Let's go faster. Let’s get stronger. Let’s build something better. And let’s share in the success. Our teams at Woolpert hear me talk about these themes in our daily business often. And these are the same ideas underpinning an AI-driven energy and technology renaissance in the U.S., with my home state of Pennsylvania at its heart.  

The pace of technological advancement has never been faster, thanks to the exponential growth and application of artificial intelligence. The global AI market is exceptionally strong—so much so that the UN Trade and Development forecasts that it could grow from $189 billion in 2023 to $4.8 trillion by 2033.  

However, this incredible growth is going to need a lot of foundational infrastructure behind it. Several key sectors will need substantial investments to support and sustain AI’s continued growth.  

AI is Driving Data Center Expansion and Energy Demand 
The demand for faster, more powerful AI applications will require significant infrastructure investments, notably data centers, to house the massive volumes of data and computing power these systems will generate and consume. Unsurprisingly, the data center construction market is booming. According to Research and Markets, the market, which reached $47 billion in 2022, is expected to soar to $75.3 billion by 2027. 

Power availability is a key enabler (or inhibitor) of AI’s growth. The International Energy Agency notes that data centers are a significant driver of increasing electricity demand in many regions. Data centers’ total electricity consumption is expected to surpass 1,000 terawatt-hours by 2026, which is roughly equivalent to the total power consumption of Japan.  

In addition to power, clean water supply is critical for cooling both the power generation and the data centers themselves. A study from Virginia Tech estimates that data centers are among the top 10 water-consuming industrial or commercial industries in the U.S. It’s critical that water use is done responsibly and efficiently to ensure a balanced approach for all users.  

The need for smarter, more efficient infrastructure development across power generation, clean water supply, grid modernization, and advanced manufacturing has never been higher. Not to mention the data centers themselves, which can top $10 billion in construction costs for a single hyperscale facility. 

At Woolpert, we see AI’s potential to provide a better way of life for millions of people in their careers and their day-to-day lives. Through our strategic global locations and our in-house expertise, we’re providing comprehensive solutions to move the AI revolution forward through forward thinking. Our teams are collaborating on solutions for natural gas production and transmission to support power generation, geospatial and engineering solutions to harden and expand the grid, water supply modeling and engineering, and through our family companies at SNHA, a Woolpert Company, and Greenbox, a Woolpert Company, leading the way in designing state-of-the-art data centers for clients all over the world.    

AI Infrastructure Investments in Pennsylvania: Senator McCormick's Summit 
Woolpert Innovation Principal Aaron Morris and I had the privilege of representing Woolpert at U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick's Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit last month. This landmark, bipartisan event was held at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh with the purpose of bringing together national leaders and government officials to discuss how Pennsylvania can lead the charge in powering the AI revolution and shaping the future of sustainable energy. 

Notable attendees included President Donald Trump, Senator McCormick, Gov. Josh Shapiro, and numerous other government officials and business executives. It also hosted national leaders in energy and AI, alongside the biggest global investors and labor and trades leaders.  

During the summit, leaders announced over $90 billion in investments in energy, data center, and workforce development projects in Pennsylvania. Among the most significant commitments was by Blackstone Group, which through its data center development company QTS, plans to invest $25 billion in data centers in Pennsylvania. 

Woolpert’s Role in Pennsylvania’s AI Revolution  
Woolpert is poised to better support the key objectives of Senator McCormick's Summit, including data center development, power and energy, and resilient infrastructure. In fact, we are already working for several technology and energy companies that have made commitments to invest in Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh is home to Woolpert’s geospatial AI and technology hub,  where our teams build AI-based geospatial technology for a range of large-scale mapping and geospatial programs.  

We also recently announced our acquisition of Dawood Engineering, an award-winning, 33-year-old infrastructure and geospatial technology firm with deep roots throughout the state of Pennsylvania, including Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia. As a leading engineering and surveying consultant on major bridge, highway, and traffic projects for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, Dawood’s teams bolster our transportation and utilities capabilities in the area.  

Data Center Leaders 
Woolpert has become a global leader in the data center space. We acquired Chicago- and London-based SNHA in 2022 and Australia-based Greenbox in 2024, and together we have grown into an international leader in data center design. We work across industries to develop and deliver elegant and sustainable design solutions to technically complex data center needs worldwide.  

My Personal Commitment to Pennsylvania 
As with many people from Pittsburgh, I’m a boomerang, returning home to Western Pennsylvania to raise our family and put down our roots. As a native of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, I know Western PA is not just a great place to raise a family, but it’s also a great place to build our business. 

My great grandfather was a foreman at U.S. Steel's McKeesport mill. He and countless workers like him helped set the foundation for what Pittsburgh, and in many ways, what our country has become. Reflecting on the past, Pennsylvania has been setting the stage to be a key part of this next AI and industrial revolution for more than 100 years. But we also need to look forward, and I see Woolpert as a big part of this new era of growth and economic prosperity in my home state that has only just begun. 

I’m proud to be a graduate of both the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. I am personally committed to supporting Woolpert's growth in the region and strengthening Woolpert's ties to these universities to link opportunities at Woolpert with the phenomenal talent pipeline at both schools, plus many more in our area.  

For years, Pittsburgh has been building a world-class ecosystem of technology, innovation, energy, and manufacturing infrastructure. It's fantastic to now see the country and the world recognize the special ingredients we have here to forge our nation's future. Woolpert's more than 100-year history of innovation combined with grit and our roll-up-your-sleeves, problem-solving is a natural fit for the incredible economy and community of Western Pennsylvania.  

Uniting Infrastructure and Innovation for the AI Era 
Contact us today to learn more about Pennsylvania’s energy and technology revolution, as well as Woolpert’s key role in supporting AI’s growth through power and data center development.