The Open Compute Project Foundation (OCP) has announced a partnership with major data center companies, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google, Meta, and Microsoft, to trial the use of low-embodied carbon concrete, or “green concrete,” in data center construction. This collaborative effort, conducted through Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE), aims to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from concrete production, a key contributor to carbon footprints in the construction industry. The trial’s objective is to achieve more than a 50% reduction in emissions per cubic yard of concrete used.
The project involves testing various concrete mixtures that incorporate supplementary cementitious materials and alternative cements to reduce carbon impact. The trial has already demonstrated promising results, with the lowest carbon mixture achieving a substantial reduction in emissions. The findings from this initiative will be documented in a whitepaper and made available to the public to encourage wider adoption of these sustainable practices in the construction industry.
- Initiative: Trial of low-embodied carbon concrete in data center construction.
- Partners: AWS, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and WJE.
- Objective: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 50% in concrete production.
- Outcome: Results to be shared in a public whitepaper.
“This demonstration will provide valuable insights into the performance and viability of low-embodied carbon concrete, paving the way for its widespread adoption throughout the industry,” said George Tchaparian, CEO of the Open Compute Project Foundation.
“Concrete materials and their use are changing as the construction industry trends towards an increased focus on sustainability and use of low-embodied carbon materials,” explained WJE Principal Thomas Van Dam. “With the introduction and advancement of new concrete technologies, we are helping our clients navigate these industry changes. Through our extensive experience and robust laboratory and field-testing capabilities, we are uniquely positioned to solve problems and serve clients with trusted information to inform their decisions and achieve their objectives in light of the realities of these evolving construction materials and practices,” stated Thomas Van Dam, Ph.D., P.E., FACI, Principal, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
"Amazon is committed to building a sustainable business for our customers and the planet in our journey to reach net-zero carbon emissions ten years ahead of the Paris Agreement. Traditional cement used in concrete is a large source of carbon emissions, but these projects show cement substitutes can be used to lower emissions without compromising the construction and durability of concrete. In 2023, we built 36 data centers with lower-carbon concrete, and we'll continue working across our supply chain to drive its adoption," stated Chris Walker, Amazon Web Services (AWS) Director of Sustainability.
