Sustainable building is all about variety – diverse options, perspectives and of course: people. The theme of variety will take centre stage at our Annual Congress in 2025. As well as taking stock and assessing where we now stand with sustainable building as 2025 gets underway, we will also discuss innovative pathways to a sustainable future for the building and property sector. A number of speeches will be delivered to offer inspiration and open our eyes to what is possible. There will also be discussion panels in ‘theme rooms’ to pool expertise on key challenges facing the industry. Two days focusing entirely on sustainable building – with its many facets, perspectives and different ways to move things forward.
The online DGNB Annual Congress 2025: schedule
| 9.30 - 10 a.m. | Moderated discussion DGNB Annual Congress opening Speakers:
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| 10 - 10.45 a.m. | Keynote speech followed by Q&A session | Please note that this talk will be held in English. Speaker: Juan Carlos Monterrey Gómez, Ministry of the Environment, Panama Following his presentation, Juan Carlos Monterrey Gómez will answer questions from the audience. |
| 10.45 - 11.30 a.m. | Topic room Reason rather than restraint – how the principles of sufficiency are transforming construction
Moderator: Dr Christine Lemaitre, DGNB |
| 11.30 - 11.45 a.m. | Open Stage DGNB members introduce themselves
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| 11.45 - 12.30 p.m. | Talk followed by Q&As WORK PANORAMA 2025 2024 provided a striking demonstration of how innovation and global developments fuelled profound transformation in the world. At the same time, priorities are changing: the markets of the future are being re-evaluated, business models are being scrutinised and society’s expectations of companies are shifting. More and more people, organisations and managers are posing key questions: Which technologies will be decisive over the next decade? How do they shape our world of work? How can we design sustainable and adaptable working environments that also make sense in ecological, economic and social terms? And what impacts are decentralisation, human-machine interaction and immersive technologies having on the way we work? Real progress depends on how we leverage all available opportunities to create a world of work that is not only productive, sustainable and inclusive, but also revolves around people. Raphael Gielgen, Vitra GmbH Following his presentation Raphael Gielgen will answer questions from the audience. |
| 12.30 - 1.15 p.m. | Topic room More than the sum of all parts: how to make resource assessments work on a building level
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| 1.15 - 1.30 p.m. | Open Stage DGNB members introduce themselves
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| 1.30 - 2 p.m. | Lunch break |
| 2 - 2.45 p.m. | Talk followed by Q&As Choice architecture: how well-designed transport infrastructure accelerates the green transport revolution The traditional distinction made by the German Fee Structure for Architects and Engineers (HOAI) between architecturally designed and purely functional engineering structures contrasts with the requirements of future-orientated transport infrastructure. The paradigm shift – away from car-dominated transport to sustainable travel options – requires a new approach to planning infrastructure projects. To integrate non- and only partially motorised road users successfully, it is essential for infrastructure planning to revolve around actual users. The current tendering process in engineering construction places very little emphasis on key factors such as the quality of spaces, subjective safety and inclusivity, even though such aspects play a decisive role in long-term acceptance and usage patterns. Everyday transport choices are very personal – you can’t force people to cycle to work. But by making designs more inviting, we can motivate people to choose sustainable transport options. Speaker: Bart Halaczek, Knight Architects Following his presentation, Bart Halaczek will answer questions from the audience. |
| 2.45 - 3.30 p.m. | Topic room Municipal stock – the role of portfolio approaches in meeting climate targets
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| 3.30 - 3.45 p.m. | Open Stage DGNB members introduce themselves
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| 3.45 - 4.30 p.m. | Talk followed by Q&As “I’m aware that I know (almost) nothing”. The lack of ESG data as a hurdle for sustainable property financing. Whether a bank wants to minimise physical or transitory risks, evaluate biodiversity impacts, determine taxonomy conformity or calculate climate pathways for its property portfolio – there’s almost no area it doesn’t need ESG data on property. The only problem is: there is no data. Or often, those that do have data won’t hand it over. The foundation data needed for more sustainable properties isn’t there. This talk will focus on the ESG data that banks need, what it’s needed for and which data sources are available to them - at least in theory. Speaker: Dr Andreas K. Gruber, Deutsche Kreditbank AG Following his presentation, Andreas Gruber will answer questions from the audience. |
| 4.30 - 5.15 p.m. | Topic room Transformation financing: how banks, asset owners and the construction industry can work together effectively Speakers:
Moderator: Dr Christine Lemaitre, DGNB Further information on the speakers to follow. |
| 5.15 - 5.30 p.m. | Wrap-up Speakers:
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| 9.30 - 10.15 a.m. | Talk followed by Q&As Mono-material building structures: the concept behind sufficiency and how it’s realised. The Collegium Academicum and the new wooden building. The Collegium Academicum (CA) in Heidelberg is a pioneering housing project that has attracted significant attention – both in the media and among experts – due to its rigorous application of sustainable building practices and the personal initiative of its young project team when it comes to administration. This talk by design expert and architect Hans Drexler will present the architectural features of the CA, including its mono-material primary structure, its sustainable use of timber, its flexible floor plans and a design principle based on participatory planning. This concept of seeing the building as a ‘laboratory’ makes it possible for residents to actively participate in the room configuration process. Franziska Meier, a senior manager at Collegium Academicum GmbH and one of its founding members, will then trace the remarkable journey of a group students as they became property owners. She also explains how focusing on the common good and sustainability measures became an integral part of the project. One particular focus lies in passing on the vision to current residents as the building enters use. The CA is a striking demonstration that sustainability and architectural excellence can go hand in hand, setting new standards of communal living based on groundbreaking principles. Speakers:
