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Green Building – Certified sustainable construction

Climate change and resource scarcity mean that the construction industry has some rethinking to do. It is therefore increasingly opting for Green Buildings, whereby buildings are developed with sustainability as a guiding principle. Informative certifications for the evaluation of construction products and buildings are also available.

Ecological construction as a commitment and challenge

We only have one planet. How can we sustain it? How can we live, do business and build on our planet so that it is inhabitable for the next generation? By acting sustainably. It’s an obligation on all of society, including the construction industry. The key word here is Green Building, which means sustainable construction, covering everything from selecting suitable construction locations to specially chosen materials, increased energy efficiency, and certified interiors.

The Green Building concept aims to preserve the ecosystem and the environment, and to benefit people and society. It therefore takes the changing relations between people, the built environment and the ecosystem into account. The aim is to leave behind an intact world fit for habitation by future generations.

The guiding principle of sustainability therefore ideally covers the whole life cycle of a building - from the project development and planning through to construction, operation, maintenance and disassembly. "Green" buildings are therefore characterised by a high-quality ecological design and superior resource efficiency in the areas of energy, water and materials. Damaging effects on health and the environment are reduced to a minimum.

Smart Buildings – making intelligent construction possible

Excellent architectural quality, functional working environment, sustainable management: the ÖAMTC headquarters in Vienna with German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) certified products from GEZE.

ÖAMTC headquarters: intelligent planning delivers low operating costs © Sigrid Rauchdobler / GEZE GmbH

Sustainable construction in principle therefore means smart construction and in particular, the efficient use of energy and resources and of automated building technology to increase comfort and functionality. Intelligent buildings offer comfortable, environmentally friendly high-tech environments which are more productive to live and work in.

In practice, the main focus is generally on energy consumption since property operating costs account for around 40 per cent of Germany’s entire energy demand. For example, if 50 per cent of older buildings were modernised for sustainability, carbon dioxide emissions could be reduced by 200 million tonnes per annum. New buildings all now have a focus on energy efficiency.

Certification for green buildings

The Empire State Building, the most famous office building in the world, was fully renovated in 2009. Since then, it has been a model of sustainability and energy efficiency. It was awarded the LEED Gold Award in 2011, making it the largest building in the USA to receive a LEED award. LEED is one of the most well known certification systems for assessing the ecological, social and economic quality of buildings.

Sustainable buildings are more valuable, with lower operating and maintenance costs. With their high quality evident to owners, tenants and users, they are easier to sell or lease. Certified buildings can be compared at both a national and at an international level. Demand for certified buildings is constantly increasing.

Various certification systems for sustainable construction have been established in the international sphere. They rate buildings using a specific catalogue of criteria, but use different weightings and are based on typical national standards and regulations.

The most well-known Green Building Rating Systems are

  • the British BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) certification system,
  • the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification system from the U.S. Green Building Council,
  • and the DGNB (German Sustainable Building Council) certification system.
     

These certifications allow building operators and owners to follow a structured procedure to take practical and measurable measures for the planning, construction, operation and maintenance of sustainable buildings. They are now applied worldwide.

EPD – Declaration of environmentally relevant product properties

EPD certificate label

EPD certificate label

Green Buildings use ecologically safe, low-emission materials. Information for the German market is provided by the construction material industry under the umbrella of the IBU (Institut Bauen und Umwelt e.V.) using Environmental Product Declarations, or EPDs for short.

An EPD provides quantified environmental information on the life cycle of a product to enable a comparison with products with the same functions. An EPD is based on independently checked data from ecological life cycle assessments, specialist assessments or information modules which comply with the ISO 14040 series of standards.

The German Institute for Construction and the Environment (IBU) and the Institute for Window Technology in Rosenheim are publicly recognised facilitators of the programme in Germany, and create and publish EPDs for the construction sector.

The procedure for the production of EPDs since 2005:

  • Manufacturers create an ecological assessment for their product and present this data as an EPD in accordance with the European standard.
  • The IBU has the information checked by independent experts and the EPD is then published.
     

EPDs describe construction materials, products or components in relation to their effect on the environment based on the ecological assessment, and their functional and technical properties. This information relates to the whole life cycle of the construction product. The energy consumption needed for manufacture and the emissions this causes, the durability, and the capacity for dismantling and recycling are identified.

EPDs form the foundation of data for the sustainability assessment of buildings, for example through the BREEAM and LEED international assessment systems, or the systems operated by the DGNB (German Sustainable Building Council) or the Federal Ministry of Construction.

The three key building certifications

The certification systems examine and certify the sustainability of whole buildings. The German DGNB Seal and the American and Canadian LEED certificate are currently battling to be considered the most comprehensive certification system. For example, Deutsche Bank decided to have all its company buildings, and especially newer buildings, certified according to DGNB and LEED so that it can compare its international property portfolio.

All three labels follow the same basic procedure. Buildings aiming for the award must meet a very complex catalogue of requirements. Various criteria are assessed using a points system and assigned to the building. An assessment is produced from all of the categories and sub-categories which indicates how sustainable the building is.

As a company that has enshrined sustainability as a key guideline, and makes an active contribution to energy-efficient construction, membership of the DGNB is an obvious choice.

