Kaufman & Company has announced BUILD 2030, a national development initiative that unites its housing, real estate, construction, technology, and AI infrastructure capabilities under a single coordinated investment and development strategy. The move reflects a growing recognition that America's next infrastructure cycle will be defined not only by traditional utilities but by two critical needs: places for people to live and computing infrastructure capable of supporting an AI-driven economy.
The initiative is grounded in the premise that housing and AI infrastructure share fundamental requirements—land, power, transportation, entitlement expertise, construction capacity, and capital. Kaufman calls this intersection "infrastructure convergence." By coordinating projects across its platform, which includes residential development, build-to-rent, workforce and affordable housing, custom housing, commercial and hospitality development, AI infrastructure, real estate advisory, and venture capital, the company aims to leverage its more than 25 years of experience and over $2 billion in project value, with more than 10,000 housing units developed.
Daniel Kaufman, Founder and Principal of Kaufman & Company, emphasized the importance of balancing technological and human infrastructure. "Everyone is talking about the AI infrastructure boom, but infrastructure cannot only be about machines. If we're going to build infrastructure for AI, we should be equally serious about building infrastructure for people," he said. This philosophy underpins BUILD 2030's approach to community impact, particularly as the company evaluates future AI infrastructure locations. Rather than viewing data centers as isolated industrial projects, Kaufman & Company intends to explore opportunities where infrastructure investment can support broader economic development, including workforce housing, community improvements, and local employment.
"We don't want to be the developer that arrives in a community, consumes power and leaves behind a box. The better model is to ask what else our investment can unlock for the people who already live there," Kaufman added. This community-centric model could set a new standard for how AI infrastructure is developed, potentially mitigating local opposition and fostering long-term economic resilience.
The strategic rationale for BUILD 2030 is clear: developers who understand both physical and digital infrastructure will have a significant advantage in the coming decade. "The real estate industry still tends to put everything into separate boxes: multifamily, build-to-rent, affordable housing, data centers, technology. We don't see it that way. We see land, infrastructure, housing, technology and capital increasingly colliding. BUILD 2030 is our response to that," Kaufman explained. By breaking down silos, Kaufman & Company positions itself at the forefront of a trend that could redefine real estate development.
BUILD 2030 will serve as the connective strategy across Kaufman & Company's existing businesses as it evaluates its next generation of projects and partnerships. The initiative builds on the company's permanent-capital holding structure, which spans residential development, workforce housing, AI infrastructure, real estate services, and venture capital. As the AI economy expands, the demand for both housing and computing infrastructure will only intensify, making integrated development models increasingly valuable.
For more information on Kaufman & Company's platform, visit https://kaufmanco.com. The company's venture portfolio, which develops technology for the real estate industry, further underscores its commitment to innovation. As Kaufman noted, "We've spent 25 years building real estate. The next 25 will be about building the infrastructure around it." This long-term vision could influence how other developers approach the convergence of housing and AI infrastructure, ultimately shaping the built environment for decades to come.
