Energy is already a fundamental driver of risk in construction but its importance is being significantly amplified by both geopolitical instability and rapidly increasing demand from energy-intensive infrastructure — particularly the global data centre boom and the electrification of major construction activities. Events such as the crisis in the Middle East demonstrate how quickly disruptions to energy supply chains can trigger price spikes, grid instability and fuel shortages, directly impacting project viability, programme delivery and contractor margins. This session explores how geopolitical instability and surging energy demand — driven particularly by the data centre boom and energy-intensive construction activities — are intensifying pressure on already constrained energy systems, and examines the resulting impacts on project viability, cost escalation, schedule delay, contractual exposure, supply chain disruption and evolving insurance considerations such as business interruption and delay in start-up, while highlighting practical risk management strategies for building resilience in an increasingly energy-dependent construction environment.