Sustainable Building Certification

In recent years, the need for more sustainable buildings has become imperative. Operating consistently within the framework of sustainability and a sustainable environment, TÜV HELLAS collaborates with the German organization DGNB for the certification of sustainable buildings.

DGNB was established in 2009. The DGNB certification system offers a planning and optimization tool for assessing sustainable buildings. It was developed to help organizations enhance the tangible sustainability of construction projects. The DGNB system is based on the concept of holistic sustainability, placing equal emphasis on the environment, people, and economic viability.

In terms of content, the DGNB system is built on three key pillars that distinguish it from other certification systems available on the market:

• Life-cycle assessment
• Holistic approach
• Performance orientation
   

As part of the certification process, the entire life cycle of a project is consistently taken into account, and instead of isolated measures, the overall performance of a project is evaluated.

The DGNB Certificate is awarded in platinum, gold, or silver, and can therefore also be used as a tool for recognition and marketing. According to Article 115 of Law 4759/2020 (amending Article 25 of Law 4067/2012), the DGNB Silver rating is considered to represent exceptional environmental performance and may result in a 10% increase in the building coefficient.

The DGNB System is based on the three central sustainability areas of ecology, economy, and socio-cultural issues, which are equally weighted in the assessment. The DGNB system evaluates location, as well as technical and procedural quality, using a holistic approach. The performance of these attributes can be assessed through certification criteria.

Each building passes through different phases (design, construction, operation, decommissioning/conversion/renovation, and end-of-life dismantling), each associated with different requirements and conditions. These phases can be accompanied by the DGNB certification system through a holistic and sustainable method of construction.