Meta Pilots Mass Timber To Cut Data Center Emissions

In a significant step toward its 2030 net zero emissions goal, Meta has started using mass timber in the construction of its data center campuses in the U.S. This initiative is part of the company's larger plan to cut the embodied carbon in building materials, which significantly contributes to overall emissions in the construction industry. Through its pilot projects, Meta estimates that using mass timber can lower the embodied carbon of alternative materials by about 41%, setting a new standard for sustainable infrastructure in tech.

Embodied carbon refers to the greenhouse gas emissions linked to the production of building materials, covering everything from extraction and processing to manufacturing and transportation. Traditional materials like steel and concrete emit a lot of carbon. Meta is actively looking to replace or reduce the use of these materials in its construction practices. The company is also investing in low-carbon concrete technologies and working with the Sustainable Steel Buyers Platform, led by the Rocky Mountain Institute, to pursue near-zero-emissions steel.

Mass timber, which is the focus of Meta’s current construction pilots, consists of engineered wood products like glue-laminated beams (glulam), cross-laminated timber (CLT), and mass plywood. These materials are made from layers of wood glued together in different grain directions, resulting in strong and fire-resistant components. Beyond their mechanical properties, they have significant environmental benefits due to the carbon stored during tree growth, which remains locked in the wood even after processing and construction.

Meta began its mass timber journey in 2025 with the completion of an administrative building at its Aiken, South Carolina, data center campus. DPR Construction built the structure using timber sourced from SmartLam, a leading provider of CLT in North America. Encouraged by these results, the company plans to start more projects at its campuses in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Montgomery, Alabama. These new buildings, set to be constructed later in 2025, will be developed with Fortis Construction and Mercer Mass Timber in Wyoming, and with Hensel Phelps and Binderholz in Alabama.

Importantly, Meta's mass timber strategy extends beyond administrative buildings. The company is also applying it to warehouses and critical data halls, which house essential server infrastructure. This represents a major change in how we view wood-based construction, as these spaces usually depend on heavy steel and concrete for support and durability. However, mass timber offers a comparable strength-to-weight ratio, often outperforming steel in weight efficiency, while providing the necessary structural integrity and significantly reducing carbon emissions.

In addition to environmental advantages, mass timber offers practical benefits during construction. Since many timber components are prefabricated offsite, construction timelines can shorten by several weeks. On-site welding and heavy concrete pouring are minimized, which lowers costs and emissions while also improving worker safety and construction quality. The lighter weight of timber also allows for a reduction in concrete used in foundations, potentially cutting it by as much as 50% in some cases, providing another way to reduce emissions and costs.

The use of mass timber also supports biophilic design principles. By exposing natural wood in the workplace environment, Meta aims to enhance the wellbeing of on-site staff. Research has shown that such designs can reduce stress, boost morale, and improve overall productivity, adding a human-centered benefit to the environmental gains.

Meta's commitment to sustainable timber sourcing is central to its approach. All timber must be traceable to responsibly managed forests and meet standards for ecological health, fair labor practices, and long-term sustainability. The company also promotes the use of reclaimed wood when the structural conditions allow. This supports Meta's focus on climate-smart forestry practices, which include wildfire risk management, restoration-based forest management, and partnerships with Indigenous communities that manage forest lands.

To support its timber strategy and long-term emissions goals, Meta is also collaborating with forestry investment partners like the BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group in Brazil and EFM in Washington State. These partnerships aim to enhance both environmental impact and social equity, reinforcing Meta's belief that net zero strategies should offer benefits to people and ecosystems beyond just emissions counting.

As climate concerns continue to transform the construction and tech sectors, Meta's mass timber pilots highlight the need for action from others in the industry. By combining innovative engineering with sustainable materials and verified sourcing, Meta aims to create a model for climate-resilient infrastructure. The company hopes its early investment will inspire others to adopt similar efforts and embrace low-carbon construction methods for future data centers.