CBH Consulting AGDiscuss a Project
Editorial aerial view of a European infrastructure development site

Data Centre Development & Advisory

From Opportunity to Investable Data Centre Project.

CBH Consulting AG is an independent, family-owned Swiss consultancy focused exclusively on data centre projects across EMEA.

Explore our approach
1.6 MW500 MW+Individual facilities to major campus developments

What We Do

We Connect the Pieces.

Successful data centre development sits at the intersection of land, power, technology, capital, infrastructure and offtake.

Our involvement can begin with a piece of land, a source of power, an investment mandate or an operator requirement — and extend throughout the development lifecycle.

01 Site
02 Power
03 Capital
04 Offtake
05 Expertise
Data Centre

Who We Work With

Four perspectives. One development objective.

01

Site Owners & Developers

Unlock the Data Centre Potential of Your Site.

We help landowners and developers determine whether their property can become a viable data centre opportunity — and then help make it happen.

Learn More

Our services include site assessment, power and connectivity investigation, business and project planning, coordination of specialist technical input, investment teasers and professional data rooms.

We can then introduce appropriate investors, funding partners, joint-venture partners, buyers, operators and offtakers.

Our objective is not simply to market land, but to transform its potential value by creating a credible, investable data centre project.

02

Data Centre Operators & Hyperscalers

Finding the Right Site — With the Power to Support It.

We source suitable data centre locations against specific operator requirements, either from our network or through dedicated site-search mandates.

Learn More

Our role goes considerably further than identifying available land.

CBH investigates power availability, makes capacity applications and engages directly with utilities to establish connection possibilities, available capacity, delivery programmes and appropriate ramp-up profiles.

We focus on presenting developable opportunities rather than simply available plots of land.

03

Investors

Connecting Capital With Credible Data Centre Opportunities.

We connect institutional investors, infrastructure and real estate funds, family offices and private capital with appropriate data centre projects.

Learn More

Our involvement in the sector began with project structuring and finance, giving us an understanding of data centre opportunities from the investor's perspective as well as that of the developer and operator.

Through our own developments, client projects and international network, we identify opportunities at different stages of the development lifecycle and connect them with capital appropriate to their scale, strategy and risk profile.

Where required, CBH can remain involved as an adviser as the project progresses.

04

Renewable Energy Developers

Turning Available Power Into Digital Infrastructure Opportunities.

We work with renewable energy developers and energy asset owners to investigate how data centre demand can complement existing or planned generation.

Learn More

CBH develops the data centre proposition and brings together the developers, operators, offtakers, investment partners and specialist expertise required to take the opportunity forward.

Where appropriate, this can incorporate renewable generation, energy storage and heat reuse as part of a wider integrated energy and digital infrastructure development.

How We Work

From Opportunity to Delivery.

Our involvement is tailored to each mandate and can range from solving one specific requirement to supporting a project throughout its development lifecycle.

  1. 01

    Identify

    Site · Power · Requirement · Opportunity

  2. 02

    Assess

    Viability · Power Feasibility · Connectivity · Commercial Potential

  3. 03

    Structure

    Project · Business Case · Data Room · Development Strategy

  4. 04

    Connect

    Capital · Operator · Offtaker · JV Partners · Specialists

  5. 05

    Develop

    Power Request · Sustainability · Heat Reuse · Delivery Team

  6. 06

    Deliver

    Transaction · Investment · Offtake · Development · Ongoing Advisory

Editorial view of electrical grid and renewable energy infrastructure

Power & Energy

Power Comes First.

A data centre site has limited value if it cannot secure the power required to operate it. That is why power forms part of CBH's assessment from the beginning.

Our Role

CBH's role is commercial and developmental rather than electrical engineering.

We work collaboratively with power companies to achieve the best practical outcome for all parties.

Detailed utility engineering is undertaken by the relevant power company, with specialist engineers and equipment providers taking responsibility for the on-site electrical infrastructure once power reaches the site.

Heat Reuse & Community Integration

From Heating Homes to Growing Food.

Rather than treating waste heat simply as a regulatory obligation, we look for ways to turn it into something capable of creating economic, environmental and community value.

Editorial image illustrating greenhouse agriculture integrated with recovered infrastructure heat
Data Centre
Recovered Heat
Homes
Hot Water
Agriculture
Aquaculture
Drying
Food & Industry
Our Approach

Every location is different.

