Scheme overview
DGNB, LEED, BREEAM, AKTIVHAUS and PASSIVHAUS. What are the differences between the various certification schemes? Do we need so many?
Sustainable building
Sustainable building can be measured using a number of certifications which have come into being in recent years.
On this theme page, Associate Professor Tine Steen Larsen PhD from Aalborg University in Denmark describes the five key certifications. Moreover, you can read about Google’s new database Portico, which will make it easy to choose smart and healthy materials for Google’s buildings.
Silver for Troldtekt after more stringent requirements
The Troldtekt acoustic series has just been recertified according to Cradle to Cradle version 3.1. Troldtekt achieved gold level in four out of five criteria and retains its overall certification at silver level, despite the fact that version 3.1 has more stringent requirements.
The certification covers the complete range of Troldtekt acoustic panels, including those supplied in their natural colour and those painted in Troldtekt’s standard colours.
LEED and BREEAM-NL acknowledge Cradle to Cradle
In the latest versions of the American LEED certification scheme and the Dutch version of the BREEAM scheme, credits and points are awarded when Cradle to Cradle certified products are used in buildings.
Cradle to Cradle certification can be achieved for products which, after detailed examination, live up to requirements in five areas. For example, the product must be sustainably produced and so healthy that it can be part of a biological or technical cycle.
Google HQ in Dublin
Employees from 65 countries work at Google’s European head office in Dublin. The four office buildings are a wealth of shapes, colours and exciting interiors and also count five restaurants, fitness rooms and a 25-metre swimming pool. The project expects to be LEED Platinum-certified.
Kindergarden in Haukaasen
The outdoor kindergarten in Trondheim was the first new educational building in Norway to be BEEAM-NOR-certified. The kindergarten has been certified in the category ‘Very good’, and thus has a sustainable profile in relation to its building materials, heat source, energy consumption and design. The kindergarten is primarily made of wood, which made Troldtekt ceiling panels the obvious choice.
School in Oakmeadow
The school is one of the UK’s first Passivhaus-certified primary schools. It has a very low energy consumption, and gives teachers and pupils a comfortable working environment with fresh air, good ventilation, daylight and a spacious layout. The architectural firm Architype has also created a good sound environment in the classrooms and sports hall, which are traditionally noisy places.
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