2017 was a successful year for DGNB certifications. It is becoming more and more important to organisations that they plan, build or operate buildings, or entire urban districts, holistically – taking the whole range of sustainability factors into account. This was also highlighted at the Expo Real Trade Fair for Property and Investmentin Munich in October, where the DGNB issued a record number of certificates.
The DGNB certification ceremony for the Kö estate at Expo Real 2017
The ultimate DGNB certification level is platinum, an award very few organisations attain. To earn a platinum certificate, projects have to meet over 80 per cent of the criteria on the total performance index. At the same time, they have to demonstrate that they meet a comprehensive range of sustainability standards, covering individual areas such as environmental, economic, socio-cultural, and functional quality. In each area, a minimum score of 65 per cent has to be achieved.
We would like to present the crème de la crème projects. These are all the projects that topped the DGNB certification rankings in 2017 by achieving the highest percentages for each scheme.
Top performer, existing buildings: Building 86, the Wieland factory
The building with the highest overall performance on the DGNB certification index in 2017 is located in the Bavarian town of Vohringen. The project related to an existing building at the Wieland factory not far from the company headquarters in Ulm. It was the only project to achieve a certification rating of over 90 per cent. It was also a shining example of the positive influence developers have on sustainability standards if they themselves are the users of a building.
A unique example: Vector Informatik awarded both DGNB platinum and diamond certification
Another good example of this influence a building’s user wields is the H36 administration building owned by Vector Informatik, which is based in Stuttgart. The building achieved a score of 83.8 per cent. Not only was this one of the highest DGNB certification scores on the total performance index, it was only the second building until now to also attain DGNB diamond certification for its outstanding architectural qualities and Baukultur. In fact, this was the first project ever to receive the award in combination with a DGNB platinum certificate.
The H36 administration building in Stuttgart. Copyright: Vector Informatik GmbH
The best office and administration buildings are located in Luxembourg and Frankfurt
There were only two offices or administration complexes built in 2017 that scored better than Vector Informatik. The first was the bâtiment administratif MERCIER belonging to POST Luxembourg, the telecommunications company. The development achieved a score of 87.4 per cent. Not only was this building outside Germany, it also achieved the highest overall score from the DGNB for a new building.
Bâtiment administratif MERCIER. Copyright: POST Luxembourg
The top score in Germany for a new development was achieved by the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) for its new main administration building in Frankfurt. The building achieved a score of 86.8 per cent.
The highest score on the total performance index for the other schemes for new buildings was achieved by a mixed-used building called Hainspitze, a site in Leipzig developed by Centrum Projektentwicklung GmbH, which scored 84.0 per cent.
Platinum for buildings in use and interiors
A building developed by ECE Projektmanagement GmbH & Co. KG achieved a record DGNB certification score for buildings in use: the Billstedt Center in Hamburg scored 83.3 per cent. Initial certification gained by ECE for its buildings in use resulted in seven developments gaining platinum from the DGNB in 2017, including developments in Hungary and Austria.
2017 was the first year that the DGNB awarded certification for sustainable interiors. The top score for buildings submitted for the pilot phase of this new scheme was achieved by Interface, also a DGNB member, for its Living WorkPlace development in Krefeld.
Interface Office in Krefeld. Photo: Bernadette Grimmenstein
DGNB platinum for business districts and industrial sites
The certificates issued for business districts also included two developments with the highest possible DGNB rating in 2017. Both projects scored 81.5 per cent on the total performance index. The Kö district in Dusseldorf, which was commissioned by Hines Immobilien GmbH, was the second business district ever to gain a platinum DGNB certificate. The same applied to a Porsche development in Stuttgart, Plant 4, which fell under the industrial site scheme.
The Kö complex in Dusseldorf. Copyright: msm meyer schmitz-morkramer and Konzept 3D
To find out more about all of the projects that were awarded DGNB certification in 2017, keep browsing through the DGNB website. Our site also includes developments that were awarded platinum by the DGNB for pre-certificates in the course of the year. For an overview, click here.