The German Aerospace Centre (DLR) has been awarded silver BNB certification for its new executive and administration building in Cologne. With this award, the German government recognises the sustainable planning and construction process of the new building, for which the Technical Infrastructure department was responsible. It is the second DLR building to receive an award in accordance with the Sustainable Building Assessment System (BNB) – a proof of the organisation's ongoing commitment to sustainable building culture.
Modern working environment with sustainable standards
The building offers around 11,500 square metres of floor space for around 520 modern office workstations. In addition to a high level of space efficiency and energy-optimised building technology, the focus during planning was on the comfort and well-being of the employees. Construction work was completed in spring 2025 and employees have since moved into the new premises.
Committed project work leads to success
In addition to ecological aspects, the BNB also takes into account economic and socio-cultural aspects such as energy consumption, choice of materials, life cycle costs and indoor climate. The successful certification process was accompanied by the Facility Management West team, whose expertise, coordination and commitment made a significant contribution to achieving the BNB requirements.
About the BNB
The BNB is a holistic instrument for assessing the sustainability quality of buildings in the public sector. It was developed by the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Building (BMWSB) and sets standards for future-orientated construction methods.
The criteria assessed include:
Conservation of resources and energy efficiency (ecological quality)
Life cycle costs and value stability (economic quality)
Comfort, health and user satisfaction (socio-cultural quality)
