Exterior view of a residential complex with plants

Building certification

Into the future with certified green buildings

Green buildings are buildings developed under sustainable aspects: “green” buildings. Special consideration is given to minimising the consumption of energy and resources, reducing the environmental impact and improving the overall economy of a building. This circular economy reduces primary raw materials and conserves resources.

There are many different building certifications worldwide that assess both sustainable Building construction and the sustainability of existing properties.

Advantages of building certifications for building owners

  • Increased demand by investors, tenants, etc.
  • Quality and value in black and white
  • Increased property value
  • (International) comparability
  • Longer life of the building
  • Risk-free deconstruction due to pollutant-free materials
  • Valuable contribution to environmental goals

Interest in sustainable buildings is growing steadily: as a result of the EU Green Deals, the Paris climate targets, EU taxonomy and other regulations, sustainable building construction has long been the present and is increasingly even a mandatory criterion. Investors, tenants and developers are increasingly considering certified buildings only.

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Cast iron drainage pipe system - the best choice for building certifications

With cast iron as a material, you can easily meet the requirements of the certifying organisations. Planning errors due to the selection of unsafe products can mean expensive mistakes. Stay on the safe side and directly plan cast iron drainage systems for your building project.

About the systems

What do I have to do as a building owner/builder?

Work together with a suitable planning office for your building project that also covers building certification. Targeted building materials such as cast-iron drainage technology can already be specified as an important requirement at this stage.

German Quality Seal Sustainable Building Construction - DGNB

The DGNB is a very well-known German quality seal for private building projects. Building certification is carried out by the German Council for Sustainable Building Construction.

Not only ecological aspects are assessed, but the entire life cycle of the building is considered in a holistic approach. This is based on the three main sustainability areas: ecology, economy and socio-culture.

The location as well as technical and procedural quality are also included in the assessment. You can find out more at dgnb.de.

Sustainable Building Construction Rating System for Federal Buildings - BNB

While the DGNB quality seal is awarded to private-sector and municipal building projects, the BNB system exists in Germany primarily for the self-assessment of federal buildings.

This sustainable building certification also focuses on the entire life cycle of buildings and outdoor facilities - giving equal consideration to criteria of ecological, economic and socio-cultural quality as well as technical aspects and processes.

More information is available at bnb-nachhaltigesbauen.de.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - LEED

The American certification procedure LEED was developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and is used worldwide.

The international certification of buildings is based on the following criteria: location, real estate qualities, water efficiency, energy + global environmental impacts, materials and resources, indoor air quality, innovations and other criteria. Read more: german-gba.org/leed

 

Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method - BREEAM

The BREEAM building certification originates from Great Britain and is also an internationally widely used seal for sustainable building.

This certification also covers the entire life cycle of buildings and assesses sustainable aspects such as energy, water, materials, transport, waste, environment, etc. 

Info in German at: breeam.de