Sustainability requirements for construction products in the DGNB system
All questions about DGNB-compliance answered at a glance.
The PROCA DGNB declaration provides all actors involved in construction with a statement of how a product contributes to achieving DGNB building certification. A simple, structured and BIM-compatible presentation of the required product data provides clear orientation and planning security.proca-DGNB-Deklaration bietet allen am Bau beteiligten Akuteren eine Aussage, wie ein Produkt zur Erreichung einer DGNB-Gebäudezertifizierung beiträgt. Eine einfache, strukturierte und BIM-kompatible Darstellung der benötigten Produktdaten schafft eine klare Orientierung und Planungssicherheit.
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Requirements for construction products derived from this
The certification system founded by the “German Sustainable Building Council” was first launched on the market in 2008. The DGNB system evaluates buildings holistically based on individual criteria within the categories of ecological quality, economic quality, socio-cultural and functional quality, technical quality, process quality and location quality. Certifications are available for new buildings, existing buildings and national and international locations to certify different building types. Buildings can achieve bronze, silver, gold and platinum awards.
There are currently two versions of the DGNB certification system: DGNB 2018 and DGNB 2023.
The DGNB23 version contains stricter requirements to further optimize the construction sector and to demand measures for more sustainability and climate protection in the building sector. New features include a change in the weighting of points, new minimum requirements and a general revision of the individual criteria. The new version takes into account the requirements of QNG, the EU taxonomy and the EU reporting framework level (s). This means, for example, that anyone who wants to carry out ESG verification for the EU taxonomy in the future can do so as part of the DGNB23 new building certification.
Certifications are currently being carried out in accordance with both versions. Construction projects that have registered for the 2018 version by November 30, 2023 are still being assessed according to the 2018 version. Appraisals in accordance with version 2023 have been available since July 2023.
In the 2018 version, the list of criteria comprised 37 criteria, with the new 2023 system comprising only 29 criteria (divided into the 6 categories mentioned above). Most of these criteria do not place specific requirements on the building products, but on the building itself, such as its floor plan layout or the like. These criteria are available in both versions. However, the following criteria place specific requirements on individual products and are therefore particularly important for construction product manufacturers:
DGNB system criteria relating to construction products
Criterion ENV 1.2: Risks to the local environment
The aim of the criterion is to reduce, avoid or substitute all dangerous or harmful substances, (construction) products and preparations that may affect the environment or cause damage. This applies both to processing on the construction site and to the use phase and to both indoor and outdoor products. In order to keep risks to the local environment as low as possible, a careful selection of low-polluting and low-emission construction products is necessary. As part of the assessment in this criterion, relevant products (other than those which are inherently emission-free) must comply with certain emission limits set for their product type. For example, for some products, formaldehyde emissions must be below a certain limit and for others, VOC emissions must be below a certain limit. Products that meet all requirements are considered to be of the highest quality and receive quality level 4 out of 4.
In EPEA's ProCA declarations, the DGNB criterion ENV 1.2 is presented with a result of 0—4. Products that do not have requirements in this criterion are shown as “no requirement.”
Criterion ENV 1.3: Responsible resource extraction
The aim of the criterion is to improve human rights and environmental protection in global supply chains. Taking responsibility for this means that companies identify potential risks with suppliers and prioritize the use of products in buildings and their outdoor facilities, which are optimized in terms of their ecological and social impact across the entire value chain and whose raw material extraction and processing comply with recognized ecological and social standards.
In Env 1.3.1, the basic requirements for responsible use of resources are assessed. This includes product features such as whether there is a CSR report for the product, whether material extraction and processing takes place in Europe, and whether production is free from child and forced labor. For products made of wood, natural stone or concrete, more detailed questions are also asked about the origin of these products. This includes whether wood products have PEFC or FSC certification, whether stone products are certified with WiN Fair Stone and whether concrete products have CSC certification. In the PROCA declarations, this criterion is shown with a result of 0 - 3, where 3 out of 3 represents the highest quality level. Products that do not have requirements in this criterion are shown as “no requirement.”
Env 1.3.2 deals with the topic of secondary raw materials used in a product. If a product contains secondary raw materials and these also come from sustainable sources (i.e. can provide certifications as described under 1.3.1.), points can be earned for this criterion. In the PROCA declarations, this criterion is given a rating of 0 - 3, with 3 out of 3 representing the highest level of quality.
Furthermore, this criterion is shown as “no requirement” in the DGNB 2023 version. Products for which there are no requirements in this criterion. It is important to note that not all products can reach quality level 3/3, as not all products have the type of certification required for the highest quality level.
In proca, ENV 1.3 is divided into ENV 1.3.1 and 1.3.2. The reason for this is that ENV 1.3.2 only covers the secondary raw materials used in the product, while in ENV 1.3.1, the primary materials are evaluated. In order to clearly represent this distinction, this criterion was subdivided into proca.
TEC 1.6 criterion: Circular building
The aim of the criterion is to use natural resources sparingly and efficiently. The DGNB is therefore calling for solutions that make it possible to reuse values that have already been created as loss-free as possible. The aim of the criterion is therefore to create a truly implemented circular economy that enables actors and users to reduce the consumption of natural resources to a minimum or even completely refrain from doing so. It is important to note that this criterion is assessed at building level in the DGNB 2018 version, so that individual products are not rated here.
For the DGNB 2023 version, questions about the circularity of the product are asked within this criterion. This includes, for example, how much recycled content is in the products, whether the lifespan of the product can be increased, whether the product is biodegradable or compostable, and whether the product can be disassembled into its individual parts, which in turn can be recycled. If a product can demonstrate these behaviors, points can be earned for this criterion. In the PROCA declarations, this criterion will be shown with a rating of 0 - 6.
At present, this criterion is not being assessed, but it is planned to include this criterion in proca in the future.
Other criteria of the DGNB system
In addition to the criteria mentioned above, there are some criteria on which construction products have an indirect effect. However, as there are no specific product quality requirements here, these criteria are not covered in the PROCA declarations.
ENV 1.1: Life Cycle Assessment
This criterion aims to represent the emissions of a building over its life cycle. This ranges from the manufacturing phase through the use phase to the end of the life cycle. The individual building materials and construction products that make up the building play a relevant role here.
ECO 1.1: Building-related costs in the life cycle
This criterion consists of calculating the costs incurred over the entire life cycle of the building. Here, too, there are no specific requirements at product level, but the costs of the products are part of the overall rating.
SOC 1.2: Indoor Air Hygiene
Products that can prove that they are emission-free and therefore have no harmful effect on indoor air quality are rated positively within the framework of this criterion. However, this criterion is calculated at building level and is not based on a single product.
