Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG (pbb) has committed 45 million euros in financing for the development and existing operations of the “dataR” data centre in Rellingen, near Hamburg. The recipient of the development and investment facility is a special purpose vehicle of the “HAL Digitale Infrastruktur Deutschland 1” special fund, which is managed by the Real Estate Investment Management division of Hauck Aufhäuser Lampe Privatbank (HAL REIM). In this transaction, pbb acted as arranger and sole lender, underscoring its commitment to sustainable infrastructure projects and promoting the expansion of high-performance digital infrastructures in Germany.
The data centre under construction in Rellingen is designed as a “state-of-the-art new build”. It features a whitespace area of 2,450 square metres and is designed for an IT capacity of five megawatts. The concept meets high requirements for availability, security and technical resilience. Redundant connectivity to the global network nodes in Amsterdam and Frankfurt am Main is planned.
Significance of the financing for digital infrastructure
Gerhard Meitinger, Head of REF Germany at Deutsche Pfandbriefbank, highlighted the relevance of data centres for the digital value chain. He emphasised that the project in Rellingen is compelling due to its solid business model and modern technology. Key decision criteria for the loan approval included its high reliability, the professionalism of the operator, and sustained demand growth independent of government grants or subsidies. These aspects ensure stable IT capacities for companies and public institutions and contribute to the overall stability of the infrastructure.
Patrick Brinker, Head of Real Estate Investment Management at Hauck Aufhäuser Lampe, expressed his satisfaction with the cooperation with Deutsche Pfandbriefbank. He pointed out that financing for regional colocation data centres – despite high demand, Germany’s digitalisation needs, a strategically favourable location in Europe, and attractive yield opportunities – has so far been handled hesitantly by many credit institutions. Against this background, securing pbb for the project in Rellingen is regarded as a success.
The “HAL Digitale Infrastruktur Deutschland 1” special fund
The “HAL Digitale Infrastruktur Deutschland 1” special fund is a specialised AIF regulated under Article 8 of the EU Disclosure Regulation, with a target volume of 500 million euros. This fund's investment focus is on new or as-new colocation data centres that consider regulatory sustainability aspects and are prepared for the use of artificial intelligence (AI). The data centre in Rellingen is specifically tailored to the demand for professional IT infrastructure services, particularly for cloud applications, data-intensive business models, and critical IT infrastructures.
- —Target volume of the specialised AIF: 500 million euros
- —Regulated under Article 8 of the EU Disclosure Regulation
- —Investment focus: New or as-new colocation data centres
- —Requirements for properties: Consideration of sustainability aspects and AI capability
