Frankfurt 5 Data Center

Frankfurt 5 Data Center (FRA5) is a new campus planned for development in Hattersheim am Main to strengthen digital infrastructure in the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region.

The campus will be developed in Gewerbegebiet Nord, the city’s northern industrial and commercial area,

A public information and dialogue session was held onsite in spring 2024, and we will provide updates on key milestones related to the development of this data center location as the project progresses..

The name “Frankfurt 5 Data Center” follows the chronological sequence of our existing data center sites in the area.

A data center provides a secure and highly available environment for sensitive information technology systems (servers, storage and network components). Large data centers are typically standalone buildings specifically designed to house IT components. Data centers feature redundant power supplies, reliable climate control and physical security measures. These create the conditions necessary to operate critical IT systems continuously and without interruption. The larger a data center is, the more cost-effective and energy-efficient it can be, thanks to scaling and synergy effects in the infrastructure.

Our colocation data centers provide the technological and organizational foundation for the reliable operation of our clients’ sophisticated IT systems. Some are available exclusively to a single client, while others serve a wide range of clients from various industries.

Data centers form the foundation of our digital society. As soon as IT systems (computers, TVs, mobile devices) are online, servers in data centers become active.

Organizations rely on data centers for digital services, business processes and general collaboration, and much of our daily life — online banking, websites, railway networks, public lighting systems, scientific calculations — would be unthinkable without data centers.

Data centers are of particular importance because the functioning of other critical infrastructures depends directly on IT systems. They are considered critical infrastructure, and operators are subject to the KRITIS regulation (Kritische Infrastrukturen) in Germany, and their security is regularly reviewed by the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI).

All digital services delivered through the internet or the cloud require data centers, which house tens of thousands of servers that run the programs and process and store the data which make the internet usable. These servers provide a wide range of digital services (websites, weather forecasts, account balances, streaming services), while storage systems keep the necessary data structured and accessible.

Data transmission takes place both within the data center and to external destinations via high-performance networks. Security measures such as encryption and firewalls protect data from unauthorized access and protect its integrity. Regular backups and redundancy strategies ensure that critical data can be restored in the event of a failure. In addition, management tools help optimize data flows and manage the data lifecycle to facilitate efficient and smooth operations.

We provide a secure, stable and highly efficient environment for our clients’ IT systems: redundant power supply reduces the risk of outages, proximity to key internet hubs minimizes latency (data transmission time), and comprehensive physical and digital security measures protect infrastructure and data. Every data processing operation requires electricity, which is converted into heat, making cooling a central aspect of data center operations.

How a data center works

The amount of energy a data center uses depends on how much it is being used.
In Germany, all data centers together use less than 1% of the country’s total energy. Their share of total electricity use is currently about 3.8%.

Energy flow in a data center

Construction of the Frankfurt 5 Data Center continues to make good progress. Several important milestones have been achieved in recent weeks: the structural shell of the on-site substation has been completed, and piling works for Building A were completed by early August. At the same time, the newly installed water mains in the Heddingheimer Straße area were connected.

The next phase of the project, the expansion of the construction site facilities, will continue until 28 August 2026. During this period, additional site-office containers will be delivered via Heddingheimer Straße and assembled into a three-storey site office that will support the project for the remainder of the construction period. 

Between 3 and 23 August 2026, three tower cranes will be installed using a large mobile crane. Residents may notice increased delivery traffic and construction activity in the area during this time. 

Utility works along the new public road between the Kelten Roundabout and Heddingheimer Straße will continue to the end of September. These include the installation of utility infrastructure to enable a future connection to the district heating network. Temporary traffic restrictions may be required around the Kelten Roundabout while these works are carried out. Residents affected by more significant measures will be informed in advance by the City of Hattersheim or NTT DATA. 

While the structural shell of the substation has already been completed and approved, further work on the technical installation and commissioning of the facility will continue until the end of 2026. 

Additional construction traffic via the Kelten Roundabout is expected to the end of the year as equipment is delivered and installed. This may include a limited number of oversized deliveries, some of which are scheduled to take place between 10 and 14 August and during the night of 26 to 27 August, when traffic disruption can be kept to a minimum. From mid-August, structural works and the interior fit-out of Building A and the associated operations building will begin. These are expected to continue until the end of 2026.

