What is DuBo (sustainable construction)?
DuBo stands for “Duurzaam Bouwen” and is the Dutch umbrella term for an approach to construction that aims to minimise environmental impact, reduce energy use and improve quality of life. DuBo emerged in the 1990s as a policy topic and has since been embedded in standards, certificates and regulations.
What does DuBo cover?
DuBo addresses several themes at once:
- Material choice — environmentally friendly and renewable materials
- Energy efficiency — low demand for heating, cooling and lighting
- Water use — rainwater harvesting and water-saving sanitary fittings
- Indoor environment — healthy air, daylight and acoustics
- Service life — flexible layouts and demountable structures
- Waste and reuse — minimising waste during construction and demolition
Many original DuBo principles have been incorporated into current Dutch requirements such as BENG (energy) and MPG (materials) and in certificates such as BREEAM-NL and GPR-Gebouw.
Application
- New build — basis for the brief
- Renovation and retrofit — making existing stock climate-neutral
- Urban development — DuBo at neighbourhood level
- Local heat plans — collective retrofitting
- Material passports — recording reuse value
Points of attention
- Choose sustainable solutions early in design — retrofitting is more expensive
- Behaviour and maintenance matter — not only material choice
- Combine DuBo with BENG, MPG and BREEAM for evidence
- Do not forget social sustainability and accessibility
- Sustainable construction is not the same as energy-efficient construction
Related terms
- Sustainable construction
- Bio-based construction
- Cradle to cradle
- Ecological construction
- Circular economy
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