Data Center Construction in Anna, Texas

Heat rejection and water supply set the limits for a data center in Anna, so we plan the cooling yard before we finalize the building. We construct data centers in northeast Collin County, and our first questions are how much heat will be rejected, which cooling method fits the site and where the makeup water will come from.

Anna sits along the west side of US 75, about 45 miles northeast of central Dallas, with city limits covering about 15 square miles and a planning area of about 60 square miles. Larger land areas give room for cooling equipment, which uses acreage. Water cooling uses less land and more water, air cooling uses more land and less water, and we compare both on the owner's parcel.

Our comparison covers annual energy, annual water, land, noise and first cost. Owners often find that the cheapest option on day one is not the cheapest over ten years, and we show the cash flow so the decision is clear.

A cooling plant is built in the field, tested in stages and handed over with the rest of the building.

The same idea applies to expansion. A plant sized for the first hall should have valved connections and pad space for the next chiller, so a later phase does not require shutting down the loop. We therefore keep the mechanical yard on the same schedule as the shell. Nearby comparison sites include McKinney and Sherman, which owners study for water and land.

The cooling plant is a major cost line. Chillers, towers or dry coolers, pumps, piping, water treatment and controls can account for a large share of the mechanical budget. Foundations and electrical service for those machines are additional.

Municipal fees and infrastructure charges are another variable. The city may charge for water and sewer connections, and the utility may ask for a contribution to capacity. We request these numbers early.

A reuse approach can lower the water bill. Treated wastewater, harvested stormwater or recycled cooling water may reduce the demand on potable supply, but each source brings treatment, permitting and reliability questions. We lay out the options and the risks.

Our package covers grading, pads, containment, underground piping, electrical service, fencing and screening for the mechanical yard. Trade partners do the earthwork, concrete and pipe, and we schedule, supervise and inspect them. See chiller and cooling plant pads for more detail.

We also coordinate cooling water supply and reuse lines, which bring makeup water to the plant and carry blowdown away. Pipe sizing, pressure testing and backflow protection follow the utility's standards.

Underground work is where cooling projects often slip. Trenches cross electrical duct banks, fiber paths and drainage lines, and each crossing needs coordination. We prepare a utility coordination drawing before excavation and survey every installed line, so future work can avoid damage.

A central utility plant can serve a campus with a common chilled water loop. This makes sense when multiple halls share cooling and where expansion will occur in stages.

An AI training campus may need liquid cooling and very high power density, which changes the design of the plant, the piping and the floors.

Floors are important here as well. Liquid cooling adds piping, manifolds, leak detection and heavier racks. We coordinate the slab design with the mechanical engineer, including trenches, sumps and drains, and make sure the plant yard can supply the temperatures and pressures the racks need.

The Collin County Outer Loop touches Anna twice. Segment 1 heads east from US 75 to SH 121, and in November 2025 the loop's third segment was extended to meet US 75 here; the last 3 miles of that segment, called 3A, are slated for construction in 2026. Residents also approved Proposition A on November 3, 2026. It permits street bonds of up to $60 million, to be sold in installments over about five years.

Road work can change delivery routes. We check conditions before each heavy delivery and schedule the plant's piping and pad work to avoid periods when access is constrained.

Because voters approved funding for street improvements, more road work should be expected over the next several years, and we recommend that owners treat route planning as a standing task instead of a one-time check.

The town counted 16,896 residents in 2020 and is estimated at about 35,245 for 2025. According to the town's 2023 financial report, the biggest employers are the school district (847 people), a Walmart store (450) and a rehabilitation provider (170). That economy is about services and schools more than heavy industry.

For a data center, that means relatively few large industrial neighbors, quieter surroundings and a stronger need to bring specialist trades from the wider region. We plan mobilization, lodging and parking for them in the early schedule.

We support owners in Anna and in neighbors such as Melissa. A common team and common standards make it easier to move between sites.

Integrated systems commissioning proves that the cooling plant, power chain and controls work together. Stormwater and detention design protects the yard from runoff.

Water treatment and flushing are done before servers are energized. We schedule them so that the loop is clean when the first load arrives.

A typical sequence includes pressure testing, flushing, chemical cleaning, filling, treatment and a final water sample. Records are kept for each step and given to the owner at turnover. Utilities and power developers planning future capacity can also use the records when they assess the site.

Send the parcel, the heat load and any water information. We will compare cooling options and price the mechanical yard.

Water cooling or air cooling in Anna?

It depends on water availability, land and power. Water-cooled plants are efficient but use water. Air-cooled plants use more land and electricity. We cost both.

What utility fees apply to cooling water?

Connection fees, capacity charges and monthly rates may apply. The city and the water provider can supply numbers, and we include them in the budget.

How does road work affect construction?

It changes delivery routes and sometimes timing. We monitor closures and adjust plans.

Can the plant be expanded?

Yes, with spare pad space, valves and stub-outs. We plan expansion in advance, with spare pad space, valved tie-in points and conduit sleeves that let a second chiller join the loop without draining it. The cost of that provision is shown against the cost of retrofitting later, so the owner can decide with numbers.

What should I send for a first cooling study?

Send the parcel, the expected heat load in megawatts, the phase plan and any information from the water provider. We return a comparison of cooling methods with land needs, water use, power use and first cost, plus a list of the approvals each option would require.

Who builds the mechanical yard?

Trade partners perform the field work and we schedule, supervise and inspect it.