DGNB Annual Congress

The two-day digital congress highlights current developments around sustainable building

Sustainable building means diversity - diversity of possibilities, of perspectives, of people. Our Annual Congress on 27-28 February 2024 focused on this very diversity. The event assessed where we are at the start of 2024 in terms of sustainable building and discussed promising ways forward for a sustainable future for the building and real estate sector. Keynote speeches offered inspiration and opened our eyes to what is possible. Discussion panels in themed rooms brought together expertise on the key challenges facing the industry. Two days of sustainable building in all its facets, perspectives and options.

Save the date: In 2025, the DGNB Annual Congress will take place on 25 and 26 February!

The programme of the DGNB Annual Congress 2024

9:30 - 10:00	Mainstage Opening DGNB Annual Congress Johannes Kreißig, DGNB Dr Christine Lemaitre, DGNB Moderation: Felix Jansen, DGNB
10:00 - 10:30	Mainstage (Keynote) "Take everyone with you? Or explain everything? Why the complexity of sustainability puts us in a communication dilemma. And how we can find a way out" Jens Schröder, Science journalist (GEO, National Geographic) and podcaster
10:30 - 10:45	Backstage In conversation with Jens Schröder Following his presentation on the main stage, Jens Schröder will answer your questions in the backstage area.
10:45 - 11:30	Themed room Ready for 2030: How the DGNB is paving the way for the sustainable building of the future Under the working title "Version 2030", the DGNB is developing a compass for the sustainable planning, construction and operation of the future. Distilled down to just a few criteria, it focuses on the key issues that are truly fundamental to sustainable building. The themed room focuses on the aspects defined in Version 2030 and discusses the extent to which it is already possible to integrate these future requirements into every building project. Dr Anna Braune, DGNB Jan Zak, ikl Ingenieurbüro Moderation: Dr Christine Lemaitre, DGNB
11:30 - 11:45	Open Stage Members of the DGNB introduce themselves blocher partners Schultheiß Software AG Ramboll Deutschland GmbH Adapteo GmbH nestbau AG
11:45 - 12:15	Mainstage (Keynote) "Welcome to the jungle of regulations - the legal foundations of sustainable building " Michael Halstenberg, Franßen & Nusser Rechtsanwälte
12:15 - 12:30	Backstage In conversation with Michael Halstenberg Following his presentation on the main stage, Michael Halstenberg will answer your questions in the backstage area.
12:30 - 13:15	Themed room EU Green Claims Directive: How the rules of the game are changing in climate and sustainability communication (Discussion in English) The EU Commission has defined common criteria for its member states to minimize the opportunities for greenwashing in the interests of consumer protection. Does this mean that the days of exuberant marketing claims about climate neutrality and the like are over? The themed room presents what exactly is behind the EU measure, what the new requirements mean for product manufacturers and what role certifications play in this. Michael Halstenberg, Franßen & Nusser Rechtsanwälte Dr Christine Lemaitre, DGNB Emmanuelle Maire, European Commission Sisse Norman Canguilhem, Green Building Council Denmark Moderation: Felix Jansen, DGNB
13:15 - 13:30	Open Stage Members of the DGNB introduce themselves UMGIS Informatik GmbH Holcim Deutschland GmbH Moselkraft GmbH PMF Housing GmbH ELOXESS Experts
13:30 - 14:00	Break
14:00 - 14:30	Mainstage (Keynote) "U-Halle, Mannheim - open architecture" Frank Schönert, Founder and office partner, Hütten & Paläste
14:30- 14:45	Backstage In conversation with Frank Schönert Following his presentation on the main stage, Frank Schönert will answer your questions in the backstage area.
14:45 - 15:30	Themed room Role models of conversion culture: how the transformation of existing buildings can succeed The U-Halle in Mannheim, the headquarters of the German Alpine Club in Munich and the CCH Congress Centre in Hamburg: the three finalists for the German Sustainability Award for Architecture are all characterised by their exemplary use of existing buildings. In the themed room, the showcase projects will be presented in more detail, and discussions will be held on how sensitive treatment of existing buildings can succeed in practice. Christian Taufenbach, Element · A Frank Schönert, Hütten & Paläste Tim Hupe, Hupe Flatau Partner Prof Amandus Samsøe Sattler, studio ensømble berlin, Chairman of the jury for the German Sustainability Award for Architecture Moderation: Matthias Schäpers, DGNB
15:30 - 15:45	Open Stage Members of the DGNB introduce themselves timpla GmbH Purpose Green Real Estate GmbH Teuffel Engineering Consultants Commerz Real AG Envola GmbH
15:45 - 16:15	Mainstage (Keynote) Michael Arnold, Stapferhaus
16:15 - 16:30	Backstage In conversation with Michael Arnold Following his presentation on the main stage, Michael Arnold will answer your questions in the backstage area.
16:30 - 17:15	Themed room Climate construction site "Infrastructure": How we can finally get more sustainability into the procurement process When discussing ways to reduce CO₂ emissions in the construction sector, the biggest lever is often forgotten: infrastructure projects. This makes it all the more important to look at the potential for sustainability in the construction and maintenance of transport routes, tunnels and bridges. This themed room presents the latest developments in sustainability assessment and discusses them in the context of awarding contracts based on sustainability criteria. Markus Kelzenberg, DGNB Christine Baur-Fewson, Autobahn GmbH des Bundes Tim-Oliver Müller, Hauptverband der Deutschen Bauindustrie Prof Dr Ulf Zander, Federal Highway Research Institute Moderation: Johannes Kreißig, DGNB
17:15 - 17:30	Mainstage Wrap-up Felix Jansen, DGNB

