Building certification systems evaluate the quality of the sustainability of a building using standardised criteria. Depending on the overall degree of fulfilment of these criteria, which is verified and submitted by an external auditor, a certificate is issued. On the one hand, this controls the demands placed on the building and, on the other hand, serves as a valuable communication and marketing instrument. Often the assessment of individual sustainability aspects or life cycle phases is possible. Buildings assessed as particularly sustainable then receive for example a certificate in “platinum” (DGNB, LEED), in “gold” (BNB) or with the designation “outstanding” (BREEAM).
For calculating the environmental impacts of a building over its entire life cycle among others detailed information regarding the building products used is required. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) represent life cycle assessment data relevant for building certification systems at product level and are verified by independent third parties. Inter alia they can serve as a reliable data foundation for the life cycle analysis of a building as well as proof for required characteristics of building products. KLB has therefore already started early on to gather comprehensive EPDs for its light-weight concrete masonry blocks.
DGNB BNB BREEAM LEED
German Seal of Quality Sustainable Construction (DGNB)
The DGNB Certification System encompasses up to 40 criteria, which are assigned to six topic fields: “Ecological Quality”, “Economic Quality”, “Sociocultural and Functional Quality” as well as “Technical Quality” flow into the overall assessment with a share of 22.5 % each, “Process Quality” with 10 %. “Location Quality” is indicated and assessed, but does not explicitly flow into the overall assessment, as the associated criteria can only be influenced to a very limited degree in the planning of the building. Depending on the overall fulfilment degree of the criteria, the German Association for Sustainable Construction e.V. (DGNB) issues a DGNB certificate in platinum, gold or silver – for existing buildings a bronze certification is also possible. New construction as well as existing buildings and quarters are certified. Additionally, a preliminary certification in the planning phase is possible.
The overall degree of fulfilment is thereby not solely decisive for the issuance of a certificate. In order to receive a certificate, a minimum degree of fulfilment must be achieved in each of the five assessment-relevant topic areas, which is 15 percentage points below the necessary overall degree of fulfilment (except for the bronze certification). A building can for example only receive a platinum certificate if the overall degree of fulfilment is at least 80 % and the degree of fulfilment of the individual topic areas is at least 65 % each.