The data center industry is at a crossroads, with sustainability requirements increasing more forcefully with digital expansion. Conventional materials like steel/ concrete have long ruled the industry, but their high carbon intensities have paved the way for substitutes. Cross-Laminated Timber/CLT has come up as a prime candidate for the data center industry. It is a composite of engineered wood consisting of layers of timber bonded together using structural adhesives. This article discusses the applications of CLT in building data centers. It goes through its sustainable features, structural performance, and implementation issues.

The Sustainability Advantage of Cross-Laminated Timber in Data Centers

The environmental impact of data centers reaches beyond the operational energy to include embodied carbon in construction materials. This section explains how CLT stands to gain the greatest environmental benefits in the data center lifecycle: 

Carbon Sequestration Capabilities

Cross-Laminated Timber acts as a carbon sink. It stores roughly 1 ton of CO2 for every cubic meter of wood. When harvested from sustainably grown forests, CLT buildings have the potential to be carbon negative during construction. In the case of data center construction, which may take 10,000-30,000 square meters of built space, a move to CLT has the potential to sequester thousands of tons of carbon. It offsets the facility’s initial footprint while forests recover to absorb further atmospheric carbon.

Reduced Construction Carbon Footprint

Production of CLT results in much lower carbon emissions than concrete or steel production. Furthermore, research shows CLT buildings have a carbon output 25-45% lower than similar concrete buildings. Prefabrication also minimizes waste on site to below 5%, compared to 15-20% for standard techniques. Moreover, transport emissions are minimized since CLT is approximately one-fifth of the weight of concrete and allows more material to be transported per trip. It also reduces fuel consumption during the construction process, likewise reducing the overall carbon footprint of the project.

Circular Economy Integration

Circular economy habits are encouraged by Cross-Laminated Timber in its entire lifecycle. Recycling and deconstruction make CLT structures at the end of their lifecycle reusable for the construction of other structures or re-engineered as smaller wood components. Furthermore, the versatility ensures the maximal utilization of the material and creates a closed loop with no waste. Compared with concrete, which typically is downcycled to aggregate, CLT maintains more value through multiple use cycles. It allows data center operators to have more sustainable decommissioning options. It additionally reduces long-term consumption of resources.

Energy Efficiency Benefits

CLT has inherent thermal insulation characteristics. It exemplifies a thermal conductivity approximately 10X lower than concrete and 400X lower than steel. Such inherent insulation can provide energy savings on heating and cooling by 10-15%. Moreover, in data centers in cold climates, where high energy is utilized to sustain best equipment temperatures, Cross-Laminated Timber’s thermal performance provides in-use energy saving over the lifespan of the building. So, this supplement’s efficiency from newer cooling technologies and renewable power supplies.

Cross-Laminated Timber for Data Centers: Structural Performance and Technical Considerations

Despite the environmental benefits, CLT will need to satisfy very tough technical demands for data centers. The following discusses how Cross-Laminated Timber fares in key areas of structural engineering and building management:

Load-Bearing Capacity and Structural Integrity

CLT panels can have very high strength-to-weight ratios. It includes a compressive strength across the grain of as much as 2.5-3.0 MPa. This allows them to withstand the concentrated loads of server racks, generally between 7-15 kN/m². Moreover, multi-story data center construction using Cross-Laminated Timber can support loads of equipment. This is while minimizing foundation requirements due to the lighter weight of the material. It permits it to be built on sites where soil conditions might otherwise be difficult for concrete structures, while giving requisite structural stiffness.

Fire Resistance Properties

Large-scale CLT has consistent fire performance through charring. This is where surface layers burn gradually (around 0.65mm/minute) and leave behind an insulating char barrier. It shields interior structural wood. Furthermore, contemporary CLT buildings can realize 90-120 minute fire ratings when optimally designed. It fulfills data center fire safety demands without undue extra protection. Moreover, hybrid systems with the inclusion of non-combustible barriers further provide improved fire performance. It fulfills stringent insurance requirements while retaining sustainability advantages.