In August 2026, the piling works for Building A were successfully completed. This means that all concrete piles planned for this phase of construction have now been installed. Throughout the works, NTT DATA continuously monitored vibration and noise levels. The data collected is currently being evaluated by an independent expert.

After the completion of essential preparatory planning stages, site setup work for the FRA5 data center campus began at the start of 2026. The site was fenced off in 2025 and has not been publicly accessible since then.

As part of the site setup, the field path along the cemetery has been closed. In its place, a public road will be constructed, which will later provide access to the site. The road is expected to be open to the public in mid to late 2027.

For the site setup, containers are being delivered via Heddingheimer Straße and unloaded using a truck-mounted crane. At present, no significant noise or traffic disruptions are expected.

Following the site setup, construction will continue with the public road and a planned substation, which will supply power to the future data centers. After preliminary ground works and excavation of the building pit, drilling work for pile foundations will take place. No increased noise levels are currently expected for these activities either.

Construction activities will generally be carried out within legally permitted working hours. A key objective is to minimize disruption to residents, and we will continue to provide transparent and timely updates on upcoming measures and key next steps.

The approval process for the Frankfurt 5 Data Center (FRA5) was initiated with public participation in spring 2024. During this phase, feedback and suggestions from the public were collected and incorporated into the further development of the project.

Since then, the project has been further developed in close coordination with the responsible authorities and in compliance with applicable planning and approval procedures. With the completion of key preparatory planning phases, the project has transitioned from planning into execution.

We continue to support the entire planning and implementation process with an ongoing information and dialogue program. Updates on further progress, upcoming steps and relevant milestones are provided as events warrant.

Construction of the Frankfurt 5 Data Center (FRA5) in Hattersheim continues to make good progress. The next phase of works is now beginning, both on the construction site itself and along the planned public road between the Kelten Roundabout and Heddingheimer Straße. 

Progress to date: Key milestones achieved

Several important milestones have been completed or significantly advanced over the past few months. Construction of the new public road has progressed well, and the structural shell of the on-site substation was completed and accepted by the City of Hattersheim on 29 June. Piling works for the first data center building have continued as planned and are expected to be completed by the end of July, or early August at the latest, providing the foundation for the next stage of construction. Newly installed water mains are being connected in the Heddingheimer Straße area. As a result, the pedestrian path to the cemetery is expected to remain closed until 26 July. 

Energy and utility infrastructure works

From late July to the end of September, utility infrastructure will be installed along the planned public road between the Kelten Roundabout and Heddingheimer Straße. This includes pipework that will enable a future connection to the district heating network, forming another important element of the site's long-term infrastructure. 

Temporary traffic restrictions around the Kelten Roundabout may be required while these works are being carried out. Residents affected by more significant measures will be informed in advance by the City of Hattersheim or NTT DATA. 

While the structural shell of the substation has already been completed and accepted, work on the technical fit-out and commissioning of the facility will continue until the end of 2026. Once completed, the substation will be handed over to the local energy provider.

As a result, additional construction traffic via the Kelten Roundabout is expected from August until the end of the year. This may include a limited number of oversized deliveries, some of which are scheduled to take place between 10 and 14 August, as well as during the night of 26 to 27 August, when traffic disruption can be kept to a minimum. 

Construction site activities

The next visible phase of construction is also beginning on the main site. From mid-August, structural works and the interior fit-out of the first data center building and its associated operations building will commence. These works are expected to continue until the end of 2026. 

To support the next stage of construction, the site facilities will be expanded between 13 July and 28 August 2026. Additional office containers will be delivered via Heddingheimer Straße and assembled into a three-storey site office that will support the project for the remainder of the construction period. 

Between 3 and 23 August 2026, three tower cranes will be installed using a large mobile crane. During this period, residents may notice increased delivery traffic and construction activity in the area. 

Keeping the community informed

NTT DATA is committed to minimizing the impact of construction activities on local residents wherever possible. However, some temporary disruption during the next phases of construction cannot be entirely avoided. 

