How Ark Data Centres is building the future of sustainable AI infrastructure
At a time where the demand for secure, sustainable, and resilient data solutions has never been greater, Ark Data Centres (Ark) is firmly positioned at the forefront of the UK’s digital infrastructure. Trusted by both private and public sector organisations, Ark stands as the UK’s fastest growing, sustainably conscious data centre developer and operator, with ambitions to expand further into the European markets. Since 2010, Ark has led the way in sustainable data centre innovation, cutting carbon through smarter design and operations, and its facilities use advanced cooling technologies to deliver maximum efficiency with minimal environmental footprint.
Today, the company is redefining what it means to operate at scale without compromise. By bringing together innovation, operational excellence, and an unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction, the company champions a clear focus on building highly resilient, environmentally responsible infrastructure.
At present, Ark’s portfolio boasts eight state-of-the-art locations across the UK, Brussels, and Barcelona, all strategically located to best serve its customers where they need it most. As it continues to expand and evolve, Ark is dedicated to delivering scalable, future-ready solutions that provide its customers with the certainty, agility, and confidence to thrive in an increasingly complex digital landscape. Construction & Civil Engineering sits down with Andy Garvin, Chief Operating Officer at Ark, to learn more about the business’ ongoing developments and current innovations.
“Ark was established in 2005 and our primary investors came into the business in 2012,” Andy begins. “Our Executive Committee comprises myself, Huw Owen (Chief Executive Officer), Rob Silvester (Chief Revenue Officer), and Ian Perryment (Chief Business Officer). We engage directly with the investors and govern the forward projection of our business strategies with a senior leadership team that run our day-to-day business. We currently operate over 200 megawatts of data centre capacity in the UK, making us one of the largest data centre operators in the UK. We also have plans for expansion into Europe; at present, we have two European sites – one in Brussels and one in Barcelona – and another 400 megawatts under design and construction across our estate.”
Technical innovation
As Ark continues to expand, its growth strategy prioritises consistent investments in its facilities, both existing and new. When it comes to designing and building new facilities, on-time delivery is paramount in supporting next-generation computing at the scale and speed that the market demands; Ark is passionate about staying ahead of that curve. A great example of this capability is highlighted in Ark’s Longcross Park site in Chertsey – a modular data centre that combines cutting-edge cooling technology with industry-leading PUE targets to help customers meet aggressive sustainability goals without compromising performance.
“We successfully delivered the UK’s first large-scale AI data centre for Nebius back in August 2025 at our Longcross site, executed on time and to budget. Delivering on time is something that we pride our business on – we say it, we do it, and prove it,” Andy elaborates. “This deployment hosted the next generation NVIDIA Blackwell GPU chips, which are specially designed for large-scale AI training and inference, ultimately delivering trillions of computations per second. The 64-kilowatt racks in this infrastructure are cooled by direct fresh air management, utilising BladeRoom cooling technology that can provide higher outputs per kilowatt for customers.”
Whilst this project marks a significant milestone in Ark’s innovation journey, it also expertly reflects and scales the principles that underpin the company’s approach to every development. Combining technical innovation with precision execution, the company is built to move quickly without compromising on quality or performance, setting the pace in an increasingly time-critical market.
“In the data centre space, speed to market is a really important factor,” Andy affirms. “We’re unique in that we have our own dedicated factory space, so we’re able to work in faster succession than many others. That being said, we’re always looking to improve. We’ve got an ongoing project called ‘Ark of Truth’, which is an enabler for us to use AI tools across the business. Specifically, we’re looking to implement AI across all our operations, from financial to commercial management and beyond.”
Strategic growth
As Ark looks to the future, it’s prepared to leverage the significant growth opportunity that lies before it. The company is excited to expand its Corsham and Chertsey sites, whilst also commencing construction at Alliance Park in London, which will eventually transform into another 50-megawatt data centre. Beyond that, Ark has just received planning approval for its remaining block on its Hayes site at Union Park, which will add another 27-megawatt data centre.
As the pace of digital transformation shows no sign of slowing, Ark is positioning itself as a key driver in the future of AI deployment at scale. The company’s continued investment in scalable infrastructure, combined with its commitment to sustainability and operational excellence, demonstrates its ability to balance speed, reliability, and environmental responsibility in equal measure.
Looking ahead, Ark is well-positioned to take advantage of new opportunities. With a robust development pipeline, innovative use of AI within its own operations, and a proven track record of on-time delivery, the company stands ready to enable the next wave of technological advancement, providing the resilient and future-ready infrastructure that modern businesses require to grow and succeed.
“Proving our ability to build and deliver in Europe is an important factor of our next-stage of growth, but it’s extremely important that we keep on delighting our customers in everything that we do. Without our customers, we have no business,” Andy says, concluding our conversation optimistic for the future.
“In five years’ time, I see the business expanding fivefold from where we’re currently at. With 400 megawatts of data centres currently being designed and built and a 180-strong business, we’re expanding. We’re excited for the years to come.”
