In Austria, there are various initiatives, guidelines and certification systems that promote sustainable construction. The following are particularly worth mentioning:

• The Austrian certification system, by the Austrian Society for Sustainable Real Estate Management (Österreichische Gesellschaft für Nachhaltige Immobilienwirtschaft — ÖGNI). The assessment method corresponds to that of the German Sustainable Building Council (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen — DGNB) and its Seal of Quality for Sustainable Building. It considers all essential aspects of sustainable construction, covering the subject areas of ecology, economy, socio-cultural and functional aspects, technology, processes, and location across the entire building life cycle.
• Klimaaktiv, an initiative of the Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (Bundesministerium für Klimaschutz, Umwelt, Energie, Mobilität, Innovation und Technologie — BMK). This program specifically aims to promote the use of energy-efficient technologies and practices, and thus reduce CO2 emissions in the construction sector. In the area of construction and renovation (one of the core topics of the initiative), a certification-system was developed, which covers the criteria of energy efficiency, ecological quality, comfort and quality of workmanship and offers an indication of high-quality new buildings and renovations.
• The ÖGNB-certification (Gütesiegel der Österreichischen Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen — ÖGNB). In the overall assessment, ÖGNB certification represents a comprehensive building assessment system in terms of both content and technology. The relevant criteria include resource conservation, reduction of the burden on people and the environment, comfort for users, longevity, security, planning quality, furnishing quality, infrastructure and equipment, and cost.

Certification for new buildings and refurbished buildings is not mandatory in Austria.