Many companies and brands have begun shifting to more sustainable practices in recent years. Microsoft has long been leading the charge, pledging to be carbon negative by 2030. And it's now added another tactic in the fight for sustainability: building data centers made of wood and other low-carbon materials.
Data Center Dynamics has reported that Microsoft is building two data centers in Northern Virginia with cross-laminated timber. CLT is an engineered wood that has grown in prominence recently because of its flexible, fire-resistant nature. Although it has not been used much in data centers (yet), the material has a variety of benefits ranging from the environment to construction. And with construction causing around 40% of all global carbon emissions, CLT could be an ideal solution to ease the environmental impact.
By employing cross-laminated timber in its two new data centers, Microsoft said that it "is expected to reduce the facilities' embodied carbon footprint by 35% compared to conventional steel construction, and 65% compared to typical precast concrete." A study found that a midrise building that used CLT reduced global warming potential by 15%-26%.
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An added perk of CLT is that it is quicker and safer to install than traditional steel and concrete. Steve Kelley, a professor in the department of forest biomaterials at North Carolina State's College of Natural Resources, said that "because you can assemble the CLT layer by layer, you can put it into place pretty easily. That's a huge advantage if you're building in an urban area where you may have to shut down the surrounding street for a year or more. By reducing the time of construction, you're not only saving money but also keeping the community happy."
As Microsoft continues to invest in emboldened sustainable projects and initiatives, this latest project demonstrates its dedication to carbon neutrality and climate-friendly solutions.
Richard Hage, head of global strategy for data center engineering at Microsoft, sums it up best, per Data Center Dynamics: "A lot of our suppliers are on the same journey as we are. [Everyone is] implementing key initiatives to lower the embodied carbon of their materials and their products."
With Microsoft leading the charge on a potentially novel improvement in how data centers are constructed, it shows promise for both commercial and residential properties that use CLT. Move over steel and cement — cross-laminated timber is here and can be a more sustainable staple of infrastructure projects.
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