The conference considered the following issues: environmental certification for buildings, green building, environmental building solutions, and urban planning.
The conference was started by Rafał Schmura from the Polish Green Building Council (PLGBC). His lecture concerned human impact on the environment and the significance of environmental certification for buildings. According to Rafał Schurma, initiatives undertaken by independent institutions, aimed at introducing uniform standards concerning the environmental certification for buildings, are the key element of sustainable development. The presentation dealt with the major global issues connected with all aspects of human life, from social and environmental to economic ones.
Then Ewa Kosmala from Knauf Insulation gave a short presentation which dealt with the latest achievements in the production of mineral wool.
D. Czesław Bielecki from Dom i Miasto and D. Michał Stangel from the PLGBC spoke about such urban development which involves the least possible impact on the environment and provides maximum comfort for residents. The way to achieve these goals is appropriate land-use, which in many Polish cities do not exist at all or is disconnected from reality.
The second part of the conference focused on substantive issues related to DGBN certificates and EPD (Enviromental Product Declaration) standard. “The EPD is an integral part of all processes connected with green building, because it is not only about constructing energy-efficient buildings, but also about using ecological materials,” said Ewa Kosmala, an authorised representative of the Knauf Insulation management board.
Panels about the DGNB (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen) certificate were led by Dominic Church, who specialises in an international version of the DGBN certificate. Those panels explained the tasks and role of German Green Building Counsil (GBC) and the philosophy, rules and evaluation criteria of the DGBN.