According to recent market analysis by Whitecroft Lighting, the UK has established itself as a hotspot for European data centre development, identifying a demand for specialised mechanical and electrical (M&E) infrastructure.
While the data centre sector’s overall valuation is set to explode from £13 billion to £32 billion by 2028, fuelled heavily by the accelerated growth of artificial intelligence, the value of lighting as a proportion of total construction costs remains around 60% lower than in typical commercial builds. However, for manufacturers capable of operating at a hyperscale level, this £130 million lighting market presents an opportunity that eclipses established sectors such as commercial office space, entertainment, and education.
Navigating Complexity in Hyperscale Environments
“It is impossible to ignore a growing £32 billion market on your doorstep," explains Richard Williams, Head of Strategic Projects at Whitecroft Lighting. To put the scale into perspective, the entire capital investment budget for NHS estates this year is approximately £10 billion.
Yet, data centres present a uniquely complex environment. Developers face systemic, high-stakes challenges, from securing grid access and renewable energy to ensuring technical resilience and advanced cooling. In these environments, lighting cannot be an afterthought; it must be a fully integrated solution that actively supports a facility’s operational, environmental, and compliance goals.
De-Risking Projects Through Intelligent Infrastructure
For hyperscale developments, mitigating risk and accelerating construction schedules are paramount. The traditional approach to M&E installation is too slow and labour-intensive for modern data centres. This is where pre-assembled, modular innovation reshapes the proposition.
By utilising off-site assembled, plug-and-play lighting systems, contractors can drastically reduce the number of on-site connections. This not only cuts installation time by up to 50%, allowing two-person teams to install up to 250 metres of lighting per day, but crucially removes potential points of failure. Drawing on a rich heritage of delivering high-security, resilient lighting for critical infrastructure, such as the 40,000 LED luminaires installed at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station and the flagship rebuild of Manchester Airport’s Terminal 2, Whitecroft is applying this same rigorous, de-risked methodology to data centres across Europe.
Driving Efficiency, Circularity, and PUE
Modern data centre lighting must deliver far more than illumination; it must actively support a facility’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) targets. Through the implementation of high-efficiency LED luminaires, intelligent wireless controls, and application-driven design, lighting now plays a vital role in optimising a facility’s Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE).
The proposition is rooted in circular design principles. By engineering trunking systems from over 70% recycled aluminium, which is fully recyclable at end-of-life, and aligning manufacturing processes with Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) validated net-zero journeys, the carbon footprint of the M&E phase is significantly reduced.
A Unified European Approach
As the international market matures at an unprecedented pace, developers require a sole-source, secure solution at scale. As part of the European Fagerhult Group, Whitecroft Lighting is collaborating technically and logistically with specialist brands, such as Netherlands-based Veko Lightsystems, to deliver seamless data centre projects. From internal white spaces to exterior security lighting, this unified approach ensures that every aspect of illumination and emergency backup is delivered with absolute certainty.
Richard Williams is Whitecroft's Strategic Project Manager, in charge of Whitecroft's Data Centre proposition.
Get in touch with Richard at: Richard.Williams@whitecroftlight.com
