Microsoft is experimenting with data centers partially made of wood to reduce its carbon footprint by up to 65 percent.
Microsoft plans to build two new data centers in Northern Virginia. These will look very different from traditional data centers. The company is experimenting with using cross-laminated timber (CLT), a type of wood that can reduce its carbon footprint by up to 65 percent. The use of wood reduces the need for steel and concrete, traditionally used for commercial buildings.
Hybrid approach
Microsoft is currently experimenting with cross-laminated timber (CLT) to build a new data center in Northern Virginia. According to the company, this could reduce their carbon footprint.Traditionally, steel and concrete have been used for commercial buildings.
Microsoft engineers developed a hybrid approach combining CLT with concrete. In the data centers in northern Virginia, the floors and ceilings will be replaced with CLT, and receive a thinner layer of concrete. This is to extend the life of the wood.
CLT is more expensive than steel and concrete, but is becoming more common in the U.S. For larger projects, such as data centers, using CLT can be cost-effective. It is a lightweight material that means less steel is needed in certain parts of the building. This allows the company to save on materials and labor. “We are constantly trying to validate the suitability of these new materials for use in a data center environment,” says engineer David Swanson.
Less CO2 emissions
Microsoft claims that using wood in parts of its new data centers will reduce its carbon footprint by 35 percent, compared to steel structures. Replacing concrete with CLT could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by another 65 percent.
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“We have to be systems thinkers throughout the value chain of these materials coming into our data centers and the equipment that supplies our data centers,” said Jim Hanna, team leader of Microsoft’s data center engineering team. “That makes it difficult, but certainly not impossible.”