Artificial intelligence platforms, such as ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Co-Pilot, are changing workplaces in ways we haven’t seen since the internet was launched in 1983. None of this would be possible today without two of the world’s oldest construction materials — cement and concrete. After all, technology can only operate if it’s housed in resilient infrastructure made primarily of concrete.
Behind the scenes, data centers enable these technologies, supporting cloud computing, medical research, and more. Analysts at the American Cement Association (ACA) found that over the past decade, inflation-adjusted spending on data centers has grown by nearly 850 percent, with a 55 percent jump last year alone. By 2027, forecasters expect the number of data centers in the U.S. to reach 6,000. Additionally, the Trump Administration has put AI front-and-center in its agenda, indicating continued investment and scaling up.
This boom presents a clear opportunity, as concrete is the ideal material to meet the functional needs of data centers, and one large hyperscale data center can require hundreds of thousands of cubic yards of concrete.
What Makes a Dependable Data Center?
When we think about data centers, we typically picture the technical hardware making up the humming computers – things like copper, silicon, lithium, aluminum, and other rare earth minerals. But all these components must be housed in a structure that meets very specific requirements. A single glance under the roof reveals that, for an industry that relies on sensitive instruments requiring a sterile, fire-resistant, climate-controlled environment, there is no better building material than concrete.
Concrete provides unmatched durability, resiliency, and temperature control for data centers. It is the only material that can efficiently and reliably function across the vastly diverse climates in the U.S., shielding sensitive hardware from scorching heat or brutal storms and blizzards. Climate control is another crucial factor, as data center equipment operates at high temperatures, sometimes reaching 95 degrees F.
Effective cooling and insulation are essential to keep the hardware within operational limits, which further reduces wear and tear. Concrete provides the insulating effect necessary to eliminate as much outside heat as possible while trapping cold air inside. Meanwhile, the reliability of concrete allows for peace of mind that the structures won’t need significant maintenance or repairs due to weather or time.
While all of this speaks to how crucial concrete is for data center construction, it doesn’t address the sustainability needs data center operators are facing. For that, concrete is also uniquely positioned to support the tech industry.
Blended Cements for Data Centers
Corporations like Meta and Microsoft, which both build and lease data centers to meet AI demands, have set sustainability goals. Building with lower-carbon cement blends, such as portland-limestone cement (PLC), can reduce the carbon footprint of a data center significantly. Major data center operators are already incorporating these lower-carbon cements in their construction.
PLC, an ASTM C595 Type IL, has undergone extensive testing and research in the U.S. and other countries to ensure its durability and resiliency. Researchers have studied fresh properties related to placing and finishing, as well as hardened properties that relate to durability. PLC, like other blended cements, can provide the same proven performance as traditional cements. And just like working with any new material, working with blended cements requires foresight and attention to detail.
That means contractors and ready-mix providers must be in close contact, as trial batches and mockup scenarios are essential. Early confirmation of the required strength, durability, and sustainability performance requirements is key. It’s crucial to plan with the end in mind and ensure the timeline allows everyone an opportunity to reach a certain comfort level, especially if it’s their first time using PLCs or blended cements.
To explore the constructability of low-carbon concrete, some data center owners are collaborating with their design and construction teams to create mock-ups of their PLC concrete mixtures in practical conditions. In one example, field testing was conducted in cold weather conditions to evaluate performance across several parameters, including strength development, finishability, and embodied carbon reduction.
Key Takeaways from the Field Testing
- Performance: Even the lowest-carbon mixture achieved the required strength. Some required mix adjustments to improve finishability and pumping behavior.
- Thermal Benefits: Some mixes demonstrated low heat of hydration, making them well-suited for mass pours without cracking.
- Instrumentation: Embedded sensors confirmed strength gains and behavior aligned with lab projections.
Field testing shows that low-carbon concrete is not just possible — it’s practical and scalable when teams commit to early collaboration and iterative development. These lessons provide a replicable model for other projects seeking measurable reductions in embodied carbon while maintaining performance standards.
7 Recommendations for Low-Carbon Concrete Projects
Structural concrete presents a significant opportunity for reducing a project’s embodied carbon, especially in material-intensive structures such as data centers. Below are some recommendations for a project team’s success on projects with low-carbon goals.
- Use Performance-Based Specs: Avoid prescriptive cement types. Instead, specify based on strength, exposure class, and carbon intensity.
- Include a Carbon Budget: Incorporate a table of concrete mixture types, volumes, and Global Warming Potential (GWP) values to estimate project-wide emissions and set reduction targets.
- Allow for Field Testing: Allow sufficient time and budget for mockups or non-structural pours to validate the mixture’s performance under site conditions.
- Engage Local Suppliers Early: Regional variations in materials and supply chain capacity necessitate early coordination with local producers.
- Update Standard Specifications: Remove outdated cement requirements and align specifications with currently available materials such as portland-limestone cement.
- Plan for Flexibility: Anticipate weather, supply, and variability issues by including alternate mixture options.
- Ensure Expert Submittal Review: Reviewers should understand Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) Supplementary Cementitious Material (SCM) compatibility, and regional sourcing. Require up-to-date, product-specific EPDs.
Looking Ahead
The AI race isn’t possible without underlying hard infrastructure, and that’s not possible without cement and concrete. As the latest processors use even more power than previous generations and the racks become heavier, larger, and hotter than ever before, the essentialness of resilient, sustainable concrete will only grow over time. At the same time, data center clients will put pressure on contractors and manufacturers to meet sustainability goals, and PLC represents a way to meet both those goals and structural needs.
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