Inside Data Center Framing
In an AWCI webinar now available on YouTube, Andrew Newland, PE, principal at ADTEK Engineers, unpacked the framing challenges behind today’s data-center boom. He explained why cold-formed steel (CFS) has become an essential material for contractors working in this sector.
The session, “How Cold-Formed Steel Is Helping Shape the Future in Data Centers,” blended engineering detail with practical field insights. Watch the video (www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-h2tnLSjlI) on YouTube.
A Market Expanding at Hyperscale.
Newland said the demand for data centers is surging. Globally, the market could triple by 2030. Hyperscalers, a campus with many data centers, will drive roughly 70% of that growth, he said.
Northern Virginia dominates in projects due to its low natural disaster risk, low-cost electricity, existing high-speed connectivity, and appealing tax incentives. Other fast-growing data center hubs include Dallas, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, the New York Tri-State area, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami and Phoenix.
Data centers may look like “big, non-descript boxes,” Newland said, but their structural design and construction demands are far from simple. Such buildings routinely require:
- Great than 20’ slab-to-slab heights
- Parapets approaching 15’
- Long spans that require kickers and rigid framing
Those conditions make CFS products indispensable for both exterior and interior framing.
High Pressures and More. Most data center shells today are precast concrete or tilt-up panels. CFS is often used to add architectural features, and for stairwells and signage support. Use of CFS calls for navigating some complex attachment conditions, Newland said.
He showed details where long exterior soffits and canopies required rigid kicker bracing and fixed-clip connections to post-tensioned slabs. When precast panels have multiple layers, crews must verify whether shallow anchors, deep adhesive anchors or alternative fasteners are allowed and even required.
The interior design pressure is higher in many areas of these buildings. Unlike typical interiors designed for 5 pounds per square foot (PSF) loads, data center corridors frequently see 10, 15 and even 20 PSF due to the high-volume air movement used for cooling.
Higher pressure in different directions and magnitudes increases the requirement for thicker, structural framing, and excludes “non-structural” framing for these partitions and ceilings, Newland said. Tall louver walls, plenum corridors, partial walls with walkable ceilings and guardrail-loaded walls call for special engineering.
Structural Ceilings and HAC. Perhaps the most technical portion of the presentation involved structural ceilings. Contractors may encounter either proprietary ceiling systems or full strut-grid systems hung directly from the building structure.
Newland reviewed strut nomenclature and discussed slotted versus unslotted members and load reductions. He cautioned the audience about making substitutions. “Not all struts are equal,” he said. Grid spacing can range from 2′×4′ on up to 8′ 1-5/8″ × 8′ 1-5/8″.
Rounding out the session, Newland addressed Hot Aisle Containment structures, which—hang beneath the structural ceiling. While HAC loads are typically light—around 5 PSF—connections must match system limitations.
Unique Projects. Data centers are expanding rapidly, and with them cold-formed steel framing systems. Tall walls, high interior pressures, long-span ceilings and specialized attachment conditions make these projects far from routine. Understanding the details early—and getting engineering support—will help greatly in delivering stable and compliant facilities in this fast-growing market, Newland said.
AI Adoption Mark Latest CIRT Sentiment Index
The results of the fourth quarter CIRT Sentiment Index point to a stable near-term outlook for the design industry, with designers anticipating improving conditions into 2026.
While the overall Sentiment Index remains stable at 64.6, the Design Index saw a significant improvement, rising to 68.4 from 58.5 last quarter, signaling healthy pipelines of new work. Firms continue to report robust backlogs and easing cost pressures, supporting a strategy of ongoing disciplined growth and project selectivity.
Key strategic and technology insights include the following:
- The share of firms using artificial intelligence and/or machine learning in their operations has nearly doubled since 2023, now reaching an impressive 83% of respondents.
- Planned 2026 growth strategies will be driven largely by organic expansion and internal restructuring initiatives.
- The outlook for the broader economy receded slightly, with the index for the overall U.S. economy falling to 47.0, a slight decline from the previous quarter’s 49.0.
For in-depth insights to help you plan your strategy for 2026, download your copy of the full report: https://fmicorp.com/insights/thought-leadership/2025-cirt-sentiment-index-fourth-quarter.
2025 Building Products Market Overview
U.S. building products spending is on a trajectory to hit $552 billion by 2029. As the market shifts, understanding where the next growth cycle will emerge is critical for long-term planning.
The second edition of our 2025 Market Overview provides a deep dive into sector-level forecasts, with a specialized focus on the window and door sector—the industry’s projected growth leader.
Key insights for manufacturers include the following:
- Identify exactly where demand is heading through 2029.
- A breakdown of the material costs and economic factors shaping the next cycle.
- Strategic analysis of the emerging trends in windows and doors.
Download the report for 2026 planning: https://fmicorp.com/insights/thought-leadership/2025-building-products-market-overview-second-edition.
AI as Construction Project Partner
Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic tool reserved for large firms. It’s a practical, everyday partner for contractors to cut administrative tasks, improve estimates, reduce MEP conflicts and elevate work quality. That was the message delivered by Zach Giglio, CEO of GCM and AWCI’s Industry Leaders Conference 2025 keynote speaker.
Giglio helps construction teams adopt “off-the-shelf AI” such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Microsoft Copilot. At ILC, he focused on what contractors are doing with AI today and how wall and ceiling firms can start with low risk.
Start Simple, Move on from There. AI adoption succeeds when treated as “change management” process, Giglio said. People resist new workflows, so Giglio recommends beginning where work already happens. Choose repetitive, low-skill tasks, such as drafting emails to clients, writing meeting summaries and organizing job site notes. Small wins build confidence and momentum, Giglio said.
However, construction companies already see measurable gains in several complex areas. Giglio highlighted five of them.
- Proposals and RFPs: AI can analyze RFP documents, compare them to past proposals and assemble responses tailored to the scope of work. One firm cut proposal time from two weeks to two days using AI, Giglio said.
- Meeting notes and follow-ups: Instead of relying on auto-summaries, Giglio recommends feeding AI the meeting transcript plus examples of past meeting reports. That way, the AI model can learn your style of reporting and, thus, produce action items that fit your priorities.
- GC and vendor management: Several construction teams are using AI to compare proposals and identify scope gaps. While AI doesn’t replace human expertise, it can speed up processes. It can help busy teams see more details before they make decisions.
- Safety reporting: AI can scan safety reports, incident logs and project histories to flag patterns. It can help teams prepare toolbox talks tailored to specific risks, Giglio said.
- Estimating and takeoff: AI won’t replace estimators. But it serves as a reliable “sanity check,” Giglio said, for validating quantities, cost assumptions and productivity rates. Giglio demonstrated live to the audience how AI can generate takeoffs when guided by clear instructions. Giglio gave those prompt suggestions to AWCI for members to download.
Keys to Successful AI Integration. Studies show, Giglio said, that AI boosts both output and quality, especially for employees with less experience. By offloading mundane tasks, workers spend more time on decisions that matter. But the time savings only count, Giglio noted, if the time can be reinvested into higher-value work.
Here are the steps Giglio offered to introduce AI to an organization:
- Start with one workflow or a pilot group
- Use free or low-cost tools first, buy specialized solutions later
- Use role-play prompts such as, “You [the AI model] are a senior estimator with 30 years of experience…”
- Share examples of past work with AI so it mimics your structure and tone
- Discuss AI at meetings, circulate both wins and challenges
- Build a prompt library
The goal isn’t overnight transformation, Giglio said. It’s building steady, sustainable progress. You don’t need proprietary systems or custom models to begin, Giglio said. Simple, off-the-shelf tools are enough. Companies that start with small, practical steps can gain an edge quickly, he said.
