Climate Positive? Here’s how

When it comes to the climate protection contribution of buildings, it is debatable whether neutral is already good enough.

Climate-neutral buildings also have a positive effect on the climate

In carbon accounting, as defined in the "Framework for climate-neutral buildings and sites" compiled by the DGNB, the term neutrality is synonymous with the mathematical target value of zero as a minimum requirement. If one leaves the purely balance sheet-based view, "neutral" only inadequately expresses what the buildings that are already climate-neutral today actually achieve: a positive contribution to climate protection. The DGNB has set itself the goal of highlighting these exemplary projects, presenting their success factors and thus inspiring others. For this reason, DGNB has created the "Climate Positive" award.

This is how climate-positive works

Buildings can already be planned, realised and operated in such a way that they are climate-positive - that is the good news that cannot be repeated often enough. However, economic solutions for achieving a climate-positive building certainly do not consist of simply working through and implementing measures without taking into account the overarching context. For this reason, the rather reactionary approach that prevails today urgently needs to be replaced by a sensible, systematic approach.
Systematic, climate-positive action means that every decision and measure must be evaluated and designed with the following aspects in mind

• Minimisation of the total energy requirement
• Efficient generation of energy
• Selection of energy sources with the lowest possible CO₂ intensity

Climate-neutral and, ideally, climate-positive buildings are active elements of the climate and energy transition. Independent and resilient, they not only reduce the carbon footprint of the building, but also that of the energy sector.