DGNB - German Sustainable Building Council

For planning and evaluation of buildings, there is a new

and clearly structured tool: The German Sustainable Building

Certificate. As meritocratic rating system, it covers all

relevant topics of sustainable construction. Outstanding

buildings are awarded in the categories bronze, silver, or

gold.

Clear Topics

During the evaluation, 6 topics are considered by the certificate:

– Ecological Quality

– Economical Quality

– Socio-cultural and Functional Quality

– Technical Quality

– Quality of the Process

– Quality of the Location

Evaluation

From a total degree of compliance of

– 50 %, the bronze certificate is awarded

– 65 % for silver

– 89 % for gold

Alternatively, the total degree of compliance is indicated by a grade:

a total degree of compliance of

– 95% corresponds to grade 1,0

– 80 % corresponds to 1,5

– 65 % corresponds to 2,0

Evaluation Matrix

Each criterion can be assigned a maximum of 10 points, depending

on the documented or calculated quality. All criteria are weighted

with a factor from 0 to 3, because individual criteria are treated

as either more or less relevant. The evaluation matrix

shows the structure of the system. The degree of compliance with

the requirements of the certification is calculated in accordance

with the evaluation matrix.

Energy

It can be found under the "Ecological Quality" group of criteria (12 criteria)

Criterion 10: Non-Renewable Primary Energy Demands

Goal

The use of non-renewable energy resources shall be reduced. With

the identification of the non-renewable primary energy demands,

the energy-efficiency of the construction and use, as well as the

energy demands of the upstream chain is evaluated. The energy

demands of the users’ equipment are not evaluated. Primary energy

is the energy that is available from naturally existing energy sources.

Included are non-renewable energies such as black coal, brown

coal, petroleum, natural gas, and uranium.

Methodology

The demands of non-renewable primary energy is calculated

over the life-cycle of construction, reconditioning, operation, and

deconstruction/disposal of a building (in kWh/m²NFA*a). The input

quantities for the operating phase can be taken from the energetic

proof according to EnEV 2007. For the classifying the ecologic

impacts of the building’s structure, including its systems engineering,

an eco-accounting of the used materials and/or of the building

parts according to DIN EN ISO 14040 and 14044 is necessary.

Data Basis

The data identification (eco-balance as well as calculations of EnEV)

is largely the same for the criteria 01 to 05 and 10 to 11. By entering

the building data into the appropriate software, the life-cycle

costs can be calculated simultaneously.

www.nachhaltigesbauen.de:> Baustoff- und Gebäudedaten >

Nutzungsdauern von Bauteilen

The “eco-balance” (“Ökobilanz“) supplement has to be considered

for the calculation of the non-renewable primary energy demands.

Criterion 11: Total Primary Energy Demands and Percentage of Renewable Primary Energy

Goal

The total demand for primary energy shall be minimized and the

percentage of renewable energy shall be maximized during the life

cycle of a property. Among the non-renewable primary energies

are black coal, brown coal, petroleum, natural gas and uranium;

and among the renewable energies are biomass, solar radiation,

geothermal energy, hydropower, and wind energy. The total value of

primary energy demands are evaluated, as well as the percentage

of renewable energy demands, as compared to the total primary

energy demands.

Methodology

The percentage of renewable energy as compared to the total

primary energy demands for the construction and use is evaluated

over a period of 50 years. The input quantities for the operating

phase are taken from the energetic proof according to EnEV 2007.

Here, differing from EnEV 2007, the standard is a coverage proportion

of 15 % of the heat-demand by solar heat. For the classifying

the ecologic impacts of the building’s structure, including its systems

engineering, an eco-accounting of the used materials and/or of the

building parts according to DIN EN ISO 14040 and 14044 is necessary.

For the evaluation of the construction, including the systems

engineering, reference values are defined on the basis of an average

office building. The evaluation of the criterion “Percentage of

Renewable Primary Energy” is made by comparing the percentage

of renewable energies regarding the total primary energy demands

of the realized building with the reference building.

Data Basis

The data identification (eco-balance as well as calculations of EnEV)

is largely the same for the criteria 01 to 05 and 10 to 11. By entering

the building data into the appropriate software, the life-cycle

costs can be calculated simultaneously.

www.nachhaltigesbauen.de:> Baustoff- und Gebäudedaten >

Nutzungsdauern von Bauteilen

Non-renewable primary energy can be transferred from criterion 10.