What Dutch Green Building Council does

Dutch Green Building Council (DGBC), legally Stichting Dutch Green Building Council, is an independent Dutch non-profit foundation founded in 2008 that operates as the National Scheme Operator (NSO) for BREEAM-NL under license from the UK's Building Research Establishment (BRE). Its core product is BREEAM-NL, the Dutch national adaptation of the BREEAM sustainability assessment methodology, which evaluates buildings and areas across energy, health, materials, water, and ecology, with certification levels ranging from Pass to Outstanding. DGBC supplements the certification scheme with a structured training and credentialing ecosystem (Introductietraining, Expert, Assessor, and Introductietoets), a Knowledge Centre organized around themes such as Paris Proof, Circularity, Climate Adaptation, Social Sustainability, Biodiversity, and European Policy, and events including the annual Dutch Green Building Week and BREEAM Congress.

The organization serves a B2B membership network of approximately 400 partner organizations spanning real estate developers and investors, advisory/engineering/architectural firms, municipalities and government entities, financial institutions, and educational bodies. Its GTM is enterprise-field-sales in character: organizations join as DGBC partners to access the network, certification scheme, and training programs, with non-members paying a premium on training courses (e.g., €1,500 for partners vs. €2,000 for non-partners on BREEAM-NL Expert training; €2,325 vs. €3,100 on Assessor training).

DGBC monetizes primarily through (1) recurring partner/membership fees, (2) one-time training and examination fees delivered both in-person (at DGBC's office and Van Bylandt Huis in The Hague) and online via the A New Spring e-learning platform, and (3) event-related revenue. Underlying technology is limited to the e-learning portal and a partner-developed Healthy Building Index tool for WELL-aligned indoor environment measurement; DGBC itself does not develop software products. Quantifiable outcomes include 44.8 million m² of BREEAM-NL-certified floor space as of 2025 and partner-achieved carbon reductions of roughly 30% on renovation projects such as De Nieuwe Tuin Utrecht.

Name

Dutch Green Building Council

Legal name

Stichting Dutch Green Building Council

Website

https://dgbc.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dutch Green Building Council (DGBC) is a Dutch non-profit foundation founded in 2008 that operates as the National Scheme Operator for BREEAM-NL, certifying buildings and training sustainability professionals in the Netherlands. It serves a network of roughly 400 partner organizations across developers, advisors, municipalities, and financial institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Green Building Certification

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental, Climate & Sustainability Standards & Reporting Cooperation (BPADANAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Circular Economy & Resource Efficiency (BPADALAM), Environmental, Health & Safety / Sustainability (EHS, Environmental Compliance CE) (EDAAALAO)

Keywords

• Green building certification
• Sustainability training programs
• Built environment advisory
• BREEAM certification scheme
• Membership network organization

Headquarters

HQ city

The Hague

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Partner/Membership Fees: DGBC operates as a partner/membership organization. Companies, governments, and institutions become DGBC partners to access the network, knowledge resources, and certification ecosystem. The partner network includes approximately 400 organizations across the Dutch built environment.
2. Training and Certification Services: DGBC generates revenue through BREEAM-NL training programs including Introductietraining (€750 for partners), Expert training (€1,500–€2,000), Assessor training (€2,325 for partners), and Introductietoets (€375 for partners). Additional revenue comes from events such as the Dutch Green Building Week and its annual congress.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

DGBC operates the BREEAM-NL sustainability certification scheme in the Netherlands as the National Scheme Operator under license from BRE, providing assessment, certification, and credentialing across New Build & Renovation, In-Use, and Gebied (Area) schemas. It also delivers structured professional training programs (BREEAM-NL Introductietraining, Expert, Assessor, and Introductietoets), a Knowledge Centre covering Paris Proof, Circularity, Climate Adaptation, Social Sustainability, and Biodiversity, and a Future Leaders leadership program. The organization sustains a network of approximately 400 partner organizations across the Dutch built environment.

Product overview

Dutch Green Building Council (DGBC) operates as a societal knowledge and network organization that drives the sustainability transformation of the built environment in the Netherlands. DGBC functions as the National Scheme Operator (NSO) for BREEAM-NL, which is the Dutch adaptation of the internationally recognized BREEAM sustainability assessment methodology. The organization's portfolio includes BREEAM-NL certification services covering new construction, renovation, and area development, supplemented by professional training programs (Introductietraining, Expert, and Assessor levels). DGBC provides a Knowledge Center hub offering themed content on sustainability topics including Paris Proof, Circularity, Climate Adaptation, Social Sustainability, and Biodiversity. The organization also manages the WEii (Working Environment Innovation Index) methodology and supports the Healthy Building Index Tool developed by partners. DGBC connects approximately 400 partner organizations through its network and organizes events including the annual Dutch Green Building Week and BREEAM Congress.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BREEAM-NL: The Dutch version of the BREEAM sustainability assessment method, operated by DGBC as National Scheme Operator under license from BRE.

