Time to market is now the key differentiator in data centre delivery. So why is scheduling still a lesser used service?
In the data centre sector, cost assurance has long been the dominant focus. Every line item is scrutinised, forecasted, and revalidated. Yet, for many clients, the real driver of value has shifted: speed to market - faster than the competition.
Time to market is no longer a by-product of good delivery - it is the goal. Yet, the scheduling services required to achieve this goal remain underfunded and underutilised.
Why, then, is scheduling a lesser used service when it can be the single most critical factor in delivering projects on time and securing a competitive advantage?
The APAC data centre boom
Data centre growth in APAC is accelerating rapidly, with projections indicating the region will account for 40% of global capacity by 2030. In Australia alone, data centre capacity is expected to grow from 2,180 MW in 2025 to over 5,000 MW by 2030 - more than doubling in just five years. This surge, driven by hyperscale investment, AI workloads, and cloud infrastructure demands, positions data centres as the fastest-growing segment of Australian construction. This underscores the urgency of timely delivery and the strategic importance of scheduling in managing such rapid infrastructure expansion.
Challenges in current approaches
While cost control remains a vital aspect of data centre delivery, planning and scheduling have not received equivalent attention. In many projects, scheduling is treated as a compliance exercise rather than a strategic tool, resulting in:
- Unrealistic timelines
- Reactive planning
- Delays that erode both cost control and competitive advantage
- Missing business critical milestones for both client and customer that have a wider commercial impact
In a market where delays can mean lost clients and missed revenue, this imbalance has real consequences.
Across all industries, only 34% of projects finish on time, meaning two out of every three projects miss their original contracted completion date. The reputational and financial impactions are significant.
Typically, a cost plan will be revised at 10%, 30%, 70% and 100% design stages, with each iteration improving accuracy as the design evolves. In contrast, the baseline schedule is usually set between 10% and 30% design and rarely revisited unless a delay occurs. It is no surprise, then, that schedules will be met only around 30% of the time.
In a landscape where speed to market and schedule accuracy are paramount, this early-stage weighting fails to reflect the true project timeline.The lack of rigour leads to predictable outcomes: missed dates and cost overruns. However even more important than the after-effect at a project level, is the impact to data centre clients when their customer is not online and service ready with cloud space. This can potentially cause substantial loss in revenue and even reputational damage, hence, why schedule is key.
Greater focus on scheduling, revisiting plans as design progresses, and allocating sufficient budget early on can provide clients, customers, and project teams with a more accurate and achievable project roadmap.
Delays to the construction of data centres happen due a variety reasons, including resources related delays, permitting delays, LLE times and utility connections. Top developers are now looking at key strategies to stay ahead of the curve.
For example, securing adequate power is one of the most significant hurdles for data centre production. To combat this, hyperscalers such as Google are partnering with utility players in US to avoid power connection related delays.
Other developers are exploring strategies such as modular and off-site fabrication solutions, which present opportunities to not only accelerate time to market but also move skilled labour off-site, reducing the risk of safety incidents and improving quality.
Innovative procurement strategies are also being deployed such as collaborative contracting (which can help identify potential risks and opportunities early on in the process) and proactive bidding processes whereby trades submit their estimated unit costs and labour upfront for speedier procurement and cost visibility. All of these strategies need a continual focus on the schedule through the procurement phase and as the design evolves.
Clients who invest in scheduling early consistently see measurable benefits.
For example, Linesight supported a large-scale data centre development as part of the wider project planning team.
This was a key facility for the client and the APAC region as a whole, involving multiple key stakeholders and delivery partners. Early planning engagement allowed the team to establish strong governance and visibility across all workstreams from the outset.
Linesight supported:
- Early-stage planning workshops bringing together the client, consultants, and contractors to align on delivery strategy, milestones, and interfaces.
- Development of interactive dashboards that integrated schedule and progress data for live reporting and decision-making.
- Planning sessions with the construction and commissioning teams to identify sequencing risks, dependencies, and opportunities for optimisation.
The result of these initiatives was greater transparency, improved coordination, and earlier identification of constraints, enabling proactive decision-making throughout delivery. What followed was closer coordination between planning and construction teams, using the schedule and dashboards to highlight upcoming workfronts, interface points, and areas requiring additional resources.
By maintaining visibility through data-driven reporting and collaborative planning, the project team was able to adapt quickly to evolving client requirements while maintaining programme certainty and stakeholder confidence.
Current trends on speed to market strategies
Delays to the construction of data centres happen due a variety reasonsii, including resources related delays, permitting delays, LLE times and utility connections. Top developers are now looking at key strategies to stay ahead of the curve.
For example, securing adequate power is one of the most significant hurdles for data centre production. To combat this, hyperscalers such as Googleiii are partnering with utility players in US to avoid power connection related delays.
Other developers are exploring strategies such as modular and off-site fabrication solutions, which present opportunities to not only accelerate time to market but also move skilled labour off-site, reducing the risk of safety incidents and improving qualityiv.
Innovative procurement strategies are also being deployed such as collaborative contracting (which can help identify potential risks and opportunities early on in the process) and proactive bidding processes whereby trades submit their estimated unit costs and labour upfront for speedier procurement and cost visibility. All of these strategies need a continual focus on the schedule through the procurement phase and as the design evolves.
Cost vs time: a new balance
From a final cost perspective, time truly equates to money. Every day the project extends beyond its planned schedule incurs expenses, even if no additional work is performed. Hard costs, soft costs, and preliminaries all accumulate, impacting the client whenever timelines slip.
Maintaining schedule integrity is not just about meeting milestones; it’s about safeguarding cash flow and ensuring the time-phased budget remains on track. A disciplined approach to scheduling is the cornerstone of both financial control and project success.
Three key changes for maximum impact:
- Revisit schedules as design evolves
- Allocate budget for schedule development and risk analysis
- Engaging consultants such as Linesight to facilitate QRA workshops and apply tools like Monte Carlo simulations to stress-test assumptions
By treating scheduling as a living, strategic tool which is revised as design develops, stress-tested through risk analysis, and supported with the same thoroughness as cost plans, clients can strike the balance that ensures both targets are met. You cannot truly control costs without controlling time, and you cannot achieve your return on investment without securing tenants through speed to market. Elevating scheduling to stand alongside cost assurance is not only necessary, but also the missing piece that turns good project delivery into great project delivery.
At Linesight, we offer tailored scheduling services to meet diverse client needs. From schedule ‘health checks’ - assessing quality against industry best practices and providing actionable feedback - to comprehensive services that embed expert schedulers into project teams, we ensure detailed schedule development, real-time progress tracking, proactive issue resolution, and timely delivery.
Our experienced team provides full lifecycle scheduling services, and our ability to adapt, clarify, and assure sets us apart in the market.