Should significant traffic restrictions, utility connection works or temporary interruptions to the water supply become necessary, affected residents will be informed well in advance by NTT DATA or the City of Hattersheim.

Pile foundation works have been underway since the beginning of June at the Frankfurt 5 (FRA5) data center campus construction site in Hattersheim. We are supporting these activities with continuous monitoring and additional measures to minimize potential impacts on the surrounding community.

As part of the foundation works, reinforced concrete piles are being installed in the ground to support part of the future building load. Depending on the construction phase, ground conditions, and the distance from the site, these activities may generate noticeable noise and vibrations. NTT DATA continuously monitors vibration and noise levels throughout the works. Based on current measurements, all relevant regulatory requirements are being met.

Additional measures

NTT DATA is also offering residents in the immediate vicinity of the construction site the opportunity to have the current condition of their property documented by an independent surveyor. If you would like to take advantage of this offer, please send a brief email including your full contact details and property address to:

dc.emea.rechenzentrum.hattersheim@global.ntt

Next steps

According to the current construction schedule, the ongoing pile foundation works are expected to be completed by the end of July at the latest. NTT DATA remains committed to minimizing any inconvenience for nearby residents and to communicating transparently about relevant developments throughout the construction process.

If you have any questions or concerns, you can reach our community hotline at:
+49 69 7801 3775

You can also contact us by email at: dc.emea.rechenzentrum.hattersheim@global.ntt

The Frankfurt 5 (FRA5) data center campus in Hattersheim is reaching an important milestone: with the ongoing site setup, preparatory works have officially begun.
These activities will be completed over the coming weeks and will create the foundation for the planned construction start in spring 2026.

Current status

The construction of the Frankfurt 5 (FRA5) data center campus in Hattersheim is entering a new phase. With the start of site setup, preparatory works for the location have commenced. These will be gradually completed in the coming weeks and will establish the conditions required for the planned construction start in spring 2026.

Site setup and infrastructure development

The site has already been fenced off since last year and is no longer publicly accessible. As part of the site setup, the field path along the cemetery has been closed. In its place, a public road will be built during the further course of the project, which will later serve as access infrastructure for the site and is expected to be opened to the public in mid to late 2027.

For the site setup, containers are being delivered via Heddingheimer Straße and unloaded using a truck-mounted crane. At present, no significant noise or traffic disruptions are expected.

Next steps

Following site setup, construction will continue with the public road, the planned substation, as well as preliminary groundworks and foundation activities. No increased noise levels are currently expected for these stages either.

Consideration and communication

All works are carried out within legally permitted working hours. A key objective remains to minimize disruption for local residents as much as possible.

NTT DATA continues to provide transparent updates on progress and relevant next steps throughout the project.

Following approval from the Lower Nature Conservation Authority dated February 3, 2025, tree-clearing work has begun on the site covered by development plan No. N116. The tree-removal activities were preceded by a brief ecological assessment, conducted by Plan Ö GmbH, focusing on species protection requirements. Over the next 10 days, approximately 70 trees will be removed. These trees were previously part of an allotment garden area.

Environmental compensation measures

To ensure appropriate compensation for nature and the environment, we have fully implemented offsetting measures along the Schwarzbach in Hattersheim-Okriftel. These include the planting of site-appropriate fruit trees as well as the creation of flowering and shrub strips which, among other things, provide a new habitat for goldfinches.

On March 19, 2024, NTT DATA and IONOS invited residents to a public dialogue regarding the planned data centers. The open exchange addressed questions about the new site in the northern industrial area and provided initial project details.

The constructive discussion took place at 6:30pm in the Stadthalle.

The public disclosure period (§ 4a (3) sentence 1 German Federal Building Code – BauGB) for development plan No. N116 “Expansion of the northern industrial area” in the Hattersheim district was extended to April 5, 2024.

During this period, objections in writing could be submitted to the Magistrate of the City of Hattersheim am Main, Im Nassauer Hof 1–3, 65795 Hattersheim am Main, or by email to bauleitplanung@hattersheim.de.

