The DGNB has announced the winners of its Sustainability Challenge 2025. The competition is aimed at projects that go beyond regular certification requirements and develop exemplary solutions for climate-appropriate construction. The award documents the current state of innovative concepts in the areas of circular economy, CO₂-reduced materials, and resource-efficient construction.
The submitted projects demonstrate how ambitious climate goals can be combined with economically viable solutions. The focus is on concepts based on measurable and verifiable criteria – from reducing embodied energy to the use of recycled materials to the deconstruction capability of structures. In particular, the integration of EPD data in the planning phase is gaining importance.
The Challenge provides planners and architects with valuable guidance: the awarded approaches document which technical and organizational measures have proven themselves in practice. This applies to both material choices – such as the use of CO₂-reduced concrete or cross-laminated timber – as well as processes like the early involvement of specialized planners for deconstruction concepts.
The award complements the existing DGNB certification system and provides additional momentum for the further development of sustainable building standards. In light of stricter regulatory requirements – such as the Building Energy Act or future CO₂ limits – the competition provides concrete references for building owners and investors. At the same time, it becomes clear: sustainable construction does not necessarily require novel constructions, but above all requires consistent material selection and well-thought-out detailed planning.
Further information on DGNB certifications can be found in the context of current projects such as the DonauTower with DGNB Gold or the triple certification of Berlin Hyp.
