29 Q3 2022 BUILD May22572 Most Innovative Building & Construction Business - Western Europe Despite the Paris 2015 climate agreement, construction is still one of the biggest offenders in terms of environmental degradation, CO2 emission, and lax sustainability procedure. DGNB German Sustainable Building Council hopes to be a founding voice in changing this. Indeed, it has been successfully achieving this goal one member at a time, bringing professionals in construction on board in order to show them how to properly consider their impact on the spaces they build and the world in the macro scale, resulting in a vastly improved industry that will only continue to better itself. he German Sustainable Building Council – or DGNB – is a non-profit for whom is mission is in the name. Critically, this organisation has made itself a linchpin of its industry by advocating for improving the building standards in its home nation and further afield, leading from the front in construction sustainability and real estate in order to truly influence positive change. Fundamentally, having found its beginnings in 2007, DGNB is an association that now boasts over 1600 members across all manner of different sectors, each of whom are committed to making a difference to their industries and working together to create a more sustainable tomorrow. Including product manufacturers, architects, specialist planners, university institutions, and industrial companies leading their specific fields, it has created an atmosphere of the utmost co-operation that it hopes will lead to a more environmentally conscious and socially responsible future for all. The diverse expertise that is found within its ranks makes this possible. Foremostly, the DGNB certification system has become a great metric for deciding on the sustainability factor of several building aspects since its founding. With all different criteria and T methods it helps making sustainability in the building process plannable, measurable, and realisable. Today, around 9000 DGNB certificates have been granted worldwide, with certification becoming possible for new buildings as well as existing buildings and their own operational optimisation. From apartment buildings to entire neighbourhoods, and at any point in a building’s lifecycle, it can attempt to earn itself the DGNB sustainability accreditation. This, and the pedigree it lends to a building and the professionals involved, gives incentive enough for professionals all over the multiple industries it touches to sit up and pay attention, finding its way into regulation and continuing to push for heightened acknowledgement of climate issues. Its efforts also focus on concrete creations in a bold new manner, with its newly developed climate action toolkit making the environmental impact of such things easy to plan, measure, and verify. Worldwide, more than 6000 people have trained as experts in sustainable construction through the DGNB platform. Importantly, this metric sets itself apart by being performance oriented, not just taking the individual measure into account, but also the goals that a building is attempting to achieve regarding emissions savings. Its tool has, effectively, made sustainable architecture the new normal, and a highly attractive prospect that brings value to the environment as well as the professionals involved, consequentially renewing their interest in sustainable practice. Today, the DGNB boasts 70 employees and many volunteers, growing by the day to put increased pressure on the European Commission and its wider international industry to encourage all construction professionals to pay more attention to their environmental impact. Company: DGNB German Sustainable Building Council Contact: Pia Hettinger Website: dgnb.de
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