This includes the planning of buildings, but also their construction and operation. The DGNB considers itself to be the central German organization for exchange of knowledge, professional training, and for a raising public awareness for this future-oriented part of the building sector. The focus of the DGNB is on awarding the certification for sustainable building. Being amongst the driving forces to initiate the DGNB, PE INTERNATIONAL strongly supports and essentially shaped the development of the German Sustainable Building Certificate. Johannes Kreißig, Director Sustainable Construction at PE INTERNATIONAL, is one of the CEOs and the DGNB:
Sustainable building means to build intelligently: The focus is on a comprehensive quality concept that serves the building and real estate sectors, as well as society in general. Sustainable properties are beneficial to the environment, conserve resources, comfortable and healthy for their users, and fit optimally into their socio-cultural surroundings. In the same way, they stand for economic efficiency and long-term value-retention. Sustainable properties are cost effective due to their lower operation and maintenance costs. The manageable additional planning and construction costs will usually amortize in a few years.
Sustainability is a crucial topic at the present time in the construction and real estate sectors. Increasingly, ecological, economical, and socio-cultural issues are focal points in the planning, construction, and operation of buildings. The German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB for “Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen”) harmonizes these aspects. With their certification system, they help to optimize and document the quality of building projects.
Buildings are responsible for approximately 30 % of raw material use and 40 % of energy consumption and carbon emissions worldwide. Sustainable building aims to systematically reduce these figures by focusing on future developments in these fields. At the same time, sustainable building provides social and economic benefits.