Products and services

• BREEAM-NL Certification Scheme Dutch national sustainability assessment and certification scheme covering New Build & Renovation, In-Use, and Area (Gebied) schemas. Evaluates buildings and areas on energy, health, materials, water, ecology, and other sustainability aspects, with certification levels from Pass to Outstanding. Used by building owners, developers, and investors to demonstrate sustainability performance.
• BREEAM-NL Training and Credentialing Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 44.8 million m² of floor space certified with a valid BREEAM-NL certificate (as of 2025)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Building Research Establishment (BRE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009DGBC and BRE (Building Research Establishment) extended their long-standing partnership in 2025 with a new license agreement, keeping DGBC as the National Scheme Operator (NSO) for BREEAM-NL. The partnership began in 2009 and forms the foundation of the BREEAM-NL certification system in the Netherlands.
• DGMR Bouw B.V.coreOthersDGMR is an advisory and engineering firm with 250 employees across offices in Arnhem, The Hague, and Drachten. The firm specializes in sustainable construction and contributes to BREEAM-NL certification projects. DGMR signed the Paris Proof Commitment as an advisory firm.
• De Groene JongensminorOthersDe Groene Jongens is a sustainability advisory firm in Utrecht providing BREEAM-NL, GPR Gebouw, and WELL certification services, as well as sustainable installation design optimization. The firm signed the Paris Proof Commitment as an advisory firm.
• DHG (David Hart Group)coreOthersDHG develops and invests in high-quality logistics real estate under the Smartlog concept. The firm applies BREEAM-NL certification to its distribution centers and has pioneered water-neutral design at Smartlog Doetinchem, achieving circularity and biodiversity goals.
• Drees & Sommer NetherlandscoreOthersDrees & Sommer is an international project management and real estate advisory firm operating in the Netherlands. The firm provides BREEAM-NL Expert services and has contributed articles on the practical value of BREEAM-NL certification beyond administrative compliance.
• Aroundtown Management NL B.V.coreOthersAroundtown is one of Europe's largest commercial real estate companies and manages the Center Parcs portfolio. The firm certified all seven European Center Parcs parks with BREEAM In-Use, demonstrating large-scale portfolio decarbonization.
• VastgoedjournaalminorOthersVastgoedjournaal is the online platform for the real estate sector, bringing together real estate professionals and sharing knowledge across the market. It co-organizes events such as COMVAST.
• DGBC Partner Network (~400 organizations)coreOthersDGBC's partner network spans approximately 400 organizations including ABN AMRO, Arcadis, Arup, Rabobank, CBRE, TU Delft, TNO, Schiphol Group, and Dutch municipalities (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Den Haag). Partners represent investors, developers, advisors, engineers, municipalities, and educational institutions across the Dutch built environment.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• UK Green Building Council: The UK GBC is the national non-profit member organization driving sustainability of the UK built environment, analogous to DGBC's role in the Netherlands. It operates as a membership and policy-advocacy body, organizes events and training, and represents the UK within the international GBC network — essentially the same go-to-market and organizational archetype.
• France Green Building Council (France GBC): France GBC is the French national GBC, a member organization promoting sustainable construction and member of the World Green Building Council. Comparable to DGBC in mission, network-driven model, and engagement with national-level sustainability themes.
• Norwegian Green Building Council (NGBC): NGBC operates BREEAM-NOR in Norway and runs sustainability and energy certification programs for the Norwegian building sector. Same scheme-operator-plus-network structure as DGBC, and operates as part of the same BREEAM family of nationally adapted schemes.
• DGNB (German Sustainable Building Council): DGNB is the German national GBC that operates its own sustainability certification system (DGNB System), runs training and credentialing for its assessors, and supports a network of partners across the German building sector. It is the closest international analogue to DGBC in scheme operator + member organization form.
• International WELL Building Institute (IWBI): IWBI administers the WELL Building Standard, which DGBC's partner DGMR certified to WELL Platinum. IWBI operates in the same space of building-level sustainability/health certification, runs its own credentialing (WELL AP), and increasingly competes with BREEAM-NL for developer attention and a share of new-build certifications.
• Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC): CaGBC is the Canadian national GBC operating LEED in Canada, Zero Carbon Building Standard, and member programming. It mirrors DGBC's role as a national member-led body that localizes an international green building standard and supports training and credentials.
• Sweden Green Building Council (SGBC): SGBC is the Swedish national GBC and operates the Sweden Green Building Council's own certification schemes (e.g., Miljöbyggnad, BREEAM-SE). It directly parallels DGBC in its mix of scheme-operator and member-organization functions and is part of the same international GBC network.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC): USGBC operates LEED, the world's most widely used green building rating system, alongside a member network, training, and credentialing programs (LEED Green Associate, AP). Same fundamental model as DGBC (member organization + scheme operator + training + network), but at much larger scale.
• BREEAM / Building Research Establishment (BRE): BRE is the UK-based originator of the BREEAM standard and the licensor of BREEAM-NL to DGBC. It is the most directly comparable organization: it operates its own BREEAM UK scheme, trains its own assessors, and shares the certification-scheme-operator business model that defines DGBC.

Regional players

• Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA): GBCA operates the Green Star rating system in Australia and is a national member-led non-profit. Same organizational archetype as DGBC (member organization + scheme operator), but in a distant geography and not directly competing in DGBC's market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dutch-green-building-council

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Dutch Green Building Council