We are delighted to announce the publication of the revised version of the certification system for new construction projects abroad. The system is flexible and can be adapted to the climatic, structural, legal and cultural characteristics of the respective project location. This country-specific adaptation of the benchmarks and weightings is carried out directly within the certification process, which makes the DGNB System unique compared to other international certification systems. Like the German version, this international version is also suitable for all common building types.
The DGNB has achieved the status of undisputed market leader in Germany amongst providers of certification systems. However, the DGNB’s approach is also attracting increasing attention internationally.
Of the more than 15,000 projects that will have been awarded under the DGNB System by the end of 2025, around 20 per cent are located abroad. In total, DGNB-certified projects are spread across 36 countries.
Revised criteria harmonised with key international regulations
The basis for the certification of New Construction projects outside Germany is the international version of the DGNB System. The previously valid version from the year 2020 has been fundamentally revised and aligned with the standards of version 2023.2 of the certification system, which is valid in Germany. In the process, the number of criteria has been greatly reduced, the requirements have been formulated more simply, and user-friendliness has been optimised.
During the revision, all criteria were harmonised with the most important international standards and regulations. For use in other European countries, regulatory requirements such as the EU taxonomy and the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) are fully reflected. Regional deviating general conditions, such as specific climatic characteristics, local water availability and specific cost factors, are taken into account in the criteria.
At the same time, the system is designed to serve as a basis for sustainable finance, enabling building owners to extract the key metrics for their reporting directly.
“The new version of the international DGNB System is not only a practical, forward-looking and ambitious certification system that helps to improve the built environment, project by project. It is also an expression of our understanding of good, sustainable planning and construction. For those who are looking for more than just an evaluation of their building – but rather wish to plan and implement it in a way that is future-proof and adds value – DGNB certification is the first choice.” Johannes Kreißig, Managing Director of the DGNB
Download the DGNB Criteria Set
The complete criteria set, as well as a wealth of further information on the international version of the DGNB System for New Construction (latest version 2026), is available online at www.dgnb.de/zertifizierung/international.
Digital information session
For those interested, the DGNB is also offering a digital introductory session on the topic. This will take place in English on 28 September 2026 from 2.30 pm.