Status: Phase 1 Live (Operational) | Location: Frankfurt
The Digital Realty FRA18 data center, which officially entered its operational phase in February 2026, represents a masterclass in "brownfield" sustainable redevelopment. Located within the burgeoning Digital Park Fechenheim, the project is housed in the iconic, monument-listed Neckermann building, originally designed by the renowned modernist architect Egon Eiermann. By repurposing this 1960s industrial landmark rather than demolishing it, Digital Realty has significantly reduced the embodied carbon typical of new hyperscale constructions.
Technically, FRA18 is engineered for the modern AI era. While the exterior retains its historic facade—complete with restored original windows and wraparound balconies—the interior has been transformed into a high-density compute powerhouse. The facility is specifically designed to handle the intense thermal demands of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and High-Performance Computing (HPC). It employs a sophisticated cooling architecture that includes liquid cooling capabilities and rear-door heat exchangers, allowing it to support rack densities that far exceed traditional air-cooled colocation standards.
Sustainability is a cornerstone of the FRA18 project. In alignment with Germany's strict Energy Efficiency Act (EnEfG), the facility is designed with an integrated waste heat recovery system. This system captures residual thermal energy from the servers to provide climate-friendly heating to neighboring industrial sites, such as the SAMSON AG innovation center. Furthermore, the surrounding "Digital Park" has undergone extensive renaturation, with over 10,000 square meters of land restored to support local biodiversity and groundwater replenishment.
Connectivity is another key differentiator. FRA18 is integrated into Digital Realty’s ServiceFabric™ platform, providing customers with secure, low-latency access to over 700 carriers and major cloud providers. It also supports the SCION protocol, a next-generation internet architecture that offers enhanced security and path control for sensitive sectors like finance and healthcare. This combination of historic preservation, AI-ready density, and community-integrated sustainability makes FRA18 a flagship for the future of European data infrastructure.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Project Name | Digital Realty FRA18: 16MW AI-Ready Heritage Facility |
| Location | Frankfurt |
| Status | Phase 1 Live (Operational) |
| Commissioning | February 2, 2026 |
| Total IT Load | 16 MW (Full Buildout) |
| Total Capacity | 6.4 MW (Phase 1) |
| Tier Level | Tier III+ Equivalent |
| Project Type | Colocation / AI-Optimized Hyperscale |
| Header | Details |
|---|---|
| City Name | Frankfurt |
| Population | 7,80,000 |
| Urban Agglomeration | 5.8 million |
| City GDP | €160.8 billion |
| Per Capita Income | $101,000 USD |
| City Tier | Tier 1 |
| Key Strengths | Hosting DE-CIX, the worlds largest Internet Exchange Point; financial capital of the Eurozone; strict sustainability mandates driving innovation. |
| Header | Details |
|---|---|
| Developer / Operator | Digital Realty |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | City of Frankfurt & State of Hesse |
| Construction Contractor | Specialized Heritage Reconstruction Consortium |
| MEP Engineering | Digital Realty Global Engineering |
| Network Connectivity | DE-CIX, ServiceFabric, SCION Protocol |
| Power Infrastructure | Mainova (Frankfurt Utility) |
| Header | Details |
|---|---|
| Power Capacity | 16 MW Total |
| UPS Redundancy | 2N Redundancy |
| Cooling System | Hybrid: Advanced Liquid Cooling & Rear Door Heat Exchangers |
| Connectivity | Direct access to 700+ carriers and cloud providers |
| PUE Target | 1.2 or lower |
| Energy Mix | 100% Renewable Energy with Waste Heat Recovery |
| Header | Details |
|---|---|
| Announcement | Q4 2023 |
| Construction Start | Q1 2024 |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | February 2, 2026 |
| Full Buildout | Estimated late 2027 |
| Header | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Investment | Part of multi-billion Euro campus development |
| Funding | Corporate Capital / Green Bonds |
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