Building certification for sustainability solutions raises various associations, but what does it look like from the data side? A report prepared by PLGBC tells us which certifications are most popular in Poland and at which buildings we use them.
This week we look at the publication „Sustainable Certified Buildings 2023” prepared by PLGBC, which is produced as an annual report on certification in Poland. From the report we learn, among other things, that the area of buildings certified in multi-criteria systems has exceeded 36 million square meters, with BREEAM being the most commonly chosen certification. We also read that the share of certified office and industrial buildings is growing significantly. From the report we will also learn about the dynamics of changes in the awarding of certificates, where Poland ranks against other countries in the region and why it is worth thinking about certification at all.
The report is available on PLGBC's website.
this is how much usable floor area of certified buildings in Poland
© PLGBC
Dawid Franke, co-author of the report and project specialist, talks about the introduction of sustainable development elements, the report's conclusions and further development directions
Wiktor Bochenek: What has changed since last year's report? Where are we seeing an increase in certification, and where are we seeing stagnation?
Dawid Franke: Relative to the previous report, more than 7.7 million square meters of certified space have arrived, an increase of about 27% year-on-year. We saw the largest increase in space in the BREEAM system, which surprisingly amounted to almost 7.5 million square meters. Systems such as GBS, LEED, and WEEL can also see an increase in space, but it is already less spectacular. Noteworthy is PLGBC 's proprietary certification, the GREEN HOUSE, which has already achieved a 1.6% market share despite its recent debut.
In the case of the HQE and DGNB systems, we have not seen new certifications for several years. The situation looks more interesting if we compare certification by industry. For the first time, industrial and logistics facility space has the largest share of certified space, which now accounts for almost 45% of the market share. The consequence of this was a significant decline, by more than 16%, in the share of areas of office buildings, which for many years were the leader of this list. For several years we have also seen a decline in the share of areas of retail, which averages 3% per year.
The most popular certificate is BREEAM
© PLGBC
Wiktor: How has the economic situation and the energy crisis affected certification issues?
Dawid: I think it is too early at the moment to draw concrete conclusions. Most systems require the certification process for new buildings to begin at the planning stage of an investment, much of which was planned much earlier. As a result, the impact of the change in the economic situation may not be noticeable until next year at the earliest, or perhaps even a few years from now. However, it is worth noting that we have seen a significant increase in the number of WELL Health-Safety Rating™ ratings in 2022, which may be due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the relatively easy and low-cost certification process.
The most frequently certified facilities are primarily offices and industrial buildings
© PLGBC
Wiktor: The aforementioned certification by PLGBC — GREEN HOUSE — is also slowly gaining momentum. How does it differ from other certificates and what is its purpose?
Dawid: Yes, the GREEN HO USE certification is gaining more and more interest, with a total of 27 residential buildings now pre-certified. The GREEN HOUSE multi-criteria certification is an assessment tool that indicates at what level a residential development fits into sustainable construction. This provides an informed customer with reliable information on whether an investment meets the most ambitious green building goals. It is difficult to briefly point out all the differences between GREEN HOUSING and other certifications, as each is based on a number of criteria that often differ from each other, particularly their scope. However, in the context of the Polish certification market, GREEN HOUSE is distinguished by the fact that it is intended exclusively for residential investments, and its acquisition is tantamount to low energy consumption, the use of high-quality materials and respect for the environment.
most certified buildings are being built in mazowsze
© PLGBC
Wiktor: Why do sustainable building issues today arouse extreme, very often negative emotions? What can be done to convince people about sustainable construction?
David: Sustainable construction is often associated with higher capital expenditures compared to traditional construction, and there is no denying that this is often the case. I believe this is the main obstacle facing sustainable building initiatives, which have many advantages and should become the standard.
Currently, we are seeing a rapid increase in energy carriers, which to some extent forces us to use energy-efficient solutions. In such a situation, it is sustainable construction that comes to the rescue, which can be financially beneficial for users in a few or several years. The priority is to reduce energy consumption and operating costs, for example, by ensuring high insulation of the building envelope and using high-efficiency technologies using renewable energy sources, such as heat pumps, photovoltaic panels, solar panels and building management automation systems.
It is also worth keeping in mind other key goals of sustainable construction, such as reducing the environmental impact of buildings throughout their life cycle and ensuring the comfort and health of occupants. That's why I think the best way to encourage the use of sustainable construction is to raise environmental awareness among the public, because what it offers is still underestimated.
Wiktor: Thank you for the interview.
The report is available on the PLGBC website.
The report is available on the PLGBC website
© PLGBC