9:30 - 10:00	Mainstage (Keynote) "Building within planetary boundaries" Prof. Andrea Klinge, ZRS Architekten Ingenieure, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie KIT
10:00 - 10:15	Backstage In conversation with Prof. Andrea Klinge After his presentation on the main stage, Prof. Andrea Klinge will answer your questions in the backstage area.
10:15 - 11:00	Themed room Biodiversity in practice: How to design outdoor spaces with a positive impact The importance of preserving ecosystems and biodiversity is increasingly recognised. But how can those involved in the design of the built environment make a difference? In the themed room, we will present the new DGNB Certification System for Biodiversity-Promoting Exterior Spaces and discuss with practitioners and policy-makers the experience and knowledge they have gained in the context of promoting biodiversity in practice. Silke Küstner, WWF Florian Mayer, Federal Agency for Nature Conservation Pia Präger, Gardening and landscaping Moderation: Dr Anna Braune, DGNB
11:00 - 11:15	Open Stage Members of the DGNB introduce themselves Hydro Building Systems GmbH Trei Real Estate GmbH One Click LCA Kieback&Peter GmbH & Co. KG Dall'Armi Ingenieure
11:15 - 11:45	Mainstage (Keynote) “PLAN B not Planet B” (Keynote in English) It is increasingly clear that the green movement has not progressed as planned. While more spending are spent on green solutions, “business-as-usual” has not been tackled adequately to shift the needle of sustainability. There is now an urgent need to find PLAN B to achieve a more workable solution. AI and machine learning are new entrants to the formula. Applied correctly, it would bring fresh perspectives as part of PLAN B. Professor Tai Lee Siang, Head of Pillar, Architecture and Sustainable Design
11:45 - 12:00	Backstage In conversation with Professor Tai Lee Siang Following his presentation on the main stage, Professor Tai Lee Siang will answer your questions in the backstage area.
12:00 - 12:45	Themed room Sustainable finance: the role of banks and insurance companies in transforming the built environment From a nice-to-have to a must-have: the European Union's Green Deal has radically changed the way sustainability issues are addressed in the property and finance sectors. In the wake of sustainable finance and ESG, banks and insurance companies are increasingly taking a central role in driving change. The room explores the extent to which this new role is already being actively embraced and the importance of building knowledge within the organisation. Jens Böhnlein, Commerz Real Thomas Hein, ING-DiBa Alexander Küsel, German Insurance Association Moderation: Dr Christine Lemaitre, DGNB
12:45 - 13:00	Open Stage Members of the DGNB introduce themselves Tholl Consulting GmbH Daiwa House Modular Europe ArcelorMittal Verband Garten-, Landschafts- und Sportplatzbau Baden-Württemberg e.V. Aris GmbH
13:00 - 13:30	Break
13:30 - 14:00	Mainstage (Keynote) "Dignity by Design: Keeping people at the centre of climate action in the built environment" (Keynote in English) Annabel Short, Institute for Human Rights and Business
14:00 - 14:15	Backstage In conversation with Annabel Short After her presentation on the main stage, Annabel Short will answer your questions in the backstage area.
14:15 - 15:00	Themed room Health in buildings: How to design, build and operate allergy-friendly buildings We build for people. This may sound trivial, but in practice it is all too often overlooked. Yet buildings can make an important contribution to keeping us healthy and productive. But when it comes to planning and building, what needs to be taken into account? How do you create spaces where people with allergies feel comfortable? The themed room explores the question of what a healthy, allergy-friendly building can look like. With a short opening keynote by Prof Dr med Dr h. c. Torsten Zuberbier Angela Balatoni, Allergy Friendly Buildings Alliance Thomas Kraubitz, Buro Happold Prof Dr med Dr h. c. Torsten Zuberbier, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Allergology (IFA) Moderation: Johannes Kreißig, DGNB
15:00 - 15:15	Open Stage Members of the DGNB introduce themselves C5 GmbH gbd Tec GmbH Fliesen Lang GmbH BIMity
15:15 - 15:45	Mainstage (Keynote) Prof Dr Uwe Schneidewind, City of Wuppertal
15:45 - 16:00	Backstage In conversation with Prof Dr Uwe Schneidewind Following his presentation on the main stage, Prof Dr Uwe Schneidewind will answer your questions in the backstage area.
16:00 - 16:45	Themed room Climate resilience: How cities can adapt to the changing demands of climate change Transforming our cities in the face of climate change is one of the key challenges of our time. But where to start? Which climate adaptation measures are irreplaceable, which can be tackled later? The Theme Room examines existing strategies and invites people to share their experiences. It also looks at how existing districts can be optimised in a sustainable way. Prof. Stephan Lenzen, Büro RMP Stephan Lenzen Landschaftsarchitekten Prof. Dr. Lutz Katzschner, INKEK Institute for Climate and Energy Concepts Matthias Schäpers, DGNB Moderation: Dr Stephan Anders, DGNB More information on the speakers will follow.
16:45 - 17:30	Mainstage Wrap-up Felix Jansen, DGNB

On the DGNB YouTube channel you can watch all the keynotes and discussions from the themed rooms.

DGNB Youtube-Channel

Training credits for architects: This event is recognised by the Baden-Württemberg Chamber of Architects as further training with a scope of 8 teaching hours for members and architects/urban planners in practical training for all disciplines. This applies to participants who attend all sessions of the congress on both days. Partial points cannot be awarded for individual sessions. If you are interested, please contact Lale Arikan at l.arikan@dgnb.de after your successful participation in the DGNB Annual Congress. We will then check your attendance at all sessions and issue you with a confirmation for submission to the Chamber of Architects.