• High-density overhead coordination: Data halls will pack cable trays, busways and cooling distribution into limited plenum space. Wall and ceiling crews should plan for tight hanger layouts, restricted access, and sequencing around energized systems to avoid rework and safety conflicts.
• Prefabrication-driven installs: Mechanical/electrical skids and containment systems shift field work toward precise tie-ins. Interior contractors will need tighter tolerances on partitions, shaft walls and soffits to align with prefabricated assemblies and maintain schedule.
• Air control and moisture risk: Closed-loop cooling elevates the importance of airtight partitions and properly sealed penetrations. Poor detailing at board joints, shaft interfaces or ceiling planes can lead to condensation and long-term durability issues.
• Labor pressure and productivity: A PLA workforce exceeding 2,500 tradespeople increases competition for skilled drywall and ceiling installers. Expect tighter labor availability, potential wage pressure, and a need for productivity gains through layout accuracy and repeatable installation methods.
  

Detroit-based Walbridge is serving as general contractor on a $16 billion, gigawatt-scale data center campus in Saline Township, marking the largest project in the firm’s 110-year history. For interior finishes contractors, the project signals sustained demand for high-performance assemblies, accelerated schedules and coordination across mechanical, electrical and enclosure trades typical of hyperscale data centers.

Developed by Related Digital for Oracle and OpenAI, the campus is being delivered under a project labor agreement covering more than 2,500 union tradespeople. The PLA is executed through the National Maintenance Agreement and includes 14 affiliated unions. For contractors, this structure affects staffing, jurisdiction, shift planning and productivity baselines.

More than 200,000 trade hours have already been logged on the 250-acre site. High labor density and overlapping scopes increase the need for tight sequencing, particularly where interior build-outs must align with energized systems, commissioning timelines and strict cleanliness requirements typical of data hall environments.

The project is among the first data centers aligned with a memorandum between North America's Building Trades Unions and OpenAI. That framework emphasizes apprenticeship pipelines and standardized labor practices, which may influence workforce availability and wage conditions across regional interiors markets.

Assemblies and Installation Implications

The campus includes three single-story data halls totaling more than 1.65 million square feet. While core and shell dominate early phases, interior scopes will require precision installation of fire-resistance-rated assemblies, shaft wall systems, and ceiling systems integrated with dense overhead infrastructure. Contractors should anticipate:

• Limited plenum space due to cable trays, busways and cooling distribution
• Increased use of prefabrication to maintain schedule certainty
• Strict tolerances for partitions adjacent to mission-critical equipment
• Coordination with hot aisle containment systems and mechanical skids

Michigan-based Kais-Air is delivering mechanical/electrical skid assemblies and containment systems, underscoring the shift toward offsite fabrication. This trend reduces field labor but raises coordination risk at tie-in points—common failure areas if tolerances or sequencing slip.

Moisture, Air Control and Durability

Closed-loop cooling systems are designed to limit water use, but they also place a premium on interior air sealing and condensation control. Improper detailing at penetrations, shaft interfaces or ceiling planes can lead to moisture accumulation and long-term durability issues. Contractors should align with commissioning agents early to verify envelope transitions and interior environmental controls.

Power and Ceiling Coordination

The facility will be powered by DTE Energy, with additional battery storage infrastructure. High-capacity electrical distribution affects ceiling layouts, hanger loads and access requirements. Suspended ceiling systems—where used in support spaces—must accommodate heavier coordination loads and allow for future access without compromising system integrity.

The project represents more than $5 billion in labor investment nationally, with contractors and manufacturers from 14 states contributing. For interior finishes firms, this scale can tighten regional labor supply, extend lead times for gypsum board, grid and specialty systems, and increase competition for skilled installers.

Walbridge is also establishing a modular Safety and Quality Center onsite to support electrical apprentice training. Expanded training infrastructure may help stabilize the labor pipeline, but near-term constraints are likely as demand peaks during interior fit-out phases.

Trade Partner Coordination

Key trade partners include Motor City Electric, Progressive Mechanical Inc., John E. Green, Shaw/E-J Electric, Superior Electric Great Lakes, Triangle Electric and Universal Piping Industries. Interior contractors should expect layered coordination with these firms, particularly where wall and ceiling systems intersect with conduit, piping and containment systems.

Why It Matters

For wall and ceiling professionals, the Saline Township data center sets a precedent for how large-scale AI infrastructure will be built: labor-intensive, highly coordinated and reliant on prefabrication. Success will hinge on sequencing discipline, tolerance control and early coordination with M/E/P systems, areas where interior trades often face rework risk if not fully integrated into planning.