CBH identifies potential heat users, develops concepts around their requirements and brings together local stakeholders, commercial partners and specialist expertise to turn heat-reuse concepts into viable solutions.

Our objective is to identify where the available heat can create the greatest practical value and develop a solution appropriate to the individual project and its surrounding community.

Integrated from the outset

Sustainability & Community

Better Data Centres Create More Than Compute Capacity.

Renewable energy, energy storage, heat reuse and complementary commercial activities can help integrate a data centre into the wider energy and economic ecosystem around it.

We consider these opportunities during project development, not as an afterthought.

Experience

From Individual Facilities to Hyperscale Campuses and Distributed AI Infrastructure.

CBH has been involved in data centre projects across a wide range of scales, technologies, geographies and development stages.

1.6 MW
500 MW+

Much of our work is commercially sensitive and undertaken under strict confidentiality agreements. We therefore do not identify clients, investors, operators, consortium partners or individual projects unless specifically authorised to do so.

01

Site Development

Site identification, assessment and development of data centre opportunities.

02

Power & Grid

Capacity applications, utility engagement and power strategies.

03

Project Structuring

From initial opportunity to commercially viable development proposition.

04

Investment & Finance

Project financing, investor introduction and investment structuring.

05

Operator & Offtaker Engagement

Connecting projects with data centre companies, cloud providers and compute demand.

06

Project Turnaround

Restructuring and repositioning data centre developments.

07

Hyperscale Development

Experience with major campus developments exceeding 500 MW.

08

AI & Distributed Infrastructure

Development of distributed facilities supporting emerging compute requirements.

09

Heat Reuse

Commercial heat offtake and innovative reuse concepts.

Explore Examples of Our Work

The following examples illustrate some of the types of challenges CBH is engaged to solve. They are deliberately presented without identifying individual projects or counterparties in order to respect client confidentiality.

Example 01

Turning Land Into a Data Centre Opportunity

The Challenge

A landowner or developer controls a potentially suitable site but lacks the specialist knowledge, power position, commercial structure or industry relationships required to take it to the data centre market.

CBH's Role

CBH assesses the opportunity, investigates power and connectivity, develops the project proposition, coordinates specialist input and prepares the commercial materials and data room required by potential partners.

The Outcome

A piece of industrial real estate becomes a structured data centre opportunity capable of being presented to investors, operators, developers and potential joint-venture partners.

Example 02

Sourcing Sites Against an Operator Mandate

The Challenge

A data centre operator requires sites meeting specific criteria for location, scale, power, connectivity and development timetable.

CBH's Role

CBH searches both within and beyond our existing network, identifies potential locations, approaches relevant parties, assesses initial viability and engages with utilities regarding power capacity and delivery.

The Outcome

The operator is presented with screened, developable opportunities aligned with its requirements rather than a list of potentially available properties.

Example 03

Restructuring a Data Centre Project

The Challenge

An existing development has stalled or its original commercial structure is no longer capable of taking the project forward.

CBH's Role

CBH reviews the opportunity from a commercial and investor perspective, identifies the issues preventing progress and helps restructure the proposition before approaching appropriate capital and strategic partners.

The Outcome

The project can be repositioned as a credible investment and development opportunity.

Example 04

Connecting Energy With Compute Demand

The Challenge

A renewable energy developer has generation capacity or a strategically attractive energy location but no established route into the data centre market.

CBH's Role

CBH assesses the data centre potential, develops the proposition and brings together suitable development expertise, capital, operators and potential offtakers.

The Outcome

Energy infrastructure can become the foundation for a new digital infrastructure opportunity.

Example 05

Creating Value From Data Centre Heat

The Challenge

A development needs a viable approach to heat reuse that goes beyond satisfying a regulatory requirement.

CBH's Role

CBH assesses local opportunities and potential heat users, develops appropriate concepts and brings together the commercial, community and specialist partners needed to progress them.

The Outcome

Waste heat can become a productive resource supporting applications ranging from heating and hot water to agriculture, aquaculture, drying and other commercial uses.

International Reach

Rooted in Switzerland. Connected Across EMEA.

Data centre development is inherently local. Land ownership, power, planning, regulation and community requirements differ significantly between countries and regions.

