The most widely used certification in Germany is the one awarded by the German Sustainable Building Council (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen or DGNB). Under this voluntary system, a building's quality is assessed over its entire life cycle. Particularly being certified in this assessment are some 50 sustainability criteria, including ecology, economy, sociocultural aspects, technology, process work flows and sites. The system is based on voluntarily outperforming the concepts that are common today. If a performance requirement is met, the DGNB awards the DGNB certificate in bronze, silver, gold, or platinum. After successful certification in gold or platinum, buildings can get an additional award, "DGNB diamond," for their architectural quality and durability. The additional award "DGNB climate positive" for climate-neutral buildings or "DGNB special environmental label" can also be awarded. In addition, there is the option of simple pre-certification in the planning phase.

Federal government buildings are certified in accordance with the Evaluation System for Sustainable Buildings (Bewertungssystem Nachhaltiges Bauen). The certification system and rules are similar to the DGNB system, but have been tailored to the specifics of federal government buildings.

The other two most frequently used certifications in Germany are the international Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology (BREEAM).

Certification for new buildings in accordance with the above standards is not mandatory in Germany.