry is is ready. So which actually is a phenomenal way of bringing in our guest, our fabulous guest for today's show. Please join me, Luke Kipfer. He's the vice president of data center development and construction from the fabulous powerhouse data center. Hey, Jamie, thanks for having me here. Hey, Owen. Hey, good to see you. Good to hear you. So, Luke, we have, you know, a really interesting topic, powerhouse data centers just announced a huge milestone with its A.B.X. One data center project. So for those not informed on the ins and outs, tell us about the project and what it brings to data center alley and maybe introduce yourself to the viewers as well. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. No, no, appreciate it. I'll look up for vice president of data center development and construction for powerhouse data centers. Powerhouse is the the digital high tech platform for American real estate partners who's been a developer in the area for 20 plus years. So officially branded powerhouse data centers last year and we're super excited about A.B.X. One because that's our first data center we're bringing to completion. Just had the topping off, you know, it's a great project for us because it is right in the heart of data center alley right off a lot in County Parkway, Bomead Circle, right in Ashburn. When we came into the market with powerhouse, one of the the the keys to kicking off was really establishing ourselves in Ashburn in the world's potentially toughest data center market to develop in. So we started with A.B.X. One. We just topped out. We're delivering that building to the end user in October and we're excited to get that one done and get the next project started. Absolutely, absolutely. And, you know, we're talking Ashburn. We're talking the heart of data centers. And then I wouldn't just say nationally. I would say globally. It's it's it's incredible. Now, what can you tell us a little bit about, say, that powerhouse Arcola project I keep hearing about? Yeah, no, no, Arcola is the next one coming up. That's another super exciting project for us down just a little bit south of Ashburn. You know, across from a Google center down there and that it's an area that's really experienced in a lot of data center growth. You know, it's going to be 120 megawatts to building campus. So we're really excited about to kick that one off. And that'll be, you know, an early 26th delivery for that site there. Awesome. Yeah, that's that's incredible. And and there's a partnership there, too, with the local power company that that is worth noting, right? Those onsite substations providing that critical power, which I know. Yeah, certainly, if you've been following data centers at all, you've heard about some of the power constraints that we've been experiencing in in Ashburn area, you know, in data center alley with some of the transmission issues that Dominion's been having. So one of the key differentiators between us is really our relationship with Dominion, with local utilities across the country. And, you know, so all of our projects, not just our coal and AVX-1, but also our powerhouse specific project, all include substations onsite. That really helps from a delivery perspective, as well as even just just distribution from the substation to the site. So it really allows us to deploy infrastructure at a faster pace in some of our competition market. And when we're talking powerhouse and power, you have to talk sustainability. Yeah, yeah, no, you know, one of the one of the great things about starting a new platform like this is that we're not anchored in old legacy views of sustainability and ESG practices. So one of the one of the core tenants of powerhouse as we got started was making sure that sustainability was a key and that we kept that in mind with all the developments that we did. So one of the big steps with that was, you know, joining the I-Mason's, the Climate Accord. You know, I-Mason's originally, you know, focused on education, diversity, inclusion, sustainability and technical innovation. And the Climate Accord is really that focus on sustainability. So we were, you know, super excited to join as, you know, not just I-Mason's or the Climate Accord, but, you know, through other industry groups and through our own practices for how we're designing and deploying these data centers, always keeping sustainability at the top of mind. Yeah, that's impressive. Sorry, I lost my audio for a moment there. And maybe Zoom needs the new data center provider. But tell us about the design process. I mean, more and more, it's about building sustainability and green technology in from the beginning, not just as an afterthought. So how did you go about, you know, approaching, you know, sustainability and ESG as part of the design process or philosophy? Yeah, one of the great aspects of where Powerhouse operates in is that, you know, we really take the project from the very start of the site, right? Site selection. So we can actually take sustainability all the way into the key metrics and when we're looking for new sites. So whether it's, you know, an adaptive reuse of an existing site, whether it's just dirt, right? We can really start sustainability planning from that very young, that early stage. So we can maximize this space on the site while still allowing for things, you know, like maintaining tree growth and, you know, keeping, you know, infrastructure away from neighbors all the way across the entire, that ESG platform. We really start from the site selection all the way through, you know, we work with a lot of the major hyperscalers that are driving change and driving innovation within the industry. So we understand the requirements that we're able to build those in early on in the project. I just love that. I love that. And, you know, the ESG is right through to each of your people, even your contractors, you know, that you employ on job sites. They are also a very much part of your robust ESG program. So love that, love that, love that. And again, Powerhouse, you guys are really known as, you know, the newbies, the disruptors of Data Center Market, even though you've had 20 years plus history with A-Rap going on. But how does revitalizing properties in Data Center Alley really work to your advantage in this very crowded market? You know, it's especially in that, you know, the greater Ashburn area, there's no great Data Center land sites available anymore, right? There's nothing sitting around waiting for someone to scoop it up. So at this point to operate in the market to be successful in the market, it's really looking at whether it's aggregating parcels together, whether it's taking sites underdeveloped in terms of like our Pacific site that's old office space, you know, being able to turn that into a Data Center site. So it really takes creativity and it takes experience within the market, which is one thing that A-Rap brings as the umbrella organization for Powerhouse that understands how to get zoning done, understands how to get utilities to the site. And it has a local relationships to really, you know, make some of these reuse of properties happen within the market. Fantastic. And the property isn't yet finished. I believe it's scheduled for the upcoming weeks. Although you do have a community 5K run for the local folks, I won't be running. I just finished the Boston Marathon, so I'm a little bit sore, but just kidding. Tell us about the race and why, you know, community partnerships and outreach, you know, is so important as part of your philosophy. Yeah, you know, it's really the same approach we take with ESG. You know, we're coming in as a new player and we really, it's important for us to be good neighbors. You know, especially as data center growth and density is increasing, the data center market is no longer, you know, flying under the radar when it comes to neighborhood relations, obviously. Loudoun County is getting a lot more strict with their rezoning. What happened in Prince William County with the Digital Gateway Project, it's been more important that data centers take an active role to be great neighbors. So, you know, 7x24, the DC chapter was, you know, put together this amazing 5K race. We were happy to host it at our Powerhouse Pacific site. You know, we're members of data center coalition that were there that really had their data center discovery zone where neighbors and community came in, was able to learn about data center or learned about jobs, education, past in the data center and really learn about the benefits of data centers as opposed to just hearing some of the negatives that have been in the news, especially in Northern Virginia lately. So, they can really see the impact that data centers have to make communities better. I love that, I love that. And, you know, I have to ask, because I love when I have my thought leaders in the hot seat here. If you can pull out that crystal ball, what are the next steps for Powerhouse data centers coming up in 2023? You know, our, to kick off, we really wanted to make a key splash with strategic sites in Northern Virginia. So that was really our first initial three sites. And so next steps is expanding out of Northern Virginia. We're very happy with the way the first year has progressed, you know, with how our projects have been progressing. So looking forward to get into some of the other markets in the U.S. and continue to go over the platform. Fantastic. We need to tour Jamie. We always do these virtual podcasts. We need to get out in the field. We need to get in the cages and, you know, get our hands dirty, you know. Yeah, we're the hard hats, you know. Yeah, we got close insured drivers out. Yeah, yeah, we're in our every tower here, but maybe in a future episode. But let's wrap up, let's do our little fun facts, fun fire fact episode. I'll ask the first question here. So, you know, data center construction, what's most exciting or what's most fun about the business in 2023? Is it getting your hands dirty and getting into the nuts and bolts or, you know, what say you? You know, for me, it's really the dynamic nature of the data center industry, you know, sitting here looking at the industry, how things are designed, constructed and built. You know, we're totally different than we were five years ago and unrecognizable to where we were 10 years ago. So really the rapid shifts that occur within the industry, there's some great intelligent minds within the industry that really pushes us forward quickly. So I think we're amazing at adapting to change and adapting to new technologies. So, you know, from where we sit today, three years from now with AI, with all the changes that are happening within the industry, I just, I can't wait to see what comes next. It's gonna be exciting. I love that, I love that. And you know what? I've got Earth Day on my mind, Earth Day every day here at JSA. So if you could choose just one piece of sustainability wish list to enact on every data center construction job site in 2023, what would it be? For me, it would be, you know, a common metric shared between all the users for how they account for ESG and sustainability. So everyone tracks it in a little different ways. You know, it's one thing that I Mason's Climate Accord has been making great strides on, but not everyone is working from the same data set. Not everyone's working towards the same goals. Not everyone has the same goals. So really, I think we need to become aligned as an industry to not just where we wanna be, but how we're tracking us getting there. So that if I could wave a wand today, we'd all be tracking the same things as projects go along. Cause we're all tracking a lot of the similar metrics when it comes to megawatts, I'm gonna come to costs. And you know, there's a lots of metrics that we track as an industry. And sustainability just hasn't had a widely accepted set of those that we're able to compare across different organizations. Is that that answer? Fantastic. Now let's ask, you know, suppose you get trapped in the data center overnight on the weekend by accident, you can only watch one movie on repeat 24 hours in a row. Which movie would it be? That's definitely Office Space. That's my, every time that's on TV, I've just, I've got to finish watching it. That's one of my view. My son and I love that movie. It really cut the cross generations despite, you know, being, you know, Gen X versus Gen Z versus Millennial. Yeah, it's still surprisingly relevant today. So, yeah, that's the one I've always got to watch. I love that. And I'm so surprised we didn't get Gladiator as an answer again on the show. Woohoo! We guys like Gladiator. That's a good answer for something else. All right, so here's my last question, Luke, for you. One word that people like to use to describe you. That's, I don't know, are there sensors on this program? Do you have the button? Get your hand on the button. No, you know, honestly, I think quiet. I mean, I'm naturally an introvert. So, I just happened to get excited talking about data science. Oh my goodness, that's so surprising. I was definitely thinking, like, so friendly and outgoing and you're like quiet. Yeah, no, no. And generally, I'm a pretty quiet guy. I just, when you find something I like talking about, I'm talking about it. So, yeah. I'll be just kind of all day long, so. I love that. Well, it's so good meeting you, Luke, and congratulations on all the success. I mean, one thing my takeaway from HIMS and Chicago this week is, you know, all of these incredible applications and services and devices to enable better patient experience and patient care requires data and data centers. And so we must continue to grow, again, not just for watching Netflix, but for the patients, our parents, our family members to serve and support them better in this new world of hospital IT. So really great to see the investments you're making and much tech for good. Yeah, absolutely. When you look at all the different industries that are dependent on data center growth, it really shows how critical it is that we continue to deploy at scale in an efficient and a sustainable manner. Absolutely. Wonderful, last words. I love that. All right, guys. If you enjoyed today's Data Movers podcast as much as I did, be sure to check us out at jmsa.net slash podcast for upcoming Data Movers episodes. And of course, Evan, where can they find us? LinkedIn and Facebook and YouTube and Instagram and Reddit and Quora and what I miss. And anything else? So to me, yeah. I'm like, if you can't find Evan, then there's a problem. Well, everybody, stay safe out there. Do your thing, see you hopefully at ITW or some big events coming up, Data Cloud. There's so much going on. We are hitting our event world back again at Hymns too in Storm. So get out there, guys, stay safe. And as always, happy networking. Bye, everyone.