Data Centers Demystified

Data Centers Demystified is a live, accelerated program designed for real estate, infrastructure, and energy professionals seeking to enter one of the fastest-growing sectors of global investment. AI, cloud computing, and streaming have fueled unprecedented demand for digital infrastructure, making data centers a high-stakes, capital-intensive, and often misunderstood asset class. In ten sessions, this course walks through the full development lifecycle—from site selection, zoning, and entitlements to power procurement, construction, leasing, incentives, and exit strategies. Participants will analyze how power, fiber, and cooling drive location decisions; compare lease and capital structures; evaluate stakeholder incentives; and explore emerging opportunities in colocation and edge development. Through real-world case studies and practitioner-led frameworks, students will gain the ability to screen sites, assess risks, and build an investment thesis. The course emphasizes applied tools and decision-making, preparing professionals to identify and capture opportunities in the rapidly expanding digital infrastructure economy. 
Continuing Education Units (CEU) : 1.5

You'll walk away with

• Explain hyperscale, colocation, and edge models and their roles in the digital economy
• Evaluate potential sites using power, fiber, cooling, and geopolitical criteria
• Navigate zoning, entitlement, and environmental review processes
• Analyze development economics and common lease structures
• Identify and map key stakeholders and capital stack structures
• Compare power procurement options, including renewable integration
• Outline delivery sequencing and commissioning requirements
• Design incentive strategies, revenue models, and exit options