19 Oct 2011

Focused on sustainability: ASSA ABLOY member of DGNB

 

ASSA ABLOY Sicherheitstechnik GmbH has joined the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) as a cooperation partner. The document of membership was handed over during the EXPO REAL exhibition in Munich.

Sustainability is an important part of ASSA ABLOY’s business strategy. “As cooperation partner of the DGNB, we can contribute to develop the certification system for sustainable buildings” explains Markus Bade, coordinator of the DGNB activities at ASSA ABLOY Sicherheitstechnik.

Founded in 2007, DGNG develops a holistic certification system for sustainable buildings in Germany and abroad. The DGNB certificate honours environmentally friendly, economically efficient, and user-friendly buildings.

„We are happy to be a partner of the DGNB and to work actively at further developing the certification system“, says Markus Bade. “Being an internationally operating group, it’s very interesting for us that DGNB’s certification system is already used in many countries like Austria, Switzerland, China and Russia. Besides the other well-known systems LEED and BREEAM, DGNB has grown to a very strong organization who has implemented an effective and accepted certification system within short time.”

Elements of Life Cycle Costs (LCC) for the products used are also integrated into the certification system. Persistence, expandability, ease and periodicity of maintenance are relevant factors. Beyond, manufacturers will have to display the energy demand for production, utilization and recycling of their products via so called EPDs (Environmental Product Declarations)

„Sustainability will further gain in importance“ confirms Markus Bade. “We are well prepared at ASSA ABLOY and we work with our processes and products toward this goal. For the lock series from our plant in Albstadt, the first EPDs are available and more EPDs are in preparation for other product groups.”