DGNB Social Positive Award

The award for buildings and districts with social quality by design

We spend up to 90 per cent of our lives in our built environment. We live, learn, and work within it, interact with our fellow human beings, and seek protection from external influences. At best, it offers us space to relax and thrive. These are compelling reasons to design our built environment with social quality at its heart. In line with the DGNB's holistic approach, it is essential to consider the social dimension of sustainable construction, alongside ecological and economic aspects.

To recognise and raise the profile of projects that make a special contribution in this area, the DGNB has developed the new DGNB Social Positive Award with partners and experts from the DGNB network. The award honours buildings and districts that transcend their primary function to make a tangible, positive impact on their surroundings and society. Whether through diverse and innovative uses or meaningful neighbourhood integration, award-winning projects serve as inspiration – demonstrating that the social dimension is fundamental to truly sustainable construction.

The award is currently in its pilot phase, during which it is being tested on selected projects. We are looking for more projects to participate. If you are interested, please feel free to contact us informally at social-positive@dgnb.de.

The DGNB Social Positive Award recognises sustainable buildings and districts that have an exceptional positive impact on their surroundings and society.

The following fees apply to the awarding process:

€2,500 for DGNB members

€5,000 for non-members

There is also a registration fee of €250.

Criteria and assessment

Each project is examined and assessed for its positive impact on the surroundings and society. A central component of the assessment is an on-site inspection by a commission of independent experts. The assessment during the on-site visit is based on a questionnaire covering eight topics.

Neighbourhood integration
Accessibility and inclusion
Health and well-being
Safety and security
Social cohesion and shared right of use
Economic and social opportunities
Sustainability with social benefits
User communication and user satisfaction

Different evaluation aspects are taken into account for each topic. Neighborhood integration covers not only environmental connectivity, but also support for local culture and stakeholder engagement. Hidden behind accessibility and inclusion are questions of affordability. For health and well-being, both indoor environmental quality and amenities for physical activity play a role. When it comes to safety and security, adequate emergency preparedness and preventive design approaches are essential. For social cohesion, the extent to which local initiatives are supported and what communal spaces are made available are evaluated. Economic aspects can include local employment opportunities and spaces for entrepreneurship. Sustainability with social added value includes aspects such as environmental justice, resilience, and shared green infrastructure. User satisfaction is central to the assessment, so evaluation and complaint mechanisms are considered.

To enable the DGNB office, in consultation with the convened experts, to determine project eligibility and prepare for the on-site inspection, digital project documentation is required.

Documents to be submitted:

Site plan, relevant floor plans, concept of use, etc.
Relevant photographs
Brief description
Other (sustainability strategy, user surveys, etc.)

Please only submit documents that are relevant to your registration.

We are looking for pilot projects

Do you have a project that places particular emphasis on social and public welfare aspects? If so, please contact us at social-positive@dgnb.de. If your project is suitable, we will be in touch to discuss the next steps.

Frequently asked questions

An on-site assessment is an integral part of the award, which means that it is only awarded to buildings and districts that are already in full use and operation. However, projects can be registered during the design or construction phase.

No, the application is open to everyone.

No. Projects without DGNB Certification can also apply as part of the pilot phase. Projects from Germany and the countries of the aforementioned DGNB System Partners are currently being considered.