HOCHTIEF Solutions is one of Germany’s leading providers of sustainable building. Now the Essen construction group has enhanced its portfolio in this market segment by adding a further service: For the first time, technical inspection agency TÜV NORD has awarded HOCHTIEF Solutions a certificate for the “climate neutral building” of an office property in Berlin. The concept behind the quality seal is that the green building experts at HOCHTIEF Solutions identify CO2 reduction measures for the construction phase, agree on them with the client, and then implement them. The remaining residual emissions produced during construction of the building are then offset through the purchase of certificates for recognized climate protection projects. Once the compensation payment had been made, the property was officially recognized as a “climate neutral construction”, allowing the builder, operator, user and owner to use the corresponding TÜV seal of approval in this connection.
“In TÜV NORD, we have been able to acquire a competent certifying partner. We are delighted that we have successfully concluded the pilot project and innovation plan launched in 2011, and are now able to present it to the market in the shape of a new service,” says Bernhard Hohmann from HOCHTIEF Solutions Consult Real Estate Services, summing up. Acting as an independent inspection agency, TÜV NORD CERT GmbH firstly verified the identified carbon footprint of the construction, subsequently confirming that these emissions had been offset through the retirement of emission reduction certificates by an independent authority.
The calculation and verification of the carbon footprint is based on TÜV NORD’s Climate Change Standard TN-CC 020. Thus a carbon footprint of 7,918 t CO2-equivalent was determined for the construction of the Berlin “Zukunfthaus” (with construction materials and inclusive of their manufacture, transport, and construction site processes). Compensation was dealt with through the climate neutral service provider, First Climate Markets AG, using certificates from a wind power project in India. This “Verified Carbon Standard”-certified renewable energy project in Tamil Nadu has achieved annual emission reductions of 5,000 t CO2-equivalent since 2006.
“On the Zukunftshaus project, the climate neutral approach fitted perfectly with the building’s overall ecological concept and was supported by the owner,” explains Uwe Machner from HOCHTIEF Solutions HTP Berlin-Brandenburg. “The property – developed by us and constructed by HOCHTIEF Solutions Building – meets the highest standards of sustainability and energy efficiency.” As far as possible, environmentally-friendly materials from sustainable production were used during construction. The energy concept includes concrete core activation, a water channeling control system in the ceilings, efficient heat recovery and mechanical ventilation. The result is an annual primary energy requirement of 70 kilowatt hours per square meter – far below the average. A photovoltaic system helps to supply the building with electricity. In March 2013 the building was awarded a Gold certificate from the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB). This also is the first “climate neutral construction” of a property in Germany to be certified to the TÜV standard.