Temporary structure tents help keep crews productive, budgets on track and projects on schedule.
Article Updated on: October 19, 2026
The unprecedented demand for new data centers is spurring owners to seek every efficiency possible during data center construction. Temporary structure tents enable general contractors to minimize downtime and delays by providing temporary storage for mission-critical equipment and serving as breakrooms and lunch tents for workers operating in challenging climates.
These rapidly deployable portable structures are engineered for durability and can be placed on virtually any flat, level surface with no surface prep. Once erected, they can be quickly relocated as construction progresses.
Here’s a brief look at how industrial tents facilitate faster, more streamlined data center builds.
How do temporary structure tents solve data center storage needs?
Timing is everything when it comes to deliveries of the IT, HVAC, power generation and electrical equipment required to run a data center. To speed up project completion, owners aim to move these assets into the building at the earliest possible moment. Doing so requires onsite storage.
Compared with just-in-time delivery, pre-ordering assets and storing them onsite in a controlled environment helps companies improve cost forecasting, hedge against pricing volatility and mitigate supply chain issues for long-lead items.
Temporary industrial tents placed near the installation zone can help to protect sensitive equipment from dust, moisture, sun, rain and snow. They are available in:
- Multiple layouts and sizes
- Lightweight fabric buildings that offer reliable weather and condensation protection
- Extra-durable models with metal walls, snow loading and full insulation for cost-effective climate control
Storage tents offer environmental advantages as well as cost and logistical advantages. When sensitive goods move straight from the container ship to an environment that controls dust and moisture, much less single-use protective packaging is necessary.
How can temporary structures be customized for data center construction?
Because these warehouse tents are modular, they can be tailored to optimize the space for the equipment and materials being stored, whether it’s servers and server racks, battery banks or flooring. The layout is easily adjusted to accommodate changing storage needs.
United Rentals offers Workspace Ready Solutions to customize your temporary structure tent rental. Tailor your tent rental to your specific job requirements with features such as:
- Dividing walls
- Garage doors
- Lockable doors
- Interior lighting
- Flooring options
Customers can use the 3D Configurator to design a basic layout of an industrial tent on their own if they wish. The United Rentals engineering team uses additional software to design more complex layouts and show project managers what the structure, complete with accessories, will look like when installed on the jobsite.
Recommendations take into account the applications and budget considerations. If the industrial tent will be used for meetings, the team may suggest an inflatable roof to reduce noise. If heating, cooling or dehumidification is required, they may recommend a fully insulated hardwall structure, which can slash heating and cooling costs by 50%.
How do industrial tents serve as dining tents and breakrooms?
Data center construction projects depend on productive, motivated crews to meet project timelines. Giving workers access to a comfortable construction site breakroom where they can warm up or cool down, take shelter from the elements and grab a meal can reduce fatigue, mitigate heat and cold stress, and boost morale.
On large data center campuses, providing multiple lunch tents strategically placed for maximum convenience reduces time spent walking to and from the structures so crews return to work faster.
To make temporary buildings fully functional, United Rentals can outfit them with accessories such as tables, chairs, microwaves for hot lunches and audiovisual equipment for safety meetings and presentations.
Partnering with a knowledgeable temporary structure tent provider
Working with an industrial tent provider that understands the needs of data center construction companies helps project managers plan for temporary warehouses and breakrooms that are tailored to the environment, storage requirements, workforce size and shift schedules.
United Rentals offers comprehensive turnkey service, from planning and design to installation and removal. Leveraging their deep knowledge and experience, the Temporary Industrial Tents team provides guidance on the type, size, layout and orientation of a temporary structure and designs floor plans that maximize the available footprint.
The United Rentals Power and HVAC team will work hand in hand with the Industrial Tents team to design a cost-effective temporary power and HVAC system to protect materials from condensation and keep workers comfortable.
Industrial tents improve data center construction by providing onsite storage that can enable rapid installation of equipment and materials and by sheltering workers as they rest, recharge and refuel. An optimally customized, quickly deployed semi-permanent tent from United Rentals can help contractors control costs and boost productivity, and owners get data centers online sooner.
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