Meta Pilots Use of Mass Timber in Data Center Construction

Meta has begun piloting the use of mass timber in the construction of its data center campuses, aiming to replace the use of steel and other building materials with wood-based products engineered for strength and durability.

According to Meta, the products are engineered for use in industrial applications, such as data centers, and include products like glue-laminated, wooden beams and columns (glulam), mass plywood, and timber wall assemblies.

The use of mass timber can have a significant impact on reducing the carbon intensity of data center construction. According to Meta, the incorporation of mass timber in these buildings will reduce the embodied carbon of the materials being substituted by around 41 percent. In addition, since most mass timber products are pre-fabricated, the need to weld steel onsite falls significantly, reducing the construction time by several weeks.