Exhibitions make an important contribution to sharing knowledge, cultural exchange and social participation. At the same time, temporary exhibitions in particular have a significant environmental impact due to the high consumption of materials and energy.
With the DGNB System for Sustainable Exhibitions, Museums and Culture, Version 2026, the DGNB is for the first time providing a holistic evaluation and optimisation tool that takes into account the specific requirements of cultural exhibitions. It supports project managers in museums, as well as designers and curators, in systematically integrating sustainability into the design, implementation and use of their exhibitions, right through to their dismantling.
It is applicable both to the development of new exhibition concepts and to the sustainable further development of existing ones.
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The DGNB System for Sustainable Exhibitions is currently in its pilot phase and is open for comments until further notice. Get involved – we look forward to your feedback!
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The DGNB System for Sustainable Exhibitions is aimed at museums and other cultural institutions, as well as all stakeholders involved in the conceptional planning, design and implementation of exhibitions. These include, amongst others:
- Curators
- Designers
- Scenographers
- Design and planning firms
- Contractors
- Client organisations
- Project managers
The DGNB System for Sustainable Exhibitions can be applied to various types of cultural exhibitions. It covers both temporary changing and special exhibitions and permanent exhibitions in museums and other cultural institutions. Both newly designed and existing exhibitions can be evaluated. In principle, the system can be applied regardless of the exhibition’s size, theme or site, provided that the requirements of the relevant scheme are met.
By applying the DGNB System for Sustainable Exhibitions, you help to realise exhibitions that are fit for the future, responsible and in keeping with their cultural role. This brings a wide range of benefits:
- Targeted reduction of climate and environmental impacts
- Resource efficiency and promotion of the circular economy
- Cost optimisation across the life cycle
- Healthy and high-quality exhibition spaces
- Accessibility and the strengthening of cultural participation
- Visible and transparent sustainability performance
Jump to: Certification criteria | Areas of application and requirements | Evaluation and award | Project registration | Frequently asked questions
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Have you already decided on a certification and are ready to get started? Here you will find all the certification experts who are qualified to submit projects to the DGNB and can assist with your project.
No specific qualification is required for either scheme during the pilot phase. However, we recommend consulting a DGNB Auditor when applying the system.
Certification criteria
The DGNB System evaluates exhibitions on the basis of a total of seven criteria across three topic areas: Environmental quality, Economic quality and Socio-cultural and functional quality. The criteria are designed to enable a holistic evaluation of sustainability and to support project managers in planning and implementation.
Key areas of focus include the responsible use of materials and resources, climate action and energy, the quality of the visitor experience, accessibility and the documentation and long-term usability of exhibitions.
The topic areas are incorporated into the overall assessment with the following weightings:
- Environmental quality: 35 per cent
- Economic quality: 30 per cent
- Socio-cultural and functional quality: 35 per cent
Areas of application and requirements
Areas of application
The DGNB System for Sustainable Exhibitions can be applied in a variety of cultural contexts – from temporary to permanent exhibitions in museums and other cultural institutions. A distinction is made between two schemes:
Temporary and special exhibitions
This scheme covers exhibitions that are designed for a limited period and are implemented with reduced organisational and documentation effort. Typical examples include special exhibitions, temporary installations or touring exhibitions, which have a lifetime of a few weeks or months.
Certification requirements
For an exhibition to be eligible for certification, the following requirements must be met:
- The statutory requirements applicable to the building in which the exhibition to be certified is located must be met.
- Expert reports and calculations must refer to the current state of planning or to the completed exhibition. Where reports and calculations refer to an earlier planning stage, their continued validity or relevance must be demonstrated plausible.
Evaluation and award
The evaluation of an exhibition is based on its entire life cycle – from design through to use and finally dismantling. Unless otherwise stated in individual criteria, the evaluation covers the exhibition spaces as well as the areas that are generally and publicly accessible. Some criteria provide for the evaluation of outdoor spaces.
For temporary and special exhibitions, a simplified procedure with practical checklists is available due to the limited design and implementation time. Alternatively, the evaluation may be based on concepts.
For permanent exhibitions, the evaluation is primarily based on concepts, which allow for an in-depth examination of the relevant sustainability issues. Alternatively, the simplified procedure with checklists may also be used here.
To be awarded the DGNB ‘Sustainable Exhibition’ award, a total performance index of at least 65 per cent must be achieved. There are no minimum requirements to be met.
For touring exhibitions that are based on a single, uniform concept and realised at different venues, a simplified certification based on a base concept is available. In this case, the underlying exhibition concept is evaluated on a one-off basis. For each implementation at a venue, venue-specific adaptations must be documented and the relevant evidence submitted in addition. This includes, in particular, details of the spatial conditions, technical implementation and operational general conditions.
Deviations from the base concept must be presented criterion by criterion and reviewed with regard to their impact on the evaluation. Each exhibition is certified individually on this basis. The application of this procedure must be agreed with the DGNB on a case-by-case basis.
| Certification fees for sustainable exhibitions | Temporary or special exhibition | Permanent exhibition |
|---|---|---|
| DGNB member | €750.00 | €1,500.00 |
| Non-member | €900.00 | €1,900.00 |
All costs are subject to statutory value added tax.
The discount for members is granted if the contractual partner of the project is a member of the DGNB or an international DGNB partner organisation.
Project registration
The system will be implemented and thoroughly tested on pilot projects as part of the pilot phase. Interested parties have the opportunity to play an active role in this process with their projects.
| Please note: Certification of a permanent exhibition may be carried out in addition to certification for new construction or renovation. Criteria covering the same subject matter, which have already been addressed for the relevant system, need only be addressed in relation to the exhibition-specific content for the purposes of the exhibition’s certification. Any additional certification must be indicated when submitting the project application. |
No specific qualification is required for the audit of sustainable exhibitions during the pilot phase. However, we recommend involving a DGNB Auditor in an advisory capacity when applying the system. Projects can be registered for certification and submitted for evaluation via the DGNB System Software.
Frequently asked questions about the DGNB System for Sustainable Exhibitions
The DGNB System for Sustainable Exhibitions was developed in close collaboration with representatives from the museum and exhibition sector. The objective was to reflect the specific requirements of cultural exhibitions in a practice-oriented way, while applying the DGNB's tried-and-tested core principles to exhibitions.
During the pilot phase, practical experience and expert feedback will be incorporated into the ongoing further development of the system.
The pilot phase offers you the opportunity to apply the DGNB System for Sustainable Exhibitions even before the final market version is published. Projects will be evaluated on the basis of the current system basics. At the same time, experience and feedback gained from practical application may be incorporated into the further development of the system. The objective is to test the system under real-world general conditions and to further optimise it collectively with users.
You can easily submit your comments on the further development of the DGNB System for Sustainable Exhibitions via an online form: