Environmental building certifications schemes

How do we design sustainable building? Environmental building certification schemes are used to assess and benchmark the quality level of sustainability in buildings. The list of global certifications is long and growing, and all vary in in scope and documentation of performance.

The increasing importance of environmental building certifications schemes is fueled by a rapid growing construction industry that is constantly challenged to meet sustainability demands focusing on the social, economic and environmental aspects of a building project. Certifications of sustainable buildings define and benchmark the quality level for sustainability.

Certifications are also actively used to ensure and document a high level of quality in the design and construction of a building project.Consequently, certified sustainable buildings outperform conventional buildings on several parameters.

We contribute to major environmental building certification schemes DGNB, LEED, BREEAM, WELL and HQE.

DGNB

*PLACEHOLDER FROM VELUX* The DGNB method was developed by the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) and the German Government. There are 49 criteria in 6 categories. Certifications are awarded in bronze, silver and gold. DGNB is very closely linked to European standards and is currently in use in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Denmark, adapted to national standards.

BREEAM

*PLACEHOLDER FROM VELUX* The BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) was established in the UK in 1990 by the Building Research Establishment (BRE). It considers performance criteria for sustainability in ten categories. Projects certified to BREEAM are rated on a scale of Pass, Good, Very Good, Excellent and Outstanding. BREEAM is used by Green Building Councils in United Kingdom, Holland, Spain, Norway and Sweden.