Skanska has signed a $1.2 billion contract to build four data centres in the southeastern United States for an existing client, representing the Swedish firm’s biggest single data centre project to date. Construction is set to begin in Q3 2026 with completion targeted for Q3 2028.
- Four new data centres totaling 75,000 sqm to be built by 2028
- Project valued at $1.2 billion, Skanska’s largest data centre order
- Construction starts late 2026 in the US Southeast for an undisclosed client
What happened
Skanska announced a $1.2 billion contract to construct four data centres in the southeastern United States. This is the largest single data centre contract the Swedish construction company has ever secured. The contract covers building shells and complete interior fit-outs for technical infrastructure, support spaces, and offices across roughly 75,000 square meters.
The client remains unnamed but is an existing customer. Construction is slated to start in the third quarter of 2026, with completion expected in the third quarter of 2028. This large-scale project will be recorded in Skanska USA’s third-quarter order intake and reflects growing market confidence in sustained data centre demand.
Why it matters
This contract demonstrates the shifting dynamics of data centre development in the US, with significant construction activity moving beyond the main hubs to secondary markets like the Southeast. These regions offer more available land and power resources, critical drivers given capacity constraints in traditional data centre locations.
For Skanska, this follows a string of substantial American data centre contracts in 2026 and underscores its strategic focus on data centre construction. Data centres now account for roughly 10% of its US backlog, indicating the sector’s rising importance to the company’s growth and the broader industrial supply chain.
What to watch next
Skanska’s progress on this four-data-centre project and its impact on the US data centre market will be closely monitored throughout the two-year build period. Updates on client identity, site specifics, and potential additional phases could provide further insights into the evolving industry landscape.
Additionally, trends in power, water, and grid connections—key bottlenecks in the sector—will remain critical for project feasibility and timing. The company’s upcoming third-quarter financial disclosures will reveal how this major contract influences its overall order backlog and financial outlook going forward.