ESG Today writes: "Meta Replaces Steel, Concrete with Wood to Cut Data Center Carbon Footprint?"

https://www.esgtoday.com/meta-builds-new-data-center-with-wood-to-cut-carbon-footprint/

ESG Today writes: "Meta Replaces Steel, Concrete with Wood to Cut Data Center Carbon Footprint?".

In summary:

Meta is piloting the use of mass timber—strong, engineered wood products—as a low-carbon alternative to steel and concrete in constructing its data center campuses. Steel and concrete account for roughly 7% and 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, respectively. By substituting these materials, mass timber can lower embodied carbon in building components by around 41%. These materials, including glue-laminated beams and other prefabricated wood assemblies, also shorten construction timelines and reduce on-site emissions.

Meta’s first mass timber administrative building was completed this year at its South Carolina data center campus, with further projects underway in Wyoming and Alabama. The company ensures sustainability by sourcing wood through third-party audits that trace materials to responsibly managed forests, favoring suppliers practicing climate-smart forestry or using reclaimed wood where feasible.

Beyond emissions reductions, mass timber design enhances workplace well-being by incorporating natural elements. This initiative aligns with Meta’s ambition to achieve net-zero value-chain emissions by 2030 and follows a similar move by Microsoft toward timber-based data center construction.