After the presentation, the speakers will answer questions from the audience. |
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| 10.15 - 11 a.m. | Topic room Buildings become a role model: a discussion with the finalists of the German Sustainability Award for Architecture Speakers:
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| 11 - 11.15 a.m. | Open Stage DGNB members introduce themselves
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| 11.15 - 12 p.m. | Talk followed by Q&As The UBS4 pilot project – 71 climate-friendly social housing units A pilot project in the town of Norderstedt, UBS4 involves the construction of 71 climate-friendly social housing units. Spearheaded by BLU, a firm belonging to the AUG. PRIEN Group, the aim of the project is to reconcile the requirements of climate change mitigation with social housing demands. We already starting bringing industry partners, business leaders and the skilled crafts on board long before the process of awarding contracts. Embarking on close collaboration early spawned a variety of innovative concepts, also resulting in positive net environmental impacts; to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of construction, especially compared to conventional building methods, a timber frame was used with cross-laminated wooden ceilings on a geopolymer concrete base. Further highlights include a prefabricated facade of recycled clinker bricks and room partition walls made from straw boarding panels. Speaker: Carsten Joost, blu by AUG.PRIEN GmbH Following his presentation, Carsten Joost will answer questions from the audience. |
| 12 - 12.45 p.m. | Topic room Standard practice or still early days? How sustainable building has become established in Europe Speakers:
Moderator: Dr Christine Lemaitre, DGNB Further information on the speakers to follow. |
| 12.45 - 1 p.m. | Open Stage DGNB members introduce themselves
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| 1 - 1.30 p.m. | Lunch Break |
| 1.30 - 2.15 p.m. | Talk followed by Q&As | Please note that this talk will be held in English. Sustainable construction in the Nordic countries: the building's carbon footprint and limit values The revised Energy Performance of Building Directive puts a focus on how to minimize the green house gas emissions and environmental footprint of buildings e.g. by a focus on the whole life cycle of a building. Nordic countries have worked close on this topic in resent years. Some have made it mandatory to calculate, some has also put a limit to how much CO2e one can emit per m2. A lot of lessons have been harvested. The presentation will give a comprehensive overview of the approaches taken in the different countries. Highlight enables, give specific examples of regulation, point to the role of digitalisation, summaries key take aways with specific examples and open up for dialogue with questions. Speaker: Helle Redder Momsen, Nordic Sustainable Construction, Danish Authority of Social Services and Housing Following her presentation, Helle Redder Momsen will answer questions from the audience. |
| 2.15 - 3 p.m. | Topic room Corporate real estate: the benefits to companies of more sustainable buildings Speakers:
Moderator: Johannes Kreißig, DGNB Further information on the speakers to follow. |
| 3 - 3.15 p.m. | Open Stage DGNB members introduce themselves
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| 3.15 - 4 p.m. | Introductory discussion followed by Q&As Urban planning, (land) policy and activism in a world of inequality Most people on this planet – especially women, the focus of my/our work, for example in Lagos, Nairobi or Dadaab – have to get by on very little money: between 1 and 5 dollars per person per day; they’re literally living from hand to mouth. The struggle to survive and the ingenuity of these women contrast with a huge sense of helplessness and/or unwillingness on the part of governments, investors and experts to provide basic necessities such as clean water, functioning toilets or affordable housing. Speaker: Prof Fabienne Hoelzel, Fabulous Urban, ABK Stuttgart Following her presentation, Fabienne Hoelzel will answer questions from the audience. |
| 4 - 4.45 p.m. | Topic room Juggling responsibility and impact: how to inject meaning into the ‘S’ of ESG Speakers:
Moderator: Dr. Anna Braune, DGNB |
| 4.45 - 5.30 p.m. | Wrap-up and outlook Speakers:
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Note: the entire two-day programme will take place online. It is not possible to attend the event on site. With the exception of a small number of English discussions, most of the event will take place in German. Navigation of the online conference platform is also only possible in German.
CPD points for architects: the programme of the DGNB Annual Congress has been registered with the Baden-Württemberg Chamber of Architects for recognition as continuing professional development. Please contact service@dgnb.de for more information.
CPD points under the DGNB System are not awarded for this event. Participation in the annual congress can therefore not be used to obtain a licence for DGNB Consultants, Auditors and ESG Managers. More on ways to obtain your DGNB licence here.
Open Stage sessions: DGNB members introduce themselves
Open Stage sessions are a special feature of our programme and will take place on both days of the congress. The idea is to offer DGNB members an opportunity to introduce themselves in concise, two-minute ‘elevator pitches’.
We offer this opportunity free of charge but do have to limit the number of organisations showcasing their services. Slots will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. If you’re interested in contributing to an Open Stage session, please email usand provide us with a brief description of your product or service: service@dgnb.de.
Your contact
Julia Treiber
Project Manager Trade Fairs and Events
- Phone: +49-711-722322-29
- Email: J.TREIBER@DGNB.DE
Angelina Wenzel
Project Manager Events and Speaker Service
- Phone: +49-711-722322-76
- Email: a.wenzel@dgnb.de