Brigitte Vöster-Alber, Supervisory Board Member GEZE

The most important Green Building assessment systems: BREEAM, LEED, DGNB

Building sustainability has become increasingly important in recent years. Certification systems for sustainable buildings are gaining recognition, alongside the development of new criteria and assessment systems. A building certificate is awarded when the quality requirements specified and published by an organisation have been met. These certifications are primarily used for quality assurance and to publicly communicate that the respective label has been obtained. Investors, owners, tenants and users can assess the quality of a building based on its certification. The three selected seals are difficult to compare since factors are weighted very differently.

Online databases for green construction products

Construction products significantly contribute to the sustainability of buildings. If planners or owners wish to gain certification, they need to schedule products which meet the certification requirements. Online databases help with product research and verification of the certification body. Manufacturers can document their commitment in the area of sustainability.

  • IBU.data
    A database provided by the Institute for Construction and the Environment (IBU) which provides the ecological data from the environment product declarations (EPDs) in XML format. The EPDs can thus be used to calculate a building’s ecological assessments.
  • DGNB Navigator
    The DGNB Navigator also lists construction products which feature environmental product declarations (EPDs) as well as complete information. The DGNB navigator builds a bridge between construction products and the DGNB certification system for buildings by providing the required data for building certification.
  • greenbuildingproducts.eu
    A database for products which have been assessed according to DGNB, LEED or BREEAM criteria. The product database provides construction professionals with the required information and verification documents for the individual products in a pre-prepared form. The advantages include: Time-saving when researching products and collating evidence, planning security for Green Building Projects, and provision of all relevant evidence documents.
  • building-material-scout.com
    Service platform for green building projects. The BMS offers a comprehensive tool for the planning and implementation of Green Buildings - from the automated evaluation of products according to the common sustainability criteria DGNB, LEED or BREEAM, to the simple and fast search for products with all relevant supporting documents, to the project documentation.

Sustainable construction with GEZE

Intelligent drives and controls from GEZE ensure energy-saving and environmentally friendly aeration and ventilation.

Drives and controls from GEZE for sustainable construction © Exorbitart / GEZE GmbH

GEZE supports sustainable building as an active member of the Institute for Construction and the Environment (IBU) and of the German Sustainable Building Council.

From product development and production through to sales, maintenance and after-sales service, GEZE works according to the latest environmental standards. Our quality management system is certified according to the DIN EN ISO 9001 standard.

The longevity of GEZE products is evidence of their sustainability. With a high proportion of metal raw materials, GEZE products are highly recyclable and so Exceptionally environmentally friendly. They also make an important contribution to energy-saving buildings. GEZE automatic door systems close reliably, reducing the loss of warm or cold air through the door opening.

The automated window systems are also part of the aeration and ventilation system, which uses fresh air and the effects of wind and thermal technology. This is also taken into account for the EU-valid lowest energy standards, which are stipulated by the Energy Saving Ordinance in Germany. Intelligent drives with the latest controls from GEZE ensure aeration at the push of a button. They can also be combined with sensors which automatically open and close windows when needed. Natural ventilation and cooling at night also help to naturally cool buildings and to reduce the use of air-conditioning units.

GEZE supports sustainable energy concepts with networked system solutions and the integration of GEZE drives into building technology or building management systems (which coordinate and monitor the window systems). The myGEZE Control building automation system for smart door, window and safety technology plays an important role in saving energy and makes buildings smart and green.

Go to the GEZE solutions

GEZE products satisfy LEED and DGNB criteria

GEZE products provide evidence of compliance with DGNB and LEED criteria via the EPDs and are therefore listed in the DGNB Navigator and greenbuildingproducts.eu online databases with the respective certificates. The certificates provide evidence of the number of points which a GEZE product can contribute to successful DGNB or LEED certification of a building. GEZE thus supports its clients in achieving Green Building certification.

Certified products facilitate planning

Transparent and evidence-based representation of product properties (EPDs) is important to GEZE.

GEZE products satisfy DGNB and LEED criteria. This is increasingly important for architects when planning energy-efficient green buildings.

GEZE provides support for planning and creating Green Buildings - both for new builds and for the renovation of existing buildings.

Architect hotline

Our project consultants are available via the GEZE architect hotline (Mo-Thu: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. / Fri: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.) to provide you with detailed information and advice on our products and their use. Give us a call on +49 (0)7152/203-112.

GEZE product sustainability

From product development and production to sales, maintenance and after-sales service, GEZE works according to the latest environmental standards. The GEZE environmental management system is certified in accordance with the international standard DIN EN ISO 14001. GEZE supports sustainable building as an active member of the Institute for Construction and the Environment (IBU) and of the German Sustainable Building Council.

The sustainability of all GEZE products and systems is already evident in their long service life, which is based on premium material and production quality. For example, we were able to implement process automation with minimum amounts of lubrication and so avoid using cooling lubricants. Only a very small amount of an air-oil mixture is needed. This ensures sustainable, efficient and economic conditions at all GEZE production sites worldwide.

In addition to the positive aspects of eco-balance, the door closers are already long-lasting due to their functioning. They prevent doors from being left open unintentionally and contribute to the energy efficiency of the building.

More on sustainability at GEZE

Transparent information on products and production

Sustainability is one of our guiding principles. From product development and production through to sales, installation and after-sales service, we operate according to sustainability standards. Our high-quality products coupled with our comprehensive consultation and support in all the construction phases are of valuable assistance to our customers and partners. They make the planning of sustainable buildings and their increasingly important certification in a growing green building market easier. We attach great importance to providing transparent information about our products and their environmental data.