SCHULBAU Award 2026

On November 11, 2026, outstanding school buildings that combine architectural quality with demonstrable sustainability will be honored at the SCHULBAU Festival in Berlin. We are looking for projects that impress throughout their life cycle and are feasible within a municipal context.

Photo: AI ChatGPT

Objective of the Award

The SCHULBAU Award recognizes school buildings that translate ecological, functional, and design requirements into a resilient overall concept. The focus is on solutions that view educational construction as long-term infrastructure – resource-efficient, economical, and of high spatial quality.

Eligibility

The following are eligible:

• Completed projects or projects currently in the planning stage
• New constructions, renovations, or extensions
• Submissions by architectural firms, structural engineers, and interdisciplinary planning teams

Documents to be Submitted

• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA according to EN 15978)
• Energy and operational concept
• Material concept (including details on origin and recycled content)
• Cost parameters (€/m²)
• Plans, visualizations, or photos
• Explanatory report

Evaluation Criteria

1. Life cycle CO₂ balance (30%)

Evaluation takes place within the following ranges:

• ≤ 200 kg CO₂e/m² GFA → Top tier
• 200–300 kg CO₂e/m² → Very good standard
• 300–400 kg CO₂e/m² → Good standard

The following will also be evaluated:

• Reduction compared to reference buildings
• Use of CO₂-storing materials

2. Operational energy & supply (20%)

• Climate-neutral or near-climate-neutral operation
• Use of renewable energies
• Robust, low-maintenance systems

3. Materials & circular economy (15%)

• Dismantlability and separability
• Recycled content
• Durable, low-pollutant materials

4. Architectural quality (15%)

• Quality of the learning environment
• Spatial flexibility
• Integration into the context

5. Economic efficiency (10%)

• Life cycle costs
• Feasibility within a municipal framework

6. Innovation & transferability (10%)

• Scalability of the solution
• Applicability in public school construction

Minimum Requirements

Projects without the following are excluded from evaluation:

• Verifiable CO₂ balance
• Coherent energy and sustainability concept

Categories

• Best Sustainable School Building (New Construction)
• Best Sustainable Renovation
• Special Prize for Municipal Feasibility
• Special Prize for Circular Economy

Jury

The jury is interdisciplinary and combines expertise from architecture, structural engineering, sustainability, and the public sector.

Award Ceremony

The award will be presented on November 11, 2026, in Berlin as part of the SCHULBAU Festival.

Application

Submission deadline: September 15, 2026
Submit to: redaktion@cubusmedien.de