Öko-Zentrum NRW

What Öko-Zentrum NRW does

Öko-Zentrum NRW GmbH is a private German interdisciplinary architecture and engineering consultancy headquartered in Hamm, North Rhine-Westphalia, specializing in sustainable and energy-efficient building. Founded in 1991 as a state initiative of NRW and fully privatized in 2005 under Managing Partner Manfred Rauschen, the company operates a three-pillar model spanning Planning (renovation, refurbishment, new construction, building physics and energy concepts), Consulting (sustainability certification under DGNB/BNB, life-cycle analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, building material selection, and BAFA-subsidized energy consulting), and Qualification (the Öko-Zentrum NRW Akademie distance-learning platform with sub-brands energieberater24, Energieplaner24, Feuchte Schimmel24, and Baubiologie24, plus dena-credited workshops and online seminars).

The company monetizes through fee-for-service professional engagements, subsidized consulting, and training course revenue, with pricing provided on a custom-quotation basis rather than standardized rates. Its customer base spans German municipalities, planners/architects, corporate sustainability teams, and individual building professionals seeking accredited qualifications, alongside a separate Japan-focused service line (Japan Desk in Tokyo, established 2007) supporting German-Japanese knowledge transfer on energy-efficient construction. Öko-Zentrum NRW additionally performs BAFA Q-Prüfung quality certification testing on behalf of the German Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control, and partners with Energiesprong on serial refurbishment (Serielles Sanieren).

The company reports approximately €3 million in annual revenue as of mid-2026 and a team of 50+ experts across architecture, civil engineering, building physics, and sustainability certification disciplines. Effective July 1, 2026, management was expanded to three Managing Directors (Rauschen, Kasper, Karwatzki) as part of a planned generational transition, while a JENA joint venture in Tokyo (est. 2012) and cooperation agreements with BBSR, MLIT, BRI, DGNB, B.A.U.M. Consult, and several Japanese prefectures anchor its cross-border position.

Name

Öko-Zentrum NRW

Legal name

Öko-Zentrum NRW GmbH

Website

https://oekozentrum.nrw

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Öko-Zentrum NRW is a German interdisciplinary architecture and engineering consultancy specializing in sustainable, energy-efficient building. It serves municipalities, planners, companies, and government bodies via three pillars: Planning, Consulting, and Qualification (distance-learning Akademie), with a Japan Desk in Tokyo.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Energy Efficiency Consulting Services

NAICS

Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Compliance, Risk & EHS Management (BPABAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Asset Management & Owner’s Engineering (Lifecycle Strategy, Budgeting, Technical Due Diligence) (EUAMAGAJ)

Keywords

• Sustainable building consulting
• Energy efficiency consulting
• Building physics services
• Building energy certification
• Energy consultant training

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamm

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Planning Services: Architectural and engineering planning services including new construction and renovation projects, damage remediation, and comprehensive redevelopment planning. Services cover public buildings, administrative and commercial buildings, residential buildings implementing various energy standards (EnEV, KfW-efficient house, passive house).
2. Consulting Services: Specialist consulting for private and public clients including demand planning, building quality targets, energy concepts and optimization, cost-effectiveness analysis, building material selection, and building certification. Also includes subsidized energy consulting.
3. Qualification and Training: Distance learning courses and seminars for building professionals to qualify as 'building energy consultants', 'expert planners for energy efficiency and passive houses', 'audited planners for building biology', or 'specialists for mould and moisture protection'. Also offers day seminars, workshops, conferences and online seminars.
4. BAFA Q-Prüfung Services: Quality certification testing for energy consulting services performed on behalf of BAFA (Bundesamt für Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle).

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Öko-Zentrum NRW is an interdisciplinary architecture and engineering consultancy specializing in sustainable and energy-efficient building. Its offering is organized around three pillars: Planning (architectural and engineering planning for renovation, refurbishment, new buildings; thermal insulation, thermal bridge, thermal simulation, moisture and sound insulation services), Consulting (energy concepts, demand planning, cost-effectiveness, building material selection, building certification including DGNB/BNB, subsidized energy consulting, BAFA Q-Prüfung), and Qualification (distance-learning courses and seminars for building energy consultants, passive house designers, building biologists, mould/moisture specialists via the Öko-Zentrum NRW Akademie).

Product overview

Öko-Zentrum NRW is an interdisciplinary architecture and engineering consultancy specializing in sustainable and energy-efficient building. The company operates three core pillars: Planning (architectural and engineering planning, energy concepts, building physics), Consulting (energy consulting, sustainability certification, damage remediation), and Qualification (distance learning and seminars via the Öko-Zentrum NRW Akademie). The Akademie platform serves as the primary digital product, offering internet-based distance learning courses under brands like energieberater24 (for residential and non-residential buildings), Energieplaner24, Feuchte Schimmel24, and Baubiologie24, alongside online seminars and workshops. Additional services include BAFA Q-Prüfung qualification examinations, serial renovation consulting, and building certification support (DGNB/BNB). The company also maintains a Japan-focused division for German-Japanese cooperation in sustainable construction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• energieberater24: Distance learning courses for building energy consultants
• effizienzhausplaner24
• energieplaner24
• feuchteschimmel24
• baubiologie24

