Microsoft is experimenting with data centers made partly from 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 than 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 the carbon footprint. Traditionally, steel and concrete are used for commercial buildings.

Microsoft engineers have developed a hybrid approach that combines CLT with concrete. In Northern Virginia data centers, floors and ceilings are being replaced with CLT and a thinner layer of concrete. This is intended to extend the lifespan of the wood.

CLT is more expensive than steel and concrete, but is becoming increasingly common in the United States. For larger projects such as data centers, using CLT can be cost-effective. Because it is a lightweight material, less steel is needed in certain parts of the building. This allows the company to save on materials and labor. “We are continually 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 an additional 65 percent.

“We need to be systems thinkers across the value chain of these materials that go into our data centers and the equipment that powers our data centers,” said Jim Hanna, team lead for Microsoft’s data center engineering team. “That makes it difficult, but certainly not impossible.”