General FAQ
The DGNB Navigator is a building products platform that brings together the information offered by manufacturers on product-specific sustainability aspects with the demand of planners and architects. In addition, it bridges the gap to the DGNB certification.
The DGNB Navigator is aimed at anyone interested in building products and their composition, origin and manufacturing conditions. The special feature: In terms of content, the DGNB Navigator spans the arc to the certification of building projects. It is the only building product platform that combines product information with aspects of sustainability. The DGNB Navigator is suitable for:
- Manufacturers who want to present their own products,
- Architects and planners who are looking for suitable products for their building projects,
- builders and developers who want to get an overview on available products
- DGNB Auditors who use the DGNB Navigator as a central platform for documenting material ecology (Criterion ENV1.2: Local environmental impact) in the DGNB system
- Interested professional public
- A significant advantage for manufacturers who present themselves in the DGNB Navigator is the strong positioning of their own company in the sustainability market through documentation and transparency.
- Architects and planners are provided with a comprehensive information platform on all aspects of sustainable building through the DGNB Navigator, with information on sustainability aspects, visualizations and supplementary documentation on products, manufacturers and contact persons.
- DGNB Auditors use the DGNB Navigator as a working tool. It is the direct link to the DGNB System Software. Thus, a simple product documentation for certification is possible by mouse click.
No. Building products have a variety of uses and must meet different requirements. A fundamental evaluation of building products by the DGNB - for example through certification - is therefore excluded, as this would promote a preliminary decision in favor of a product without considering the corresponding installation situation in the building.
Therefore, no certifications of building products can be found in the DGNB Navigator, but optimally broken down information on products and their properties - with a direct interface to the DGNB certification. Based on this data transparency, planners and architects can select the right products for the respective point of use. The DGNB Navigator Label is also not a sustainability certificate, but an award for the highest standards of transparency.
The selection of the right building products and materials is of crucial importance for sustainable construction. For example, building products have an impact on the certification result and thus the overall performance of the building for more than half of the criteria in the DGNB system.
With its internal documentation area for DGNB Auditors, the DGNB Navigator also provides the central platform for documenting the "material ecology" (Criterion ENV1.2: Local environmental impact) in the DGNB system. Here the DGNB auditor lists the products to be documented according to the criterion for his project, which then leads to a classification of the project.
No registration is required for research purposes. You can access all content of the product database at any time free of charge and without registration.
If you as a manufacturer would like to post products, you must register free of charge.
As the only building product platform on the market, the DGNB Navigator combines the information offered by manufacturers on product-specific sustainability aspects with the demand of planners. At the same time, it builds a bridge to the DGNB certification. This is because building products have a direct impact on the certification result and thus the overall performance of the building for around half of the criteria in the DGNB system.
In principle, all products can be added to the DGNB Navigator. In the case of harmful products/ingredients or products that are not approved in Germany, the DGNB reserves the right not to publish the product. Products are classified according to product group, cost group and materiality. The search in the product database, which is accessible to all, is also structured according to the same logic.
It is up to the manufacturers to decide what information is made available. In principle, all information that the manufacturer wishes to make available to the user can be published. This can be
- Information about the manufacturer including a link to the company website
- Manufacturer logo
- General contact details or information about the product owner (if requested by the manufacturer)
- Product pictures
- Documents (safety data sheets, technical data sheets, EPDs, labels, certificates)
- Relevance of the product properties for the criteria of the DGNB system
- Life cycle assessment data
- Free text describing the product
The use of the online platform is free of charge for DGNB Auditors, architects, planners and all those interested in the DGNB Navigator. Only the publication of product data in the DGNB Navigator is associated with costs. More information can be found here.
The fees for publishing products in the DGNB Navigator are staggered according to the number of products posted. DGNB members can post the first three products free of charge and receive significant discounts. You can find more information here.
Yes, currently products can be displayed in German and in English. Other languages are currently in planning.
As an award, the DGNB Navigator label confirms the full data transparency of a product - also with regard to all information relevant for the DGNB system. This transparency provides all parties involved in the construction process with the necessary orientation to make an informed product selection in terms of sustainability.
A building product entered in the DGNB Navigator is automatically awarded the DGNB Navigator label by the DGNB at no additional cost if it meets the following requirements:
- Plausibility and completeness of the data query in relation to the DGNB system.
- Existence of a product- or association-specific environmental product declaration ("Type III declaration" according to DIN EN ISO 14025 and creation according to DIN EN 15804+A1 or DIN EN 15804+A2)
No. The access data for the internal member or auditor area can only be used for the login on www.dgnb.de. The use of the DGNB Navigator for manufacturers requires a separate, free registration.