Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp owner Meta announced a new initiative aimed at cutting the embodied carbon footprint of its data centers, piloting the use of mass timber in the construction of the facilities, in place of emissions-intensive materials such as steel and concrete.
Steel and concrete are among the most significant sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with steel manufacturing and cement production accounting for approximately 7% and 8%, respectively, of global carbon emissions, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF).
Meta’s initiative comes as the company focuses on its goal to achieve net zero emissions across its value chain by 2030, while also addressing the challenges to reach its target as it builds out infrastructure to accommodate the rapid growth of AI.
Meta is testing more sustainable building materials alternatives, such as mass timber, an engineered wood product known for its strength, durability, and lower embodied carbon. It includes products such as glue-laminated beams (glulam) and can reduce the embodied carbon of substituted building materials by about 41%.
In addition, as it is pre-fabricated, mass timber can reduce on-site construction time and emissions.
The company erected its first mass timber administrative building at its South Carolina data center campus using materials from SmartLam this year. Additional mass timber structures will be built throughout 2025 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Alabama.
Meta ensures sustainable sourcing by requiring third-party audits to trace wood back to forests managed for long-term ecological and social health. The company prioritizes suppliers who practice climate smart forestry and may also use reclaimed wood where structurally viable.
Beyond emissions reductions, mass timber buildings offer additional benefits. The company said that research supports that exposed wood elements in workspaces can enhance well-being by connecting occupants to nature.
Meta said:
“Supporting projects through our net zero efforts that support people and nature to thrive is paramount to our mission. Forestry projects like these set the vision for how our net zero program can support communities, forests, and watersheds beyond our emissions goals, as well as ensure a sustainable source of timber for mass timber and other timber markets.”
Meta’s initiative follows a recent announcement by Microsoft that it is also pioneering the use of wood products in its data center construction to help tackle its own carbon footprint.
