German Sustainability Award for Architecture

For more than 10 years, the DGNB and the German Sustainability Award Foundation have been awarding Germany's most important architecture prize for sustainable buildings.

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.

The application phase for the German Sustainability Award for Architecture has begun, and applications will be accepted until 5 June 2026.

Apply now (German)

Get to know the previous winners and finalists

It's worth applying

Participants receive access to Germany's largest sustainability network
The finalists and winners will be guests on stage at the festive evening programme of the Forum Nachhaltige Architektur.
The finalists and the winning project will be shown during the evening awards ceremony for the German Sustainability Award.
Participants will receive tickets for the congress at half price.
The finalists and winners can purchase the DNP seal to communicate their success internally and externally

Key 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 the German Federal Chamber of Architects and the German Federal Foundation for Baukultur.

Procedure	Date	Who?	Information
Application	until 5 June 2026	e.g. building owners, architects or users	Participants have the opportunity to apply online via the DNP website.
Jury meeting	July 2026	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	The date will be announced shortly.		The winners will be announced as part of the Forum for Sustainable Architecture. The award ceremony will take place during a festive evening programme. In addition, the finalists and the winner will be presented during the evening award ceremony of the German Sustainability Award. The evening gala will conclude the congress for the 19th German Sustainability Award, which will take place in Düsseldorf on 3 and 4 December 2026. All participants in the competition will receive two free tickets to the congress.

Procedure

Date

Who?

Information

Application

until 5 June 2026

e.g. building owners, architects or users

Participants have the opportunity to apply online via the DNP website.

Jury meeting

July 2026

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

The date will be announced shortly.

The winners will be announced as part of the Forum for Sustainable Architecture. The award ceremony will take place during a festive evening programme.

In addition, the finalists and the winner will be presented during the evening award ceremony of the German Sustainability Award. The evening gala will conclude the congress for the 19th German Sustainability Award, which will take place in Düsseldorf on 3 and 4 December 2026. All participants in the competition will receive two free tickets to the congress.

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
Interior only works are excluded from participating
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 €190 plus VAT for companies with up to 9 employees. Companies with 10 or more employees pay €490 plus VAT.

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.

The jury for the 2026 competition will be announced shortly.