Materials
STACK Data Center Project in Virginia Opts for Low-Carbon Concrete From Sublime

Crews from concrete contractor Baker Concrete place Sublime Systems' low-carbon concrete in a loading dock pour on a STACK Infrastructure data center in Prince William County, Va.
STACK Infrastructure, a developer and operator of data centers, in collaboration with Sublime Systems announced August 5 the completion of a pilot placement of Sublime's low-carbon cement at a STACK's Prince William County, Va., campus.
"It's a very important step for supply to demonstrate that our material can be used in data center applications," said Cory Waltrip, director of business development and strategy at Sublime Systems. "This is the most rapidly growing part of the construction sector and we want to make sure that we're developing the partnerships with the companies that are building this infrastructure. STACK is obviously a great example of a data center developer that we intend to work with over the next few years as we scale up our technology and build."
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Sublime's cement is created through an electrolysis process. Originally developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the process replaces the creation of lime in cement with a process that can be powered by renewable electricity.
"We're removing the high heat requirement," Waltrip said. "You don't need coal and natural gas as an input to run that kiln like you do with ordinary Portland cement. We're not using limestone as a key priority feed stock material because limestone has CO2 embedded in it. When you don't use limestone and use non-carbonate feed stocks, we remove that other source of CO2. That is how we have this path towards cost competitiveness with ordinary Portland cement, the final product that's produced. We're producing a hydraulic cement powder that can integrate exactly as a normal cement powder."
The pilot’s concrete placement covered a portion of a high-traffic loading dock to test long-term durability of the material. Performance tests results received to date, including compressive strength, have exceeded expected performance standards. With AI-driven growth fueling a surge in data center construction, aligning STACK's development goals with climate goals has become critical, elevating innovations like Sublime Cement as a solution. Waltrip said Sublime Systems is looking to have its electrolysis-created cement powder used in all parts of data center construction and construction of other buildings and infrastructure.
"This pilot spanned a portion of a loading dock, yet its impact extends far beyond its footprint,” said Bethany Brantley, head of sustainability, STACK Infrastructure in a statement. “As the first deployment of Sublime’s low-carbon cement in a data center application, it marks a milestone for the industry. It sets a new standard not only in how we build, but in how we lead, with tangible benefits for the environment, our clients, and the local communities we serve."
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The mission-critical infrastructure market continues to grow in the U.S. and while the facilities sometimes require entirely new energy supplies such as nuclear power, themselves, and end-user clients such as Oracle and Microsoft share their sustainability goals with developers such as STACK.
Waltrip said contractor Holder Construction and concrete contractor Baker Concrete delivered the loading dock placement of the Sublime Cement on the project and, like previous projects, the Sublime hydraulic center was mixed in Baker facilities and delivered normally via ready-mix trucks. He also said Sublime's first production facility in Holyoke, Mass., is in design and on track to be opened by late 2027 or early 2028.


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