Products and services

• Öko-Zentrum NRW Akademie Internet-based distance learning and seminar platform offering courses in sustainable construction, building renovation, energy-efficient building planning, and building biology for construction-industry professionals.
• energieberater24 (Wohngebäude) Distance learning course qualifying participants as certified building energy consultants for residential buildings.
• energieberater24 (Nichtwohngebäude) Distance learning course qualifying participants as building energy consultants for non-residential buildings.
• Energieplaner24 Distance learning course for energy planning certification.
• Feuchte Schimmel24 Distance learning course qualifying specialists in mould and moisture protection.
• Baubiologie24 Distance learning course for building biology certification.
• Fernlehrgänge24 Comprehensive distance learning program for building experts covering energy consulting, efficient-house planning, and building biology qualifications.
• BAFA Q-Prüfung BAFA-authorized qualification examination for energy consultants performing subsidized energy advisory services, conducted on behalf of the German Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control.
• Online-Seminare Individual online seminars on energy-efficient and sustainable construction and renovation topics, conducted via browser or mobile devices with interactive chat features.
• Workshops Face-to-face one-day seminars at various locations on energy efficiency and sustainable construction, creditable through the dena list of experts.
• Architectural and Engineering Planning Services Architectural and engineering planning services for renovation, refurbishment, new buildings, and damage remediation across public, administrative, commercial, and residential buildings, implementing energy standards such as EnEV, KfW-efficient house, and passive house.
• Energy and Sustainability Consulting Services Specialist consulting for private and public clients covering demand planning, building quality targets, energy concepts and optimization, cost-effectiveness analysis, building material selection, building certification, and subsidized energy consulting.
• Serielles Sanieren (Serial Refurbishment) Energiesprong-partner serial/prefabricated refurbishment solutions for existing buildings, combining industrial prefabrication with energy-efficient renovation.
• Japan Desk Services Japan-focused consulting, market-entry advisory, and project development services for German companies entering Japan or Japanese companies seeking European market access, delivered through the Tokyo-based Japan Desk.

Quantifiable outcome

• First PlusEnergy house in Japan constructed in Takamatsu since 2014, proving high energy efficiency works in Japanese climatic conditions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BBSR (Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013German Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development. Öko-Zentrum NRW organizes and advises the technical exchange between Japanese and German ministries of construction since 2013.
• JENA (Japanese Energy Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Joint venture established in Tokyo in 2012 to professionally market Öko-Zentrum NRW expertise in Japan. Responsible for energy efficiency consulting, planning and implementation of various projects including solar plant development through JENA Solar.
• BRI (Building Research Institute, Japan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJapanese Building Research Institute. Since 2019, technical exchange has been coordinated through BBSR and BRI focusing on energy efficiency and sustainable building topics.
• Ishikawa Prefecture, JapanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational exchange agreement established in 2007 to improve energy efficiency of the prefecture's residential buildings. This was the initial cooperation that led to Öko-Zentrum NRW's presence in Japan.
• MLIT (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJapanese ministry with which Germany signed a Memorandum of Cooperation at state secretary level in 2013 for regular exchange on construction topics.
• B.A.U.M. Consult GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman sustainability consultancy. Manfred Rauschen is Chairman of the Shareholders' Meeting. B.A.U.M. Consult Japan also mentioned as cooperation partner. Pilot study on ECOPROFIT in Fukushima conducted in cooperation.
• BAFA (Bundesamt für Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control. Öko-Zentrum NRW performs Q-Prüfung (quality certification testing) for energy consulting services on behalf of BAFA.
• EnergiesprongminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for serial refurbishment (Serielles Sanieren) - prefabricated energy-efficient renovation solutions for existing buildings.
• DGNB (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman Sustainable Building Council. Öko-Zentrum NRW has multiple certified DGNB auditors and consultants for building certification.
• Tokyo Metropolitan GovernmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partnership for energy efficiency and sustainable building cooperation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GUTcertifizierungsgesellschaft mbH: Berlin-based certification body for management systems (ISO 50001, 14001) and sustainable buildings (DGNB auditor). Competes with Öko-Zentrum NRW on building certification mandates and offers overlapping energy management consulting.
• co2online GmbH: Berlin-based non-profit energy consultancy running large consumer-facing campaigns on heating modernization, energy certificates and BAFA/KfW subsidies. Overlaps with Öko-Zentrum NRW on residential energy consulting, training the public, and subsidy navigation.
• B.A.U.M. Consult GmbH: German sustainability consultancy whose shareholders' meeting is chaired by Öko-Zentrum NRW's managing partner. Both firms deliver sustainability consulting, training, and ECOPROFIT-style municipal programs, and have partnered on Japan work — a very close peer in scope and geography.
• Passivhaus Institut (PHI): Darmstadt-based institute that developed the Passive House standard and certifies designers, components and buildings. Directly comparable to Öko-Zentrum NRW on passive house designer training, energy-efficient building consulting, and component certification across the DACH region.

Broad incumbents

• TÜV Rheinland Energy & Environment: Global certification and testing conglomerate with energy consulting and building certification practices. Represents the scale threat to Öko-Zentrum NRW on DGNB audits, energy management certification and sustainability services across larger enterprise and municipal accounts.
• Deutsche Energie-Agentur (dena): Germany's national energy agency that maintains the official list of energy efficiency experts where Öko-Zentrum NRW courses are credited. Broader scope (energy transition policy, heat transition, building renovation programs) but overlaps on expert training and program delivery.
• Fraunhofer IBP: Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics, Germany's leading applied research body on building physics, acoustics and energy efficiency. Competes for technical due diligence, LCA and certification-adjacent work but operates at research scale rather than as a regional consulting boutique.

Regional players

• Energieagentur NRW: North Rhine-Westphalia's regional energy agency operating in the same state as Öko-Zentrum NRW. Delivers municipal heat planning, energy consulting and Klimaschutz programs that directly overlap with Öko-Zentrum NRW's kommunale Wärmeplanung courses and municipality segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OekoZentrumNRW
• Facebookfacebook.com/OekoZentrumNRW
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oeko-zentrum-nrw
• Instagraminstagram.com/oekozentrumnrw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Öko-Zentrum NRW