FirstColo, the Frankfurt-based data center operator, has begun construction of its FRA7 facility in Rosbach vor der Höhe following a groundbreaking ceremony.

The project carries an investment volume of approximately USD 290 million and has been described by company and regional officials as one of the most significant investments in digital infrastructure in the German state of Hesse.

Specifications and Design

The FRA7 data center is planned with a total capacity of approximately 24 megawatts and has been engineered specifically for cloud, artificial intelligence, and high-performance computing workloads.

The facility will support power densities of up to 200 kilowatts per rack, a figure that places it firmly in the category of high-density infrastructure designed to meet the demands of modern AI processing requirements. To manage the thermal loads generated at those densities, the project will deploy modern liquid-cooling technologies throughout.

On the energy efficiency side, firstcolo is targeting a Power Usage Effectiveness, or PUE, value below 1.2 for FRA7, and the facility will be operated entirely on certified green electricity.

The design also incorporates modern battery storage systems capable of feeding surplus energy back into the grid. Company leadership and construction partners described these elements as setting new standards in energy efficiency and power density for the data center sector.

Waste Heat Agreement with the City of Rosbach

One of the more distinctive aspects of the FRA7 project is a formal commitment firstcolo has made to the municipality of Rosbach vor der Höhe. The company will provide the city with waste heat generated by the data center free of charge for a minimum of 20 years.

According to the parties involved, this arrangement is intended to give the city and its partners a foundation from which to develop options for using that heat for climate-friendly heating applications in the future.

Mayor Steffen Maar highlighted this element as central to the city's support for the project. "The planned use of waste heat opens up a special opportunity here," Maar said.

"This is what marks good economic development: It is future-oriented, cooperative, and focused on the local people." The mayor also noted that Rosbach intends to support such developments pragmatically while generating concrete added value for its residents.

Political and Economic Context

Hesse's Minister of Digitalization, Professor Dr. Kristina Sinemus, attended the groundbreaking and framed the project within broader debates about digital sovereignty in Europe. "High-performance data centers are a central prerequisite for digitalization and artificial intelligence," Sinemus said. "Today's groundbreaking is not only a commitment to Hesse's role as a leading digital hub, but also a commitment to European sovereignty."

Rainer Schwarz, President of the Gießen-Friedberg Chamber of Industry and Commerce, also took part in the ceremony and characterized FRA7 as a meaningful signal at a difficult economic moment.

"Digital infrastructure is now a central location factor for companies," Schwarz said. "The FRA7 data center is an important investment signal in economically challenging times."

District Administrator of the Wetterau District Jan Weckler was also present at the ceremony, along with firstcolo's CFO Dennis Bergfeld and COO Nicolaj Kamensek, representatives from trade associations, and members of the media.

Construction Partners

The construction of FRA7 is being carried out through a joint venture consortium, referred to as an ARGE, formed by two specialized firms. SPIE is responsible for delivering complete building services engineering as well as all critical infrastructure systems for the data center. Construction company Lupp is handling the structural shell, facade, and interior fit-out of the building.

Daniel Schmitt, Managing Director of SPIE Data Center GmbH, described the project as technically demanding. "With FRA7, we are building a technologically highly demanding data center that sets new standards in energy efficiency and power density," Schmitt said.

Dennis Bausch, authorized signatory and area manager of structural engineering and turnkey construction at the Lupp corporate group, noted that his firm is drawing on its experience, specifically in data center construction, to deliver a prompt and high-quality handover to Firstcolo.

FirstColo's Broader Investment Plans

FirstColo founder and CEO Jerome Evans positioned FRA7 not as an isolated project but as the beginning of a larger expansion strategy. "With FRA7, we are investing in Germany for the long term and creating the infrastructure for the next generation of digital applications, from AI to high-performance computing," Evans said. "FRA7 marks the starting point of a comprehensive investment offensive. In the near future, we plan to significantly expand our data center capacities and thereby sustainably strengthen our presence in the region and beyond."

Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, firstcolo describes itself as a leading provider of data center services in Germany. The FRA7 facility in Rosbach vor der Höhe represents the company's largest publicly announced capital commitment to date, and officials at the regional and state level characterized the project as a long-term driver of qualified employment and economic development in the Wetterau district.

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