Buro Happold has published a report comparing three widely used building certification frameworks in Europe: DGNB, BREEAM and LEED. The analysis was undertaken in response to the growing role of certification schemes in supporting buildings that respond to evolving policy requirements, climate-related challenges and investment considerations.

The study examines how the three frameworks address key topics affecting the building sector, including resilience, circularity, sufficiency, nature-positive design, decarbonisation, quality of life, governance and transparency. It also considers how certification approaches can help project teams, investors and other stakeholders assess sustainability objectives and future requirements when planning building projects.

According to the analysis, all three certification systems contribute to improving building performance through their latest methodologies. The report also highlights the absence of a common European sustainability benchmark for asset certification and explores how existing frameworks respond to policy developments, including alignment with European sustainability objectives.

_{Source of the picture: Buro Happold (© Buro Happold)}