Think sustainability beyond “just” reducing energy consumption!
Use the building resource passport to lay the foundation for a circular economy and increase the value of the property (NOW and for future generations)!
Rising energy costs and dwindling resources have led to innovation and a shift in thinking in the real estate industry after years of perceived stagnation. Factors such as sustainability and climate friendliness are becoming increasingly important, especially in the construction and operation of buildings, with the current focus primarily on optimizing energy performance. However, to represent a holistic life-cycle assessment of a building, more is required. All factors along the value chain and throughout the life cycle of a property must be captured and processed. The coalition agreement of the current German federal government explicitly addresses this in the form of a building resource passport.
Buildings with Identity
The core idea of a building resource passport is the centralized recording of all property-specific data. Based on this data, information such as the amount of embodied (grey) energy contained in a building can be provided. It serves as an information repository and facilitates data exchange between owners and service providers from the initial planning phase through to the operation of the property. Another decisive advantage is transparency, which not only provides a sound basis for financial and economic decisions, but also enables optimal use of resources. The latter, in particular, will be essential in the future, as project developers and building owners are already facing increasing material shortages and rising raw material prices in many areas.
All Facts at a Glance – From Production to Demolition
Unlike traditional data repositories that merely store information, the building passport is an active medium. Starting in the planning phase, all building-relevant data is collected. This includes not only the type and quantity of materials used, but also their composition, toxicity, location within the building, information on recyclability, and associated CO₂ emissions. Over time, this is supplemented with all necessary administrative documents relating to the property, its technical and functional characteristics, and its ecological, social, and financial performance. In addition to classic data entry, this can also be achieved by uploading energy performance certificates, sustainability certifications, material, renovation, and climate passports, as well as material lists.
The result is a living document that not only provides insights into the original design and the materials and components used, but also includes a continuous, dynamic record of all performance data. When a property is sold, the building passport changes ownership as well, ensuring that data and building always remain linked. Looking at the international real estate market, the comprehensive introduction of a building resource passport creates transparency, security, and precise comparability. The same applies in the event of demolition. Thanks to the detailed documentation of installed raw materials, the building passport enables the determination of a property’s pure material value and supports the effective recycling and reintegration of materials into the resource cycle.
Next Stage: Circular Economy
However, establishing a functioning circular economy requires more than a generally mandatory building passport. It also requires common data standards and the creation of a comprehensive material cadastre.
Using a project example, Patrick presents the digital cadastre Madaster, which enables the precise identification of construction products based on manufacturer information and thus promotes their reuse and recycling. To establish regional value chains in the future and effectively organize material flows, the digital building passport must therefore be linked to a material cadastre and subsequently to national or local cadastres or registers. Only in this way can a circular economy function and resources be used more sustainably in the future.
