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Data center planning lost steam in August, but momentum picked up in other sectors to keep overall numbers relatively flat, according to the Dodge Construction Network.
The Dodge Momentum Index, a measure of non-residential construction projects entering the planning stages, ticked up. 0.4% month on month in Augustaccording to a statement on Tuesday.
The slight decrease followed that of July 6.9% increase in total planningwhen data centers posted gains, according to the report.
“Strength in planning momentum remained relatively broad-based in August,” Sarah Martin, director of economic research at Dodge Construction Network, said in the statement. “Weaker data center planning primarily drove the flatter trend, while most other sectors saw an acceleration in planning momentum.”
Planning in certain business sectors, such as office and hotel construction, for example, improved month-on-month in August, according to Dodge. On the institutional front, education and public building projects also posted month-on-month gains in August, the report said.
At the other end of the trade spectrum, retail stores and warehouses reported lower planning figures for the monthly period. Healthcare activity also declined slightly in the institutional category after four months of sustained growth, according to Dodge.
Despite the slowdown in the booming data center sector, total construction planning is still leading last year’s pace on a year-over-year basis. DMI was up 4.2% compared to August 2025, according to Dodge. Both commercial and institutional planning have registered growth of 2.3% and 7.8%, respectively, during this period.
But data centers continue to skew the year-over-year comparison within the commercial segment, the Dodge report noted. For example, with the elimination of data center planning, commercial planning would drop 18.9% from August 2025, according to the report.
A total of 31 projects valued at $100 million or more entered planning in August. Major commercial projects include:
- Two $462 million EdgeConneX data centers in Bastrop, Texas.
- The $378 million first phase of a Bitdeer data center in Shalersville Township, Ohio.
- A $358 million data center in Secaucus, New Jersey.
The largest institutional projects to enter planning included:
- The $350 million Colosseum Sports Resort in Stafford, Virginia.
- The $350 million Commonwealth Courts Building in Richmond, Virginia.
- The $350 million holistic health and fitness building in Newport News, Virginia.
