Frankfurt am Main, Germany
City population: 674619
Duration: 2007 – 2008
Implementation status: Completed
Scale: Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)
Project area: 660 m2
Type of area: Building
Last updated: October 2021

The data centre for Citi Bank in Frankfurt is the first in the world to put sustainability at its heart, setting radical new standards in an industry at the forefront of the fight against global carbon emissions (1). The functional and aesthetic aspects, as well as their CO2 balance and later reusability, played a decisive role in the selection of all materials. Disguising the full volume of the data hall, the iconic green wall features indigenous plants and is fully irrigated by harvested rainwater. The wall, measuring some 55 m by 12 m high, complements the extensive green roof and helps maintain a constant building temperature throughout the year while reducing thermal gain in the summer months. (1)

Green wall
Green wall
Source: https://www.google.hu/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwi6sseokJPVAhWJDZoKHa78B7EQjxwIAw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.arup.com%2Fprojects%2Fcitigroup-citi-data-centre&psig=AFQjCNHkVXq5qSIyZ810U9u3HzdIPiwBYg&ust=1500477470541868

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Nature on buildings (external)
  • Green walls or facades

Key challenges

  • Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
  • Climate change adaptation
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Environmental quality
  • Air quality improvement
  • Health and well-being (SDG 3)
  • Improving mental health
  • Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
  • Sustainable consumption

Focus

Creation of new green areas

Project objectives

1. Increase the aesthetic appearance of the data center (1); 2. Increase the comfort of the data center employees (1); 3. Contribute to maintaining a constant building temperature throughout the year (1); 4. Prevent the thermal gain in the summer months (1); 5. Reduce the visual impact of the building to its surroundings (2).

Implementation activities

1. Installation of a green wall of 55m long and 12m high (1, 2); 2. Using harvested rainwater for the irrigation of the green wall (1).

Climate-focused activities

Climate change adaptation:

  • Implement green walls or roofs to lower indoor temperature and provide insulation

Main beneficiaries

  • Private sector/Corporate/Company
  • Citizens or community groups

Governance

Management set-up

  • Led by non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Private sector/corporate actor/company
  • Transnational network

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Unknown

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

The Client, Citigroup company that manages the operation of the data center. Architecture & Engineering was commissioned to Arup Associates - a transnational architecture and engineering company (1) Project Team (4): Project Management: Citi Realty Services assisted by Drees & Sommer GmbH Technology Services: Citi Technology Infrastructure Architecture/ Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Services: Arup Associates Main Contractor: BAM Deutschland AG/Imtech Deutschland GmbH & Co.KG

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Unknown ( )
... a national policy or strategy? Unknown
... a local policy or strategy? Unknown

Financing

Total cost

€10,000 - €50,000

Source(s) of funding

  • Corporate investment

Type of funding

  • Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)

Non-financial contribution

No

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Climate change
  • Lowered local temperature
  • Reduced emissions
  • Enhanced carbon sequestration
  • Environmental quality
  • Improved air quality
  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area

Economic impacts

  • Unknown

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Health and wellbeing
  • Improved mental health

Type of reported impacts

Expected impacts, Achieved impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

Yes

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No

References

1. Citi Data Centre : ARUP ASSOCIATES. (2008). Accessed Accessed on September 26 2020, Source link
2. Arup’s Low Energy Citi Data Centre Building. (2009). Accessed on September 26 2020, Source link
3. Stadt Frankfurt Am Main. (2017). Masterplan 100% Klimaschutz: Stadt Frankfurt Am Main | Dezernat Umwelt Und Gesundheit | Umweltamt. Accessed on September 26 2020, Source link
4. Citi. (2009). Citi Achieves First Ever LEED Platinum Accreditation for a Data Center. Accessed on September 26 2020, Source link
5. Arup. (2013). Thoughts | Bring Data Centres in from the Cold. Website not available September 2020
6. Heise Online (2008). Citigroup eröffnet "grünes" Rechenzentrum, Accessed on September 26 2020, Source link