Public disclosure for development plan N116, based on the amendment of the regional land use plan, ended on February 14, 2024.

The submitted objections were subsequently reviewed, as we consider them to be an important contribution to the project. As part of the planning and approval process, they provide an opportunity for open and constructive dialogue about the technical and operational aspects of the planned facilities.

The development plan for the northern industrial area is publicly available:

Bebauungspläne Hattersheim (https://www.hattersheim.de/bebauungsplaene)

While the internet exists only as a virtual construct, the IT components required to deliver a wide range of digital services must ultimately exist physically somewhere. Most of these are housed, unseen by the general public, in large data centers.

From the outside, these facilities often appear as simple buildings. Inside, however, they contain specialized, sometimes very large spaces for IT systems such as the servers, storage systems and network components that enable digitalization.

In addition, every data center includes technical systems for an uninterruptible power supply. These include emergency diesel generators, highly efficient cooling systems, and extensive security infrastructure.

New data centers are typically built in locations where key site requirements are met. These include, in particular, the availability of sufficient electrical power, developable land, and close access to the fiber-optic networks of major telecommunications providers.
Increasingly important is the availability of suitable off-takers for the resulting waste heat. In addition, there must be no significant site risks, such as flood hazards.

The greater Frankfurt area is one of the most important data center hubs in Europe. Data centers here benefit from the existing power grid infrastructure and the DE-CIX internet exchange point. From our perspective, the new site in Hattersheim meets these requirements.

The city has also demonstrated its support through trusted cooperation with the data center industry over many years.

As part of the urban development agreement linked to the project, NTT DATA is committed to making a significant financial contribution to the expansion of the planned district-heating network.

We are also investing in additional technical systems to increase the temperature of the waste heat, making it easier for the district-heating operator to use (“enhanced district heat”).

A stable heat supply from the new data centers is expected to be possible approximately one year after commissioning. A feasibility study is currently being prepared for the expanded district-heating project for the City of Hattersheim am Main.

As part of the construction project, and at the request of the City of Hattersheim, an additional road will be built between the roundabout on Mainzer Landstraße and Heddingheimer Straße in the form of an L-shaped connection.

This will help redistribute and reduce traffic on Mainzer Landstraße and Hofheimer Straße, which run largely through residential areas.

The Frankfurt 5 site will create many specialist jobs. In total, around 150 employees are expected to work there permanently: approximately 80 for NTT DATA and around 70 for partner companies.

IONOS and NTT DATA form an interest group within the approval process. Beyond that, the projects are being developed separately.

Data center buildings are typically designed for a lifespan of 30 to 50 years.

Usually, after no more than 10 years, the first components of the infrastructure systems (power, cooling) are replaced and upgraded with more modern technology. IT systems are generally renewed every 3 to 7 years, depending on their use case.

The decision about additional data center developments lies with the city through the designation of suitable development areas.

NTT DATA continues to search for suitable locations to meet the growing demand for highly available data center capacity.

The planned buildings will have a total height of 25 meters. The façade of the Frankfurt 5 building complex will be significantly lighter in color than the existing data centers on Voltastraße.

NTT DATA complies fully with all acoustic specifications set out in the building permit, and with legal requirements based on the German Technical Instructions on Noise Abatement (TA Lärm), which regulate protection against noise impacts.
Reducing noise emissions to an acceptable level is one of the key responsibilities of the design team.

We will develop approximately 23,000m² for data centers at the site.

Heat released via the cooling systems may slightly increase air temperature in atmospheric layers above 20 meters. In addition, soil sealing and building structures can influence the microclimate.

To minimize these effects, we aim to transfer as much of the waste heat as possible to a district-heating operator for further use.

Noise emissions may arise from cooling systems and emergency power systems. Safety lighting may lead to light emissions. Occasional carbon dioxide emissions may occur during testing of backup diesel generators.

Compliance with all permitted limits is ensured through technical measures.

The Energy Efficiency Act, in force since November 2023, defines the PUE value (power usage effectiveness), that is, the annual average ratio between the total energy consumption of a data center and the energy used by its IT equipment.

