Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is changing how it builds its data centers. The company has begun using mass timber—a type of engineered wood—instead of steel and concrete to reduce the carbon footprint of its infrastructure.
The decision targets the high emissions tied to building materials. Steel and cement production account for roughly 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and as Meta expands its data infrastructure to support AI and cloud systems, material choices matter.
The company’s first administrative structure using mass timber is already complete in South Carolina, with more underway in Cheyenne and Alabama. The material offers a potential reduction of around 40% in embodied carbon, according to industry assessments.
Mass timber includes components like glulam (glue-laminated timber) and cross-laminated timber, offering structural durability with lower emissions. The pre-fabricated nature of these products also allows for faster and cleaner construction.
Urban expansion across Africa is accelerating, yet the region still depends heavily on high-emission construction materials. If multinationals like Meta begin shifting supply chains toward timber-based buildings, African markets may need to adapt.
A 2024 analysis Gatsby Africa suggests that building just 20% of sub-Saharan Africa’s annual housing needs with mass timber could prevent over 100 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year. That figure exceeds the total yearly emissions of several African countries combined.
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The shift opens space for African manufacturers and timber processors, particularly in East and Southern Africa, who have started exploring timber-based modular housing. Firms such as CPS Zanzibar, Easy Housing Uganda, and Mass Timber Technologies South Africa are developing solutions tailored to regional climates and income levels.
The viability of mass timber depends on sustainable forestry practices. Timber extraction in Africa is frequently informal, and few countries have systems that can reliably certify supply chains or prevent ecosystem degradation.
Meta’s procurement strategy requires all timber used in its buildings to be traceable to forests with long-term ecological oversight. Independent audits are mandatory, and sourcing favors wood from suppliers practicing climate-aware forestry.
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This level of accountability is rare across African forestry systems, but replicating it could provide both economic and environmental benefits. At a time when global financing is increasingly tied to ESG metrics, establishing reliable, transparent forestry standards could position African exporters to meet rising demand for verified sustainable materials.
More than just a construction update, Meta’s move signals a shift in how global capital may soon evaluate building projects. Infrastructure, housing, and industrial facilities that cannot prove climate-responsible design may find it harder to secure funding in the years ahead.
Several African countries have already attracted climate investment for sustainable land use, but few have integrated timber supply chains into their national climate strategies. If mass timber gains traction, the gap between low-carbon expectations and on-the-ground building practice could become a barrier to growth.
This is not just about construction, it is about eligibility for the next wave of infrastructure finance. Global institutions and development banks are revising their lending models to account for material impacts, carbon intensity, and traceability. African firms and governments that understand this shift early will be better positioned to secure investment.
Mass timber is not yet common in African construction. Regulatory gaps, lack of technical expertise, and fragmented forestry oversight present challenges. But Meta’s decision creates a new point of reference. It is now clear that large-scale digital infrastructure can be built using alternatives to concrete and steel—raising questions about whether Africa should reconsider its own materials strategy.
The continent’s cities will continue to grow. The demand for new housing, schools, offices, and data centers will not slow. The question is whether the materials used will align with the future of global investment and with Africa’s own climate goals.
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