DGNB VS. LEED: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Nowadays, with an intensifying climate change, resources running short, economic complexity and debts going sky high, the idea of "sustainability" becomes more and more important. However, the views on this topic are inconsistent and partially affecting themselves. In the building sector with its high demand for energy as well as resources and corresponding costs the issue is also on the agenda. There are plenty of approaches and methods how to measure, evaluate and control the impacts of buildings on the environment. Most promising are rating methods for a standardized and scientific based assessment of buildings. In Germany for example the so called "energy certificate" intends to create transparency regarding the energy efficiency of buildings. To promote sustainable buildings, several organizations were founded in the past years, developing implementation strategies in the form of certification systems, based on ecological, economical and social aspects. In 1999 the World Green Building Council (WGBC) based in Canada was founded. Essential objectives are the promotion of sustainable buildings, transfer of information and innovation between the countries as well as the support of effective certification systems. The members support measurable and assessable buildings by the development and enhancement of certification systems or alternatively the adaptation of existing systems to the requirements of their countries. In Germany the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) was founded three years. ago. It is a WGBC member and meanwhile offers the assessment method "German Sustainable Building Certification". The system aims to close the gap left by well established methods like the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) or the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED): the assessment of a building's whole life-cycle. This comparative overview shows the standards and guidelines the systems are based on, their main targets, the weightings of the indicators and also which aspects are neclected.