Importance of certifications is growing away from the top locations
Sustainability certifications are becoming increasingly important in the German office real estate market. In the seven real estate strongholds of Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, Munich and Stuttgart, the stock of certified, pre-certified or registered office space totalled around 19 million m² at the end of the first half of 2026. This means that almost one in five square metres of office space in the major cities now has sustainability certification. This is the result of the "Cesar 2026" (Certification and Sustainability Radar), for which JLL analysed the office space stock and the demand for space for certified office properties.
"The increasing effects of climate change and an evolving regulatory framework are increasing the pressure on companies and investors to systematically address climate risks. Sustainability certifications such as DGNB, LEED and BREEAM are therefore becoming increasingly important as measurable and comparable quality standards for buildings," commentsHelge Scheunemann, Head of Research at JLL Germany.
Despite economic uncertainties and a rather subdued demand for space, the importance of certified office space is steadily increasing. While total office space take-up in the seven strongholds in the first half of 2026 was 1.35 million m², of which around 580,000 m² was accounted for by certified space. The share of certified office space in total take-up thus rose to 43 per cent, reaching a new high. In the previous year, the share was 40 per cent.
In terms of the ratio of certified space to the stock of office space, Frankfurt continues to be the frontrunner. The share in the banking city increased by eight percent year-on-year to a rate of 32 percent. The strongest percentage increases were recorded in Düsseldorf with 24 percent and Berlin with 22 percent. In Düsseldorf, the DGNB Gold awards of rwi4 in the government district contributed to this development, among other things. In Berlin, the Heidestraße – Track Central Line quarter in Europacity and the Forum Tower at Potsdamer Platz, both with DGNB Gold certification, in particular provided additional space growth.
"The requirements for office space continue to increase. Companies are now examining new leases much more intensively and are increasingly attaching importance to sustainability, energy efficiency and long-term resilience. Certifications are increasingly developing from a differentiating feature to a standard," saysDaniel Bey, Head of Project & Development Services JLL and Tetris Germany.
The development outside the classic prime locations is particularly striking. While the proportion of certifications in prime locations fell by eