the automotive, aviation, and energy sectors. Tech hasn’t been a target of activists, but the industry is mindful of its impact and proactively searching for ways to do better. It’s a well known fact that data centers are energy intensive. According to research firm IDC, the data center industry has the fastest grow- ing carbon footprint within the IT sector. The number of data centers worldwide has grown from 500,000 in 2012 to more than 8 million today, and expansion will continue on that trajectory as more people work, learn, shop, and stream entertainment from home in the wake of COVID-19. A lot of that expansion will be new construction. Data center operators are always on the lookout for more environ- mentally responsible options. Like other commercial buildings, most efforts have been centered on less energy intensive operations– servers and cooling systems with lower power requirements and/or sourcing renewable energy to reduce the carbon intensity of operations. Given the extensive use of concrete in building data centers, from foun- dations and sidewalks to pre-cast walls and roofing, carbon capture in concrete represents a huge mitigation opportunity. In its quest to build better buildings, Compass Data Centers learned about CarbonCure™ and began due diligence on its effectiveness and the carbon offset po- tential for new projects. CarbonCure™ Potential International engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti conducted a multi- year study on embodied carbon. In it, Tomasetti recognizes that data centers and hospitals, mission critical structures, have the overall high- est levels of embodied carbon of any asset category. In consultation with Thornton Tomasetti, Compass discovered how effective Carbon- Cure™ technology could be in reducing the carbon footprint of each of its new campuses. Building sizes vary, but estimates showed that using CarbonCure™ has the potential to reduce the CO 2 footprint of each Compass campus by around 1,800 tons, equivalent to CO 2 sequestered by 2,100 acres of forest or driving a car 4 million miles. Having quantified the potential of CarbonCure™ as it relates to Com- pass Data Center projects, and with tested confidence in the integrity and application of the product for Compass’s model, the next step was to revisit Compass’s supply chain to ensure a healthy network of precast providers that would be able to deliver CarbonCure™- manufactured cement. With data centers under construction throughout the U.S. and a growing international presence, Compass needed assur- ance that there would be a sufficient network of suppliers. It turned out, CarbonCure™ manufacturers had more coverage than any other carbon-friendly products. Compass sent a request for proposal to each of its existing precast pro- viders with design specifications to gauge their readiness to work with the Carbon Cure™ technology. Several respondents were engaged, familiar with the product, and eager to support this new, better way to build. Ongoing partnership is important to Compass’ model and value to customers. Compass relies on partners who can support Compass’s strategic advantage with quality and speed-to-market.
It’s not news that buildings use a lot of concrete. There are no substitu- tions for it, and the production of it is problematic for the environment, generating 7 percent of all global carbon emissions. What is new is technology for manufacturing concrete that not only lowers cement volume but captures and sequesters CO 2 . As engineering and construction firms take the next step to deliver more environmentally responsible buildings, carbon capture in con- crete has the potential to deliver meaningful impacts. Efforts to Reduce Carbon For years, the construction industry has placed their focus on opera- tional opportunities to reduce the carbon impact of commercial build- ings. Strides have been made to reduce volatile organic compounds, creating safer environments for workers and occupants. There has been an increased awareness of transportation-related impacts on the environment and efforts have been made to source materials closer to construction sites. These have all been important steps to protect the environment. From a construction standpoint, however, solutions to reduce the carbon intensity of new builds have been limited. Recycled steel and concrete fillers have driven some reduction in embodied carbon in new construction, but not made meaningful impacts. Compass Data Centers, one of the nation’s leading data center con- struction companies, recently committed to using CarbonCure™ tech- nology in the production of concrete for its new data centers, which rely heavily on concrete and are proliferating at a rapid pace. This unique additive not only reduces the quantity of cement needed in a mix, but also strengthens the mix while capturing carbon that would otherwise be emitted into the atmosphere. Using CarbonCure™ technology, concrete producers mineralize car- bon waste and inject it into concrete. Injecting carbon in mineral form not only improves the compression strength of the concrete, but also reduces the volume of cement used in concrete. Most importantly, it permanently eliminates CO 2 from the atmosphere, driving substantial positive change in the impact of concrete production on the environment. Search for a Solution Most climate change discussions focus on limiting emissions from Carbon Sequestration in Cement Creates Significant Environmental Advances in New Construction By Nancy Novak
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csengineermag.com
august 2020
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