Data Centers as the Key to the Digital Future
With around 1,100 attendees, the GDA Conference 2026, held on September 16 and 17 in Bad Vilbel, set a new attendance record. The event highlighted the strong momentum of the data center market and the key challenges shaping the industry. Drees & Sommer was represented with its own booth and several expert contributions.
Key takeaways from the conference:
- Demand for data center capacity continues to grow rapidly. More than €100 billion is expected to be invested in new data center projects across Europe by 2030.
- Network and fiber-optic expansion remain critical enablers of further market growth and AI-driven applications.
- Alongside established hubs, decentralized data centers and colocation solutions are gaining importance.
- From asset to ecosystem: Data centers are increasingly viewed as part of an interconnected infrastructure ecosystem.
- AI-enabled planning, AI-ready concepts and modular approaches are shaping the future of data center development.
- The shortage of skilled professionals remains one of the industry's greatest challenges, driving the need for new education, training and qualification programs.
Drees & Sommer actively contributed its expertise to the conference program. Peter Junker, Associate Partner at Drees & Sommer, participated as a panelist and moderated three additional expert panels. His key takeaway: “Data centers are now viewed more holistically than ever before. In addition to energy supply and building services, infrastructure, network expansion, talent development, and political and regulatory frameworks play a crucial role. It is encouraging to see the industry increasingly addressing these challenges collectively and recognizing workforce development as an integral part of its long-term strategy.”