CBH combines direct market experience with an established international network of local and specialist partners.

Europe, Middle East and AfricaAn unclassified regional map representing CBH's international reach without country-specific claims.Männedorf · Switzerland
19 Years of Infrastructure Experience

Our Digital Infrastructure Heritage

Before focusing exclusively on data centres, CBH developed extensive experience across wider digital infrastructure.

Our previous work includes the design and commercial development of international fibre-connected data centre infrastructure, as well as the development of nationwide dark-fibre infrastructure in Switzerland.

CBH has also supported innovative 5G programmes, including the development of use cases and successful securing of European funding for a telecommunications operator.

This experience helped build the infrastructure knowledge, international relationships and partner network that underpin our data centre activities today.

Today, CBH is focused exclusively on data centre development and advisory.

About CBH

Independent by Design. Experienced by Evolution.

CBH Consulting AG is an independent, family-owned Swiss company headquartered in Männedorf, Canton Zurich.

Founded in 2007, CBH was originally established to bring corporate standards of project management and professional services to small and medium-sized businesses.

Our involvement in data centres began through project structuring and finance. As our network grew and our clients asked us to take on more, our capabilities expanded into site development, power, investment, offtake, sustainability and project delivery.

Today, CBH is focused exclusively on data centres.

More Than an Industry.

A Passion.

We believe the next generation of data centres can be more than consumers of power. Through thoughtful development, renewable energy integration, energy storage, heat reuse and community engagement, they can become an integral part of the energy and economic ecosystems around them.

A Different Kind of Consultancy

Experience. Independence. Direct Involvement.

As a family-owned business, we work for our clients rather than external shareholders.

Our clients work directly with experienced professionals who understand the commercial and practical realities of developing data centres.

“We understand what needs to be done, identify who needs to do it, and bring together the right people to deliver it.”

Management

Experienced professionals. Directly involved.

CEO & Founder

Mark Collins

Mark founded CBH Consulting AG in 2007 and leads its data centre development and advisory activities across EMEA.

Read More

Mark has remained actively involved in every project undertaken by CBH since its inception.

Today, he leads CBH's data centre development and advisory activities, with a particular focus on project origination and structuring, site and power strategy, investment and offtake, strategic partnerships and sustainable heat-reuse solutions.

Before founding CBH, Mark worked with IBM UK on projects ranging in value from £50,000 to £500 million, serving clients from SMEs to major listed companies and government departments. He subsequently held senior management positions in Germany and Switzerland, including Country General Manager for Germany at FDM Group plc.

His combination of corporate project experience, entrepreneurship and nearly two decades of hands-on involvement in CBH projects underpins the company's practical, commercially focused approach.

CFO

Neil Collins

Neil has served as CFO of CBH since its foundation and leads the financial and commercial aspects of the company's activities.

Read More

Neil's focus includes project structuring, financial modelling, investment and funding strategy, due diligence and corporate finance.

He began his career in accountancy and audit before moving into securities banking, holding director-level positions with leading financial institutions in the UK, Germany and Switzerland.

Neil has subsequently advised businesses and projects across technology and emerging industries on start-up, financing, restructuring and corporate development, including taking direct CFO responsibilities and board appointments.

He has more than 25 years' experience in the financial sector and is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA).

Chairman

Lt Col Michael Collins (Retd)

Michael brings more than three decades of leadership, engineering and complex programme experience to CBH.

Read More

Following a 32-year career in the British Army specialising in telecommunications engineering and management, Michael became principal adviser to the Kuwaiti Armed Forces on a US$3.5 billion integrated command-and-control programme.

His career encompasses major communications and information systems programmes at national and multinational level, including work associated with the UK's Skynet military satellite communications programme, systems integration and technical training.

As Chairman, Michael contributes to the governance, strategic oversight and delivery of complex infrastructure projects.

Start a Conversation

What Can We Help You Develop?

I Have a Site Explore its data centre potential I Need a Site Talk to us about your requirements I'm Looking to Invest Discuss data centre opportunities I Have Energy Capacity Explore data centre integration I Want to Partner With CBH Let's talk

Contact

Get in touch

Have a question or a project in mind? Choose the relevant option below and we’ll respond directly.

General enquiry

Discuss a project