Why is Meta Building Sustainable Data Centres?

Meta is a world-leading social technology company, known for developing social media apps and technologies including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

Artificial intelligence and data centres are vital to Meta’s strategy and it is working on solutions to improve its environmental impact.

The International Energy Agency estimates that data centres used approximately 1.5% of global power consumption in 2024.

As one of the world’s largest technology companies, Meta has worked on improving its environmental footprint.

Thanks to its efforts, Sustainability Magazine has ranked Meta 52nd in its Top 250 World’s Most Sustainable Companies 2025.

Net zero emissions by 2030

Meta’s core sustainability strategy is driven by its target of achieving net zero emissions across its value chain and becoming water positive by 2030.

Its goal is to reduce its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% by 2031 from its 2021 baseline, as well as not exceeding its baseline Scope 3 emissions by the end of 2031.

As of 2024, wind and solar projects supported by Meta are adding more than 15GW of clean and renewable energy to global energy grids.

In order to achieve net zero, the company says it is focusing on making new technologies such as innovative construction materials, clean energy sources, low carbon fuels and network hardware more accessible.

It is also focusing on engaging suppliers across its supply chain to reduce their emissions and decarbonise their operations.

Leslie Collins, Global Head of Sustainability at Meta, says: “Our sustainability team’s mission is to build safe and resilient communities in our global supply chain, enable water stewardship in our operations and the watersheds where we operate and comply with applicable regulations and commitments.

“We look to achieve our mission by harnessing our collective effort to drive positive impact, operating with purpose and responsibility and fostering a more sustainable future for all.”

How can data centres be sustainable?

With AI as a core focus in its operations, Meta has invested in creating infrastructure to support AI’s needs today and for future generations.

It uses AI throughout the lifecycle of its data centres to create more sustainable designs, operations and processes.

Its newest data centre designs require fewer square feet to provide similar capacity to previous designs, which cuts costs and delivery times.

In 2024, 91% of Meta’s owned data centre construction waste was diverted from landfills and 100% of its electricity was matched with clean and renewable energy.

Its approach to data centre sustainability has led to the company receiving LEED Gold certification for 100% of its data centre buildings.

The company currently has 52 LEED Gold certified data centre buildings – equivalent to nearly 36 million square feet.

Rachel Peterson, Vice President, Data Centres at Meta, said on LinkedIn: “Beyond these efforts, we continue to look for innovative ways to manage the environmental footprint of our data centres.

“We’ve pioneered AI-optimised formulas to develop low carbon concrete for our data centre construction and advanced mass timber pilots as well.

“I’m proud of our team’s work to advance these milestones for our business.”

Meta’s focus on water stewardship

In 2021, Meta set a goal to be water positive by 2030.

This means that it will return more water than it consumes in its operations through water restoration initiatives.

It aims to be more efficient in its data centre operations, which are responsible for the majority of the company’s water use.

Meta plans to use landscaping around its data centres with drought resistant plants, as well as installing water saving technologies in its facilities.

To create long term resilience in its data centres, it uses digital twin models of its cooling systems.

This allows Meta to generate estimates of its data centres’ water usage which enables accurate water capacity planning and regulatory compliance monitoring.

“Since 2017, we have been actively involved in more than 30 water restoration projects – including conservation projects that protect wildlife, water quality projects that reduce pollution and sanitation projects that support access to safe and affordable drinking water,” Leslie says.

“Water is a vital resource, and we believe that through corporate investment, cross-industry alliances and long-term NGO partnerships we can help solve shared water challenges.”

Showcasing enterprise excellence

Meta has the potential to have a large impact on global sustainability efforts, especially with data centres and AI.

Sustainability LIVE: The US Awards 2026 will showcase world-ledaing brands to North American audiences.

The Enterprise of the Year category recognises large enterprises that demonstrate exceptional leadership and measurable progress in sustainability. The winner will have embedded environmental and social responsibility into strategy, operations, and culture at scale.

Enter your company for the awards and find out more about Sustainability Live: The US Awards here.