Since 2013, the DGNB and the Stiftung Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis (i.e. German Sustainability Award Foundation) have been awarding the so-called "Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis" (i.e. German Sustainability Award) to inspiring architecture. The prize is awarded to projects that combine innovation, sustainability and high architectural quality in an exemplary manner. They provide answers to the question of how the building sector can effectively meet the major challenges of our time.
Building owners, architects and users had until 2 June to submit their projects for this year's competition. The DGNB and the German Sustainability Award Foundation, or DNP for short, will present the award at the 16th German Sustainability Day on 24 November in Dusseldorf.
Nine building projects were nominated by the expert jury for this year's sward.
The most important information about the competition
In 2012, the DGNB and the German Sustainability Award Foundation created a special award for future-oriented construction, which was awarded for the first time in 2013. The German Sustainability Award for Architecture honours outstanding and exemplary achievements in the building sector that contribute towards the transformation to sustainable living and economic activity and also demonstrate great innovative strength and high design quality. The prize is awarded with the support of Caparol, the Association of German Architects, the German Federal Chamber of Architects and the German Federal Foundation for Baukultur.
Procedure | Date | Who? | Information |
---|---|---|---|
Application | until 2 June 2023 | e.g. building owners, architects or users | Participants could apply online via the DNP website. |
Jury meeting | 11 July 2023 | Jury (see below) | A panel of experts appointed as a jury in collaboration with the DNP will evaluate the submitted projects for their sustainability, innovative potential and architectural quality, nominate the finalists and select the winning DNP for Architecture project. |
Award ceremony | 24 November 2023 | DNP | The nominees and the winning project will be honoured at an awards ceremony. |
- The competition is open to building owners, architects or users of buildings
- The buildings must be located in Germany and be completed and in use at the time of entry
- The buildings must be used by people (e.g. for daily public transport or as permanent workplaces or homes)
- The building and its directly associated open spaces are taken into account
- The buildings can be new, existing or extensively renovated
- Buildings must be no more than five years old / renovations must have been carried out within the last five years
- DGNB certification is not required
- The entry fee is €250 plus VAT
The finalists and winner will be selected by a jury to ensure an informed and independent assessment. The new jury is composed of renowned architects and other representatives of the building industry. In addition, experts from business, research, civil society and politics will contribute their perspectives to the decision-making process.
Applications will be accepted until 2 June 2023 in the online section of the DNP Architecture, which you can access by entering your access code at www.nachhaltigkeitspreis.de/wettbewerbe/architektur.
The following documents are required for a sound application
- A designed poster with meaningful images and plans
- A concise mission statement describing the project's excellence in terms of its transformative contribution to sustainability, innovation and architectural quality
- A textual description of the sustainability aspects of the project
- Representative photos of the project in landscape format, from different angles, with copyright and permission to use for press, website and other communications
- Participants will receive two tickets to the congress (limited number of tickets) and finalists will also be guests of honour at the awards ceremony
- Participants gain access to Germany's largest sustainability network
- Finalists and winners can use the DNP Award logo to communicate their success internally and externally
- Winners will be guests on stage at the awards ceremony, where they will receive their prize
Which projects are among the best in terms of overall concept? Where do they stand out in terms of innovation, design quality and sustainability? The panel of experts appointed as the jury in cooperation with the DNP examines all submissions in a careful selection process, nominates the finalists and determines the winner of the German Sustainability Award for Architecture.

Prof. Amandus Samsøe Sattler
ensømble Studio Architektur Berlin, Architekt BDA
Chairman

Sabine Djahanschah
Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt

Martin Haas
haas.cook.zemmrich – STUDIO2050

Prof. Thorsten Helbig
knippershelbig GmbH

Prof. Fabienne Hoelzel
Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste Stuttgart

Markus Lehrmann
Architektenkammer Nordrhein-Westfalen

Reiner Nagel
Bundesstiftung Baukultur

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Anja Rosen
Bergische Universität Wuppertal

Prof. Matthias Rudolph
Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste Stuttgart

Beatrice Soltys
Baubürgermeisterin (i.e. Building Mayor), Stadt Fellbach

Stephan Weber
Architektenkammer Baden-Württemberg
Partners

Federal Chamber of German Architects

Association of German Architects (BDA)

Bundesstiftung Baukultur

Caparol
Your contact

Katrin Wolf
Manager Trade Fairs, Events and Partnerships
- Phone: +49-711-722322-38
- Email: k.wolf@dgnb.de