The legal threshold for new data centers is currently 1.2. This means that for every 100kWh used by IT systems, only an additional 20kWh may be used for supporting infrastructure such as power supply, cooling and lighting.

There will be noise during construction, for example from vehicles, for about one year (that is, during the structural phase).

In the long term, no significant increase in noise volume is expected as a result of the new data center.

No identifiable follow-up costs are expected for the municipality. We compensate for environmental and ecological impacts through legally required or contractually agreed measures.

Every computer requires electricity to operate and converts it into heat during use. In a data center, cooling systems remove this heat to prevent IT components from overheating. Typically, the heat generated is released into the air.

Current legislation requires the use of waste heat. Like many other operators, had been actively seeking suitable heat off-takers before these legal requirements came into force.

A feasibility study is currently being prepared for the municipal-heating project. The intended operators are Süwag Energie AG and the municipal utilities of Hattersheim. We are investing a significant amount in creating suitable technical conditions for heat utilization, including in systems that raise the temperature of the waste heat. In this way, we help reduce both the investment and operating costs of the new municipal-heating network.

A further substantial contribution is contractually agreed in the urban development agreement, to support the connection of the system to the district-heating network via a combined heat and power plant. A key prerequisite for heat utilization is the physical connection of residential buildings to the network. The use of waste heat for the municipal outdoor swimming pool is also under discussion.

We have been using waste heat from our data centers for many years, primarily to heat our own office buildings and to preheat backup power systems such as diesel generators. For supplying heat to external users, two main approaches are being considered. The first is cold district heating, which uses the low-temperature heat that is directly generated from server cooling. The second is upgraded heat, where heat pumps are used to raise the temperature of the waste heat to a higher and more easily usable level. At some of our Berlin sites, for example, cold district heating is already being supplied to external partners.

In Hattersheim, we have committed, as part of the urban development agreement, to additionally invest in connecting the site to the local district-heating network. Once the feasibility study for the city’s heating project has been completed, the specific technical solutions for heat utilization at the site will be presented.

Our facilities are designed to provide a modern, secure and highly available environment for clients’ sensitive IT systems.

All critical components are built with redundancy to ensure additional capacity and reliability. We use state-of-the-art systems that are both resource-efficient in production and highly energy-efficient in operation. Key focus areas include power supply, cooling and physical security.

The cooling concept includes water- and air-based chillers, water-cooled air handling units, ventilation systems, strict separation of hot and cold air zones (cold aisle containment), and comprehensive waste heat recovery for both internal and external use.
Despite high energy-efficiency requirements, only cooling systems that operate without water-wasting evaporative cooling are used.

If you have further questions, please send an email to: dc.emea.rechenzentrum.hattersheim@global.ntt

NTT DATA is a leading global IT services company offering a wide range of services, including data centers, network technology, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and edge computing. NTT DATA is a subsidiary of the Japanese company NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation).

Global Data Centers is a business unit of NTT DATA focused on building and operating secure and highly available colocation data centers worldwide. With locations in over 20 countries and markets, it enables digital growth and innovation across Europe, North America, Africa, Asia, and India. The European headquarter of Global Data Centers is located in Hattersheim am Main.

NTT DATA is recognized as a leader by major network and data center analysts. As a neutral operator, we provide access to multiple cloud providers, a wide range of internet exchanges and telecom network providers, including our own IPv6-compatible Tier 1 Global IP Network.

Clients benefit from tailored infrastructure and consistent best practices in design and operations in all our highly available, scalable and customizable data centers. We enable next-generation technologies for scalable computing, virtualization and data migration, as well as private cloud and B2B connectivity at regional and global levels.

We focus on energy efficiency and the latest security standards to ensure reliable infrastructure. We follow a standardized approach to the planning and operation of our resilient and customizable data centers. In line with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), NTT DATA is committed to achieving net-zero emissions across all business areas by 2030 and across the entire value chain by 2040. In addition, we aim to power all our data centers worldwide with 100% renewable energy by 2030.

If you have any questions about the plans in Hattersheim, our team is happy to help. Contact us at:
dc.emea.rechenzentrum.hattersheim@global.ntt.