Middelfart Municipality is at the forefront of the fight for green buildings of high architectural quality. As the first building in Denmark, the Municipality's new city hall is certified with DGNB Platinum + Diamond thanks to close collaboration between engineers, architects and contractors.
A professional jury appointed by the Green Building Council Denmark, the Danish Association of Architects/Akademisk Arkitektforening and the Danish Association of Architectural Firms/Danske Arkitektvirksomheder have awarded Denmark's first DGNB Diamond certification to Middelfart City Hall - an award for DGNB-certified buildings which focuses exclusively on the architectural qualities of the building. The city hall has been assessed by three professionals based on its functionality, durability and beauty in relation to its location and level of detail:
"To a large extent, the project strengthens the identity and cultural values of its location, both due to the architecture of the building but especially because of its function as a new landmark and focal point for the city's residents are some of the reasons stated in the assessment report of Green Building Council Denmark which, last year, launched DGNB Diamond Concept in Denmark.”
Mette Qvist, Director of the Green Building Council Denmark, says:
“Middelfart City Hall is an ideal example of the fact that it is possible to reconcile a proven top-notch sustainability with good architecture worthy of preservation which reflects back on its surroundings.”
The highest score on "environment" in Denmark, so far
The fact that, as the contractor, Middelfart Municipality has had high ambitions on behalf of the construction industry is clear to everyone. In addition to DGNB Diamant, the city hall has been awarded the DGNB Platinum Sustainability Certification with Denmark's highest score to date for its environmental qualities.
“Middelfart is Denmark's major municipality of green growth which also places an obligation on it in relation to construction when contributing to the green transition. With the city hall, we have taken responsibility as a municipality and proven that public buildings can be both sustainable, beautiful and communal. We have built an open workplace with the highest standards for sustainability and working environment and, at the same time, created a focal point and, at the end of the work day, a cultural centre. In all respects, a city hall with purpose,” says Johannes Lundsfryd Jensen (A/Social Democratic Party), Mayor of Middelfart Municipality.
Middelfart Municipality achieved DGNB Platinum by making the highest requirements for i.a.: the choice of materials, energy utilisation, user involvement, the working environment in the building and its interaction with the surrounding area. The floors are made of residual wood, the cooling is mechanically operated with electricity generated by 700m2 solar panels on the roof, all fixtures, walls and ceilings are noise-reducing, any surplus heat is used as district heating for the homes in the city, the food scraps from the canteen are turned into natural gas, the city hall square is a new focal point with a city centre, homes and experiences - and the city hall itself is a cultural centre with rooms for e.g. concerts when employees and politicians have left for the day.
The collaboration was crucial
Henning Larsen and Ramboll shared the role as auditor in the certification process and this, in itself, is news within the industry. The collaboration has shortened the distance between the parties involved to the benefit of the entire team and the sustainable initiatives of the project.
Gitte Gylling Olesen, Chief Specialist and DGNB Auditor of Rambøll, comments:
"Already in the early design phases, you have the collaboration on life cycle studies which form the basis for the selection of materials. Thus, from the start of the project, both environmental and health as well as technical qualities have been considered which means that, today, we have a building which is one of the three most sustainable in Denmark within the DGNB scheme."
At Henning Larsen, Martha Lewis, Senior Architect and DGNB Auditor, is also proud that Denmark's first Diamond certification can serve as an example for many buildings and collaborations in the future:
"The concept recognises that sustainable construction and quality architecture can go hand in hand and that we create more value when this is the case. That the city hall was constructed as a turnkey contract, led by 5E Byg, is spectacular. The company has contributed to several criteria and has, amongst others, been responsible for a comprehensive screening of chemicals in building materials,” says Martha Lewis.
Middelfart City Hall was designed by Henning Larsen and constructed as a turnkey contract by 5E Byg. The city hall was inaugurated in August 2017.
About DGNB Diamond
DGNB Diamond is an award that may be awarded to DGNB-certified constructions of significant architectural quality. DGNB Diamond is based on a two-part professional evaluation which aims to support, clarify and emphasise architectural quality in DGNB-certified construction through independent advice and evaluation of specific projects. DGNB Diamond is new in Denmark and a developed from the original German concept. Read more at http://www.dk-gbc.dk/dgnb/certification/dgnb-diamant/ (opens in a new window) .