The DonauTower has received DGNB certification in Gold. The award from the German Society for Sustainable Building signals that sustainable building standards are increasingly moving from being an exception to becoming an expected standard. For planners, architects, and building material dealers, this raises the question: What specific requirements must be met and how does this affect material selection and execution?
Evaluation across six topic areas
DGNB certification evaluates buildings holistically. In addition to ecological quality – such as through the use of recycled building materials or materials with low environmental impact – economic, sociocultural, technical, procedural, and location-specific aspects are included in the assessment. A project receives Gold with a fulfillment rate of 65 percent across all criteria.
For the DonauTower, this means, among other things: transparent EPD documentation of the building materials used, evidence of energy-efficient building technology with low U-values of external building components, as well as a well-conceived concept for reducing land consumption and promoting biodiversity at the site.
Impact on material selection and processing
The certification directly influences building material selection. Products without an EPD or with a high CO₂ footprint make it difficult to achieve the required score. Manufacturers such as Heidelberg Materials, Holcim, or STEICO now offer product lines with reduced emission values and complete environmental documentation. Insulation materials with low lambda values and high recycling rates are also gaining in importance.
For processors on the construction site, little changes initially – the products remain established in craftsmanship. However, complete documentation is crucial: delivery notes, product data sheets, and EPDs must be available and archived to secure the certification. This requires more precise procedures in logistics and on the construction site.
Signal effect for future projects
The DonauTower's award is part of a growing number of DGNB-certified building projects. Recently, Berlin Hyp set new standards with a triple certification. Sustainability certification is also increasingly becoming a requirement in public procurement. This means: Those who engage with DGNB criteria early on as planners, manufacturers, or processors gain a competitive advantage.
Practice takeaway
The DonauTower's DGNB Gold certification shows: sustainable building is technically and economically feasible – and is becoming the norm. Architects and planners should plan EPD-based building materials early on, building material dealers should expand their product range accordingly, and processors should pay attention to proper documentation. Certification is not a marketing label, but a measurable standard with direct impact on material selection, construction process, and project costs.
