Sustainability Rating Systems
Minimise your building’s environmental footprint and ensure future sustainability
Real estate assets that do not meet new sustainability standards may be at a disadvantage in the marketplace. A sustainability system can contribute towards healthier environments and ecosystems for living and working; simultaneously driving down operating costs while increasing the lifetime value of the building and its assets.
TÜV SÜD has a global network of experts who facilitate the entire green building certification process. We help define your sustainability objectives and assess the feasibility of certification for your building, new or old. Our green building experts work with your team to explore alternative means of meeting building owners’ objectives, budget constraints and certification requirements.
Our Services
Preliminary assessment
- Our experts will help you define your sustainability objectives, determine which properties in your portfolio are suitable for certification and more.
- We provide expert analysis reports based on a pre-assessment inspection of the building structure, systems and energy consumption to identify potential areas for optimisation.
Green building design review
- Once a suitable certification system is identified, our experts can review the designs of your mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) systems according to certification requirements as well as choice of construction materials and building equipment, to formulate an action plan towards compliance.
- We also conduct 3D energy modelling and photorealistic lighting simulations of the building to predict how its various systems consume energy and maximise the use of natural lighting.
On-site inspection
- TÜV SÜD’s experts offer quality assurance by conducting periodic inspections of the site to ensure that the building construction is being carried out according to the design plan.
Commissioning services
- TÜV SÜD’s commissioning services help ensure that the building design and construction are calibrated according to the building owner’s intentions.
- This also determines readiness for the formal certification process. In addition, we conduct post-occupancy surveys to track the effectiveness of sustainability measures.
Facilitation for certification
- TÜV SÜD facilitates communication between your company and the relevant Green Building Council or Certification Body to help you attain certification.
- This includes preparing all design and construction documents and contracts, as well as green building requirements, before submitting them to the relevant Certification Body.
Training
- Our sustainability experts can train building management teams in building systems maintenance and help to ensure that architects, owners and builders use eco-friendly designs effectively.
Sustainability rating systems covered:
BREEAM (UK)
- Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) is one of the most common and internationally recognised voluntary certification schemes for sustainability in buildings.
- BREEAM assessments are carried out to test the performance of buildings over a wide range of criteria from energy to ecology, pollution, transport and more.
LEED (U.S.)
- Another widely recognised green building programme, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system requires objective evidence that specific requirements have been met in the areas of site sustainability, water efficiency and more.
- The LEED certification uses a 100-point scale for rating and awards credits based on potential environmental impacts.
DGNB (Germany)
- The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen (DGNB) rating system requires fulfilment of 50 different criteria from six quality sections: environmental quality, economic quality, sociocultural and functional quality, technical quality, process quality, and site quality.
- It can be tailored to meet country specific requirements while allowing for international benchmarking with worldwide certified buildings.
TÜV SÜD SCoRE (Germany)
- Our proprietary TÜV SÜD Sustainable Certification of Real Estate (SCoRE) system is a cost-efficient tool for assessing and enhancing the future viability of existing buildings.
- This sustainability certification is developed on the basis of technical and environmental due diligence. It is uniquely suitable for analysing your property in depth and can detect factors that other systems might miss, such as contamination.
Various national green building standards
- In addition to commonly used international standards, TÜV SÜD also has expertise in several national green building standards applicable to local markets.
Your Benefits
- Safeguard your investments - with a green building certification that serves as proof of quality to significantly improve the marketability of your property.
- Save money - by quickly pinpointing ways to reduce your energy costs and improve operational efficiency.
- Minimise risk - by complying with national and international statutory requirements, which puts your company on sound footing both economically and ecologically. Engaging TÜV SÜD’s experts at the beginning of a construction project can also avoid consequential costs later on due to incorrect modernisation work.
- Gain a competitive edge - with a world-recognised green building certificate that improves your company’s image and the status of your property, putting you in a better position for negotiations.
- Add value to your occupants’ quality of life - by demonstrating your commitment to sustainability. This will motivate building occupants to do the same, leading to a better indoor experience and quality of life for everyone.