Biodiversity

Stable, biologically diverse ecosystems provide fresh air and clean water, remove CO₂ from the atmosphere, offer protection against erosion, ensure pollination of (useful) plants and harvests and, last but not least, are attractive places for recreation and leisure. They are therefore of high economic and emotional value to humans. However, the diversity of species and ecosystems is rapidly dwindling. Since a loss of biodiversity and climate change are mutually negative, the biodiversity crisis is not only a growing economic problem, but also a humanitarian problem that needs to be solved.

The building industry in particular has a special responsibility here: buildings and infrastructure can contribute a great deal to the protection and promotion of biodiversity - for example, through bird-friendly window and façade planning and the installation of nesting boxes or insect hotels. In addition, green roof and façade areas not only offer animals a place to rest, but also contribute to better air quality.

With the explicit criteria "biodiversity" for districts and "biodiversity on site" for buildings, the influence on the surrounding ecosystems is taken into account in a DGNB Certification. This also takes into account aspects that are less visible at first glance, such as biotope networking, so as not to isolate plant and animal species, or long-term biodiversity strategies and care instructions. The protection of biological-ecological diversity and quality is also implicitly anchored in other DGNB Criteria. Furthermore, the DGNB recently developed a a variant of its DGNB System specifically focused on the promotion of biodiversity in exterior spaces. However, it is just as important for us as the DGNB to impart concrete knowledge on the subject of biodiversity. That is why the DGNB Academy is dedicated to this topic with a wide range of seminars.