Wooden data center is Big Tech's latest low-carbon building play

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Axios or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Microsoft announced it is constructing two new data centers in Virginia using cross-laminated timber (CLT), a low-carbon engineered wood material, marking a novel approach in data center sustainability
• The tech giant estimates that using CLT will reduce the carbon footprint of these data centers by 35% compared to steel and 65% compared to concrete

🔭 The context: Big Tech companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google are increasingly adopting low-carbon materials to reduce the environmental impact of their expansive data center networks
• Microsoft’s commitment extends to using low-carbon concrete, steel, and demanding that major suppliers transition to 100% clean energy by 2030

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Data centers are energy-intensive, contributing substantially to emissions
• By using CLT and other sustainable materials, companies like Microsoft can help drive the shift toward greener construction practices and reduce the lifecycle carbon footprint of their global infrastructure

⏭️ What's next: Microsoft plans to analyze the performance and costs of these CLT data centers to determine how this approach might expand across its building projects
• Success could bolster the use of CLT as a mainstream, sustainable option in tech and beyond

💬 One quote: “The use of CLT can lower the carbon footprint of the two data centers by 35% compared to steel and 65% compared to typical concrete” – Sara Neff, Microsoft’s general manager of sustainability

📈 One stat: Amazon has incorporated low-carbon concrete and steel into at least 43 of its data centers as part of a wider industry trend toward sustainable infrastructure

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