Smart Upgrades, Strategic Value – Retrofitting for AI and Sustainability
In today’s data-driven economy, the demand for computing power is exploding, and it’s only getting faster. From artificial intelligence to cloud services, modern businesses need more data capacity than ever before. But in regions like Ireland, where energy infrastructure is under pressure and planning restrictions are tightening, the challenge is no longer just about scaling, it’s about doing it smarter. That’s where Datalec comes in.
At Datalec, we specialise in one of the most critical solutions for today’s digital infrastructure, data centre retrofitting. With decades of combined in-house expertise and a proven track record across Ireland and globally, we help our clients turn existing, often ageing, facilities into high-performance, future-ready data environments.
This isn’t a temporary challenge, it’s a structural transformation. AI, ESG mandates, and grid constraints are redrawing the infrastructure map across Europe, and retrofit is no longer an option, it’s the only viable route for most operators.
The Case for Retrofitting – A New Digital Reality
Ireland has long been a hub for global tech and data infrastructure. But with power grid constraints mounting, especially around Dublin, new data centre developments face increasingly strict limitations. Ireland’s CRU/21/124 has effectively frozen new grid connections in key regions like Dublin, placing expansion plans at risk.
That doesn’t mean the demand has slowed. Quite the opposite.
The AI revolution and evolving hardware are reshaping every corner of the economy, from healthcare and financial services to manufacturing and logistics. This surge in computing needs requires dense, energy-intensive hardware that older data centres weren’t built to handle. And with the moratorium in place, the only viable path forward for many organisations is to optimise what they already have. A recent study by Bitpower found that a future construction pipeline in Ireland worth €8 -10 billion is at risk due to energy constraints and planning delays.
Over 60% of Ireland’s data centres were built before 2015 and are no longer aligned with modern computer loads or ESG frameworks. Retrofitting offers CapEx savings of 20 – 40%, faster time to value, and up to 50% lower embodied carbon.
Retrofitting is no longer just an operational decision, it’s a financeable, investor-aligned strategy with ESG compliance built in.
What Makes Datalec Different?
Retrofitting a live data centre is no small task. It requires precision, planning, and deep technical expertise. At Datalec, we don’t just update your equipment, we transform your infrastructure while keeping your operations running. That’s a level of service and reliability that few can match.
What sets us apart is structured certainty. We validate existing conditions up front, coordinate all phases, and execute with surgical precision in live environments.
Our Retrofit Capabilities
- Comprehensive Site Audits
We begin by deeply assessing your existing infrastructure – power distribution, cooling systems, airflow, rack layouts, and redundancy planning. We identify inefficiencies and develop a roadmap that balances performance goals with budget, compliance, and sustainability. - Power and Cooling Optimisation
As AI workloads grow, so do their power and cooling demands. We redesign your power paths and implement advanced cooling strategies, including hot and cold aisle containment, rear-door heat exchangers, or liquid-cooled infrastructure. We enable scalable high-density designs, including readiness for 30 – 70kW racks. - Structural and Spatial Reconfiguration
We turn underutilised capacity into scalable potential. Whether it’s adjusting floor layouts or reconfiguring cabinets for improved airflow and cable management, our modular and prefabricated systems ensure faster, safer builds. We can also use our in-house expertise to fully re-design your space to maximise a solution that fits your needs. - Minimal Downtime Execution
Our phased approach ensures continuous uptime. We work around your operational needs with a live environment methodology that integrates access control, permit sequencing, and risk mitigation strategies from day one. - Sustainability Integration
From high-efficiency UPS systems to carbon-conscious material sourcing, we retrofit not just for capacity but for compliance and carbon savings. Retrofitting can reduce embodied carbon by 30 – 50% and qualifies for ESG-linked financing, including green bonds and performance-based instruments.
Why Our Clients Choose Retrofitting, And Us
Our clients choose retrofitting to support AI adoption, align with ESG targets, or meet growing demand without expanding their footprint. What unites them is their need for a partner who can make it happen quickly, safely, and effectively.
Retrofitting enables faster ROI’s, derisks ESG compliance, and supports scalable infrastructure aligned to tomorrow’s workloads. With Datalec, you’re not just hiring a contractor, you’re gaining a dedicated infrastructure partner.
Our in-house project managers, electrical engineers, HVAC specialists, and certified installers work as a single, integrated team. That means faster delivery, tighter quality control, and a retrofit solution tailored exactly to your operational goals.
Retrofitting – The Opportunity Hidden in the Challenge
The data centre moratorium may be a regulatory roadblock, but it’s also an opportunity, an opportunity to take a smarter, more sustainable approach to infrastructure.
In Ireland and across Europe, data centres that wait for grid approval or new planning permissions risk falling behind. The winners of the AI era will be those who move now, adapting, upgrading, and unlocking performance from what they already own.
By retrofitting existing spaces to support today’s most advanced technologies, we help clients unlock value, reduce waste, and future-proof their operations against tomorrow’s energy and capacity challenges. At Datalec, we believe the future of data centres lies not just in building more, but also in building better and more efficiently.
The Retrofit Advantage – By the Numbers
- CapEx savings: 20 – 40% vs new build
- Embodied carbon reduction: Up to 50%
- Delivery speed: 6 -12 months faster
- Asset lifecycle extension: +10 -15 years
- Grid access preservation: Existing entitlements maintained
Retrofitting delivers faster, greener, and more resilient outcomes that align with regulatory, investor, and operational expectations.
By Joe Keogh, Projects Director, Ireland