What if everyone had the same understanding of sustainable building and knew how to implement it in the real world?

The tower of Babel is over – we speak the same language and can solve challenges, steering clear of superlatives and firmly anchored in the future. Creative processes once again play a greater role in projects, with clearly measurable sustainability criteria.

Thomas Kraubitz

Buro Happold

A knowledge base of this kind would certainly mean fewer decisions based on gut feeling and more based on transparency and comparability. There'd be less buzzword bingo, instead a uniform language across all stakeholder groups in construction. Which would also mean a common basis for planning and investment decisions.

The good news is that a professional foundation just like this already exists in the form of the DGNB System. It's far more than a mere list of the requirements needed for sustainability certification. Rather, it's a knowledge compendium and a tool at the same time.

The DGNB System brings together all the topics that positively influence how sustainable a building or district is. It introduces methods that help in finding optimal measures. And it suggests that all these aspects be considered at an early stage of planning, and conflicting objectives actively addressed, in order to be able to make informed decisions. This is where the DGNB System differs very fundamentally from the countless position papers and reports published in recent years. Because it shows how to translate theory into practice and is thus tested out in real projects. Because it actively guides everyone involved. And because the prospect of certification incentivises building owners and helps make the extra effort worthwhile for them.

The DGNB System is also the basis for training people. For making them into experts who put the idea of holistic, life-cycle-oriented sustainability into practice. And it's exactly this expertise that is so needed. Because when looking for the most sustainable solution for a specific project, there's no standard answer. After all, every building is individual – with a specific construction task, at a particular site and within a defined budget. But when it comes to finding the best possible approach to achieving sustainability, nothing beats the DGNB System.

Wouldn't it be nice if even more people used their rich expertise, sound judgement and long-term vision to make sustainable building a reality?

DGNB Living Showroom for sustainable building, Stuttgart

The DGNB office is conceived as a living showroom for sustainable building, embodying the non-profit association's holistic approach to sustainability. Occupied since 2014, it is currently being extended and converted with a focus on preserving the existing building.

You want to get actively involved in sustainable architecture yourself? Start here:

What if the same understanding of sustainability were shared internationally?

DGNB’s holistic, life-cycle-oriented approach to sustainability has supporters worldwide. In over 60 countries, there are people trained in the content of the DGNB System who apply their expertise to projects. And over 30 countries are home to buildings and districts that have been certified to the DGNB standard. When certifying outside Germany, the requirements are harmonised with the local environmental and regulatory circumstances to ensure the planned measures work as well as possible.

More about the DGNB System

Finding DGNB Certification experts

What if you wanted to start with the basics of sustainable building?

It goes without saying that the DGNB Academy also has a course covering the key basics of sustainability in planning and construction. What makes it different: it’s an on-demand course. This means you get one month’s access to a learning platform where you can work through every teaching module at a speed that’s right for you. If you want, you can even earn the title of DGNB Registered Professional. This is of particular interest for those at the start of their career.

More about the basics of sustainable building

What if you wanted to become an expert in DGNB certification yourself?

If you’re pursuing a career in the world of sustainable building, the DGNB Academy’s courses are the right choice for you. Modular training units teach you the expertise you need to advise on a DGNB certification or conduct an audit yourself. Depending on your specialisation, you can earn one of the following licenced titles: DGNB Auditor, DGNB Consultant, DGNB ESG Manager, DGNB Biodiversity Manager, and – brand new – DGNB Construction Site Coordinator.

Become a DGNB Certification expert

What if you wanted to be trained in a particular topic featured in this exhibition?

If you want to improve your knowledge of certain aspects of sustainable architecture, it’s worth taking a look at the DGNB Academy’s seminar programme, which changes every year. The individual seminars are very practically oriented so that what you learn can be applied in your day-to-day work. The range of topics spans almost everything in this exhibition: from building in a changing climate, biodiversity and people to ESG and future reliability, carbon neutral buildings and circular building.

To the seminar programme of the DGNB Academy

What if we had a compass for future-proof buildings?

What does a building look like that protects the basis for our way of life and strengthens social cohesion? One that will still be classed as completely sustainable after 2030 The DGNB System Future Project is dedicated to these questions. It articulates concrete objectives that act like a compass for transformation. Topics like natural water cycles, soil health, quality of life, regional connectivity, sufficiency, circularity and resilience are all covered.

To the DGNB System Future Project

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