LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — Michigan’s data center boom isn’t starting with servers or software. It’s starting with concrete.

As tech companies expand data centers for artificial intelligence and cloud computing, construction materials—especially cement, one of the most carbon-intensive inputs in building—are becoming a central consideration. 

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In Michigan, where projects are moving from planning to construction, that demand is beginning to shape how facilities are built. Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), for example, estimates cement demand tied to data center growth will reach millions of tons by the end of the decade.

“As demand for AI and cloud services grows, we are advancing how we design, build, and operate our datacenters and campuses,” Melanie Nakagawa, Microsoft’s chief sustainability officer, said. “Decarbonizing the built environment is a crucial element in this process.” 

Last year, Microsoft entered a long-term supply agreement with cement startup Sublime Systems, locking in hundreds of thousands of tons of material for future projects. Amazon followed with a similar deal with Brimstone and has begun using alternative concrete mixes at data centers under construction in Virginia and Oregon.

Additionally, Amazon has joined Meta Platforms and Prologis in forming the Sustainable Concrete Buyers Alliance, a consortium intended to give producers confidence that large buyers are prepared to commit at scale.

Still, scaling these materials beyond small projects remains difficult.

Low-carbon cement was slated to receive about $1.6 billion in federal support through the Inflation Reduction Act, funding that was pulled last year. Soon after, Sublime Systems cut about 10% of its workforce and put plans for a Massachusetts factory on hold, citing the loss of government support.

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Data centers will ultimately draw far more energy during operation than during construction, and companies can adjust those impacts over time through efficiency or power sourcing. The materials used to build them, however, are decided upfront—and once poured, they are permanent.