Building the Next Generation of Data Centers – Lessons from the Dartford DA2 Project

mwilliams831
Aug 14, 2025
2 min read

Updated: Jan 13

In the world of high-performance computing, every decision matters. As AI workloads, cloud adoption, and digital services expand at unprecedented rates, demand for scalable, efficient, and resilient data centers continues to accelerate.

The DA2 data center in Dartford, Kent offers a clear example of how next-generation facilities are being planned and delivered—and provides valuable lessons for future data center development projects.

Scale and Power at the Core

DA2 was designed to support approximately 800 racks across a 2,500 m² footprint, with an initial power capacity of 10 megawatts—a significant step up from earlier-generation facilities. Phase One includes three high-capacity data halls, with Phase Two planned to expand overall capacity substantially.

The project highlights several core principles shaping modern data center development:

High-capacity cooling systems, delivering approximately 400–530 kW per hall, supported by advanced airflow modeling to manage heat density
Hot aisle containment strategies that channel heat through centralized ducting systems, improving cooling efficiency and lowering PUE
Redundant mechanical configurations (N+1) designed to support uptime during maintenance or component failure

Together, these elements illustrate how performance, resilience, and efficiency are now inseparable in mission-critical environments.

Infrastructure Behind the Scenes

Beyond the data halls themselves, DA2 demonstrates the importance of thoughtful infrastructure planning. A dedicated mezzanine “racetrack” organizes hundreds of meters of copper and fiber cabling into separate pathways to enhance security and redundancy.

Power distribution is equally robust, featuring dual 11 kV utility feeds from independent suppliers, feeding layered transformer, transfer switch, and UPS systems. This multi-layered approach reflects a broader industry shift toward infrastructure resilience as a core development requirement—not an afterthought.

Built for Adaptability

Perhaps most instructive is DA2’s approach to future growth. While Phase One establishes operational capability, Phase Two is designed to scale dramatically, with additional data halls capable of supporting hundreds of additional racks.

Modular design principles allow expansion without compromising operational integrity—an increasingly critical factor as data center demand evolves faster than traditional development cycles.

A Development Perspective

Projects like DA2 reinforce an important reality: next-generation data centers are not defined by any single system or technology. Their success depends on early-stage coordination across land readiness, power pathways, permitting frameworks, procurement timelines, and capital alignment.

The most effective data center developments are those where infrastructure strategy is addressed long before construction begins—allowing facilities to scale, adapt, and operate efficiently as demand evolves.

Where IHD Fits

At Interface Holdings and Development Firm (IHD), we focus on the upstream development work that positions complex data center projects for execution. Operating as a junior developer and integrator, IHD works alongside owners, capital providers, utilities, and specialized technical partners to help align site strategy, power planning, procurement coordination, and financing structures.

By addressing these factors early in the development lifecycle, projects are better positioned to achieve the resilience, scalability, and performance demonstrated by facilities like DA2—without IHD self-performing licensed engineering, design, or construction services.

Bottom Line

The Dartford DA2 project offers a clear blueprint for where data center development is heading: modular, power-aware, and designed for high-density workloads.

As digital infrastructure continues to expand, the projects that succeed will be those developed with foresight—where land, power, partners, and capital are aligned from the start.