Vibration and Acoustic Performance

Data centers need very low levels of vibration to protect sensitive equipment. The natural damping characteristics of CLT consume less vibration than concrete. It eliminates the need for further vibration isolation systems. Moreover, test results indicate that floors fabricated from Cross-Laminated Timber have damping ratios ranging from 2-3% while concrete has damping ratios from 1 to 1.5%. Besides, CLT-layered construction provides intrinsic sound insulation with a sound transmission class (STC) rating of 35-40 dB. So, this addresses acoustic issues in multi-tenant buildings. This is where noise from cooling systems must be contained without synergy through added material intervention.

Moisture Management and Durability

CLT is dimensionally stable in highly controlled data center environments when properly fabricated and installed. Additionally, current manufacturing techniques minimize wood moisture levels to 12±2%, minimizing post-installation movement. Properly detailed CLT assemblies with vapor barriers and proper moisture management systems can control interior relative humidity between the 40-60% level. This is best suited for optimal equipment function. In addition, protected from uncontrolled weather, CLT building frames remain structurally intact for 50+ years, comparable to traditional datacenter design lifespan.

Sustainable Building Materials in Data Center Design: Implementation Strategies and Future Outlook Of CLT

The installation of Cross-Laminated Timber into a data center building involves strategic integration of existing practices. This part includes the practical implementation techniques/ policy directions that can influence uptake or adoption of CLT:

Hybrid Construction Approaches

Merging CLT with conventional materials presents a realistic approach to implementation. Strategic use of concrete for the ground floor and CLT for higher floors reduces embodied carbon. This is with the continued use of traditional foundations for heavy machinery. Furthermore, this hybrid method has achieved 30-40% carbon savings over all-concrete construction. It has also addressed the issue of CLT performance in high-performance applications. Additionally, various European data centers have used this method successfully, with incremental increases in wood content as experience with the material builds in mission-critical applications.

Prefabrication and Modular Design

CLT’s dimensional stability ensures that it is perfectly suited to prefabrication. It allows for the manufacturing of components off-site to exact specifications. Further, panel fabrication accuracies of ±1mm ensure quick assembly, cutting construction times by 15-25% over traditional construction. Moreover, data center operators value this efficiency particularly because it translates to quicker activation of services. Modular CLT systems also lend themselves to expansion in the future. This enables data center operators to add capacity in incremental steps according to changing demand. This is without sacrificing structural integrity or sustainability objectives.

Building Code Adaptations

Regulatory systems are changing over time to accommodate mass timber construction. Revisions to global building codes over the past few years have recognized the performance potential of Cross-Laminated Timber. It has also enabled the construction of wooden buildings to a higher height. In Europe, Eurocode 5 revision specifies the use of CLT, while code revisions in North America now allow mass timber construction up to 18 stories. So, these initiatives offer the regulatory clarity that is necessary for data center developers. This is to have confidence to use CLT in their construction systems with performance needs and safety requirements.

Case Studies and Industry Adoption

Pioneer developments demonstrate the feasibility of CLT in tech-driven buildings. Examples of these include Norway’s Mjøstårnet, which has server rooms contained within a CLT building, and Minneapolis’s T3, which pairs mass timber with infrastructure technology. Both projects achieve 15-20% quicker construction time and 10-15% less total cost compared to traditional approaches. In addition, as early adopters share performance data, industry-specific best practice comes into view. This builds a body of knowledge that helps drive broader adoption across the international data center marketplace.

To Sum Up

Cross-Laminated Timber is a desirable option for data center developers aiming to reduce environmental footprint and ensure technical performance. By carbon sequestration, reduced construction emissions, and increased operational efficiency, CLT satisfies the sector’s sustainability goals while complying with structural demands.

For a deeper understanding of sustainable construction/design breakthroughs, connect with industry pioneers at the 2nd Data Centre Design, Engineering & Construction Summit in Barcelona, Spain on April 10-11, 2025. This is a platform where specialists will examine innovative materials and technologies for future-proof facilities. Register now!