Taxonomy-compliant building: solution through early integration into planning and sound material evaluation

According to a recent analysis by Sustainable Finance Cluster Germany (2024)¹, only 16% of revenues in the real estate sector are currently classified as taxonomy-compliant. This shows that early verification of taxonomy compliance has hardly been implemented in practice so far. RITTWEGER + TEAM is one of the leading players in taxonomy-compliant construction. The impact service provider addresses this by offering companies a methodologically sound evaluation solution for taxonomy-compliant material and construction decisions already in the planning phase.

Material Evaluation as a Key Lever

A major lever for taxonomy-compliant construction lies in the choice of materials. RITTWEGER + TEAM uses insights from its in-house Circular Material LAB to evaluate building materials specifically against taxonomy-compliant criteria. This methodological evaluation creates a robust foundation for resource-efficient construction and supports the transition to a circular construction industry.

Heiko Rittweger, Managing Partner of RITTWEGER + TEAM, emphasizes:
"The EU Taxonomy is fundamentally changing the construction and real estate industry. Developers, planners, architects, and other real estate professionals who adopt sustainable strategies early on benefit not only environmentally, but also economically – through better financing conditions, long-term value appreciation, and increased attractiveness for investors."

The Federal Chamber of Architects (BAK) also highlights in its guideline “EU Taxonomy for Planning Offices” (2024)², published jointly with the Association of Consulting Engineers VBI, that the early integration of sustainability criteria into planning is crucial for the taxonomy compliance of construction projects. The EU Taxonomy defines sustainability standards for buildings, ranging from climate protection and resource efficiency to biodiversity.

Comprehensive Support – From Analysis to Implementation

RITTWEGER + TEAM supports construction projects comprehensively from planning to implementation according to taxonomy standards:

• Classification of the construction project within the six environmental objectives of the EU Taxonomy and assignment of the economic activity
• Examination of technical thresholds & DNSH criteria (Do No Significant Harm) to ensure that EU environmental objectives are not adversely affected
• Determination of the taxonomy eligibility & taxonomy compliance status as well as identification of appropriate courses of action to achieve compliance
• Identification of optimization potential and supplier selection considering taxonomy-compliant criteria, vulnerability analyses, and building LCAs (Life Cycle Assessments) to evaluate the entire life cycle of a building and ensure verifiability
• Finalization of the data basis and documentation as a foundation for building certification and for integration into verifiable ESG reports and sustainability communications
• Practical training for the secure application of the EU Taxonomy

Through this holistic process, a well-founded decision-making basis is created for sustainable construction projects that meet both ecological and economic requirements.

Competitive Advantages through In-Depth Taxonomy Expertise

The auditing firm PwC makes it clear in its EU Taxonomy Reporting (2024)³ that companies that adopt taxonomy standards early on are better positioned from a regulatory standpoint and can more easily adapt to the growing market demands. This can lead to long-term advantages in capital procurement and strategic orientation. While many players are still struggling with the implementation of the EU Taxonomy, RITTWEGER + TEAM provides a solid foundation for taxonomy-compliant construction projects with its scientifically based material evaluation and strategic methodology.

Further information on the services of RITTWEGER + TEAM for taxonomy-compliant construction