How do I start a site search?

Start from any location. Type a place, pick a tracked hotspot or city, enter latitude and longitude, or drop a pin on the map. That point becomes your anchor, and DCI screens candidate sites within the radius you set, up to 25 km.

What does the screening assess?

Five dimensions: power proximity, network and connectivity, land and buildability, water, climate and resilience, and development and market context. Thirty-eight data layers sit behind them. Each result shows which layers drove the score, so you can see why one site outranks another.

Which data center site selection criteria matter most?

Power proximity usually narrows the list first, because a site far from transmission lines, substations or generation rarely survives diligence. Connectivity, land, water, climate exposure and market context can still rule a site out. That's why DCI shows every factor behind each result rather than a single number.

Can I compare sites for AI or HPC workloads?

Yes. Choose the AI-ready/HPC preset, or set your own emphasis, and the screen reflects high-density requirements instead of treating them like a conventional colocation build. The same candidates can rank differently once the workload changes, and DCI shows you why.

How many candidate sites are returned?

Up to ten ranked locations within the search area you define. Each comes with a Go, Conditional or No-go verdict and the factors behind its position, so you can see what separates the top site from the tenth.

Does Site Feasibility replace engineering or utility diligence?

No. It tells you where that work is worth doing. Utility studies, engineering, environmental assessment, permitting and land diligence all remain necessary before you commit. DCI narrows the long list so that spend goes to the strongest candidates.

Can I rerun a site after conditions change?

Yes. Reassess a site when a material input changes, such as a capacity requirement, water restriction, planning constraint or workload profile. The comparison shows which factor moved and whether your shortlist changed.

Can I download the assessment?

Yes. Download it as a report to share with your investment committee, advisors or internal review team.

Data Center Site Selection: Shortlist Sites Before You Spend on Diligence

Data Center Intelligence (DCI) brings data center site selection down to an afternoon. Anchor any location, set your capacity and workload, and get up to ten ranked candidates across 38 data layers, each with a verdict and the evidence behind it.

Data center site selection map with anchor point, search radius and ranked sites

Four Steps From Pin to Shortlist

01Choose Your Anchor
Search a location, pick a tracked hotspot or city, enter coordinates or drop a pin. Then set a search radius of up to 25 km.
02Define the Build
Choose a capacity band (under 10 MW, 10–50 MW, 50–100 MW or 100 MW+) and a preset for the workload you're planning.
03Rank Candidates
DCI screens every candidate across 38 data layers and returns up to ten ranked locations.
04Review the Evidence
Open any site to see which factors support or weaken it. Then take the shortlist into diligence or download the assessment.

Five Dimensions. 38 Data Layers. Every Data Center Site Selection Score Explained.

Power Proximity
How close the site sits to transmission lines, substations and generation assets.
Network and Connectivity
Whether the location has the connectivity your workload and customers require.
Land and Buildability
Whether the site can physically take the development and your construction approach.
Water, Climate and Resilience
Whether water limits or environmental exposure change your design, cost or permitting risk.
Development and Market Context
Whether planning, infrastructure, supply and demand around the site strengthen or weaken the case.

Proximity to power is a screening signal, not proof of capacity.

DCI scores how close each site sits to transmission lines, substations and generation. It does not assess available grid capacity or queue position, so confirming available power remains your next diligence step.

Data center site score breakdown across power, connectivity, land, water and location

Site Selection Presets for the Decision You're Making

AI-ready/HPC
More weight on power proximity, plus water and climate for high-density cooling.
ESG/Net-Zero
More weight on proximity to renewable generation and on water, climate and resilience.
Industry Baseline
A balanced view across all five dimensions, where most site teams start.
Manual
Your own emphasis, your own priorities.

Change the preset and the ranking updates. Open any site to see what moved.

Every Candidate Gets a Clear Verdict

Go
The evidence supports taking the site into the next diligence stage.
Conditional
The site is viable, but named constraints need confirming or mitigating first.
No-go
A material constraint rules the site out under your current assumptions.

A verdict is a screening assessment, not a prediction. It tells you where diligence is worth doing, not whether a project will proceed.

Screen Ten Markets in an Afternoon, Before You Commission the Site Study

Site decisions still need utility engagement, engineering, environmental work, land diligence and permitting. DCI makes sure you spend that effort on the right sites. Do the desk research here, and save the site visits for the locations that made the cut.

For operators and investors

"Walk into your advisor's office with a shortlist, not a blank map."

For advisors

"DCI does the data gathering, so your team does the advising."

Who Uses Data Center Site Selection

Operators & Developers
Test the next site before a single land conversation.
Investors & REITs
Screen markets and a developer's pipeline before you spend on diligence.
Hyperscalers & Cloud
Compare self-build options with AI-ready weighting.
Consultants & Strategy Teams
Put an evidence-backed shortlist in front of clients in days, not weeks.
EPC Firms & Vendors
See where construction is feasible and where demand will land.
Utilities & Energy
See which sites are being screened near your substations and generation assets.
Landowners
Find out whether your land has a data center case at all.
Brokers
Match parcels to developer requirements with scores both sides can check.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

01
How do I start a site search?
Start from any location. Type a place, pick a tracked hotspot or city, enter latitude and longitude, or drop a pin on the map. That point becomes your anchor, and DCI screens candidate sites within the radius you set, up to 25 km.
02
What does the screening assess?
Five dimensions: power proximity, network and connectivity, land and buildability, water, climate and resilience, and development and market context. Thirty-eight data layers sit behind them. Each result shows which layers drove the score, so you can see why one site outranks another.
03
Which data center site selection criteria matter most?
Power proximity usually narrows the list first, because a site far from transmission lines, substations or generation rarely survives diligence. Connectivity, land, water, climate exposure and market context can still rule a site out. That's why DCI shows every factor behind each result rather than a single number.
04
Can I compare sites for AI or HPC workloads?
Yes. Choose the AI-ready/HPC preset, or set your own emphasis, and the screen reflects high-density requirements instead of treating them like a conventional colocation build. The same candidates can rank differently once the workload changes, and DCI shows you why.
05
How many candidate sites are returned?
Up to ten ranked locations within the search area you define. Each comes with a Go, Conditional or No-go verdict and the factors behind its position, so you can see what separates the top site from the tenth.
06
Does Site Feasibility replace engineering or utility diligence?
No. It tells you where that work is worth doing. Utility studies, engineering, environmental assessment, permitting and land diligence all remain necessary before you commit. DCI narrows the long list so that spend goes to the strongest candidates.
07
Can I rerun a site after conditions change?
Yes. Reassess a site when a material input changes, such as a capacity requirement, water restriction, planning constraint or workload profile. The comparison shows which factor moved and whether your shortlist changed.
08
Can I download the assessment?
Yes. Download it as a report to share with your investment committee, advisors or internal review team.

See DCI in Your Priority Market

Pick a region, an operator and a capacity band. We'll walk you through the live views, the site scores and the projects that match. After your walkthrough, trial DCI with your team.

Every figure dated. Every score explainable. Rankings calculated from facility records, not surveys or sponsorship.

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