Erin McDannald, CEO of Elevated, started working with data centers back in 1998 during the dot-com boom, so she’s seen the sector evolve over decades. She joins podcast guest host Jennifer LeFurgy, Ph.D., NAIOP’s vice president of knowledge and research and executive director of the NAIOP Research Foundation, to share why she believes data centers are a critical piece of infrastructure. With construction spending on data centers up 69% year over year according to the Census Bureau, Erin explains the key demand drivers (not just AI), and how in many ways, data centers are leading the charge in implementing smart energy, preventative maintenance, and developing methods for more efficient cooling. She doesn’t shy away from discussing the challenges inherent with the sector, either: community concerns, the cost of cooling, supply chain issues for critical components and more. Recorded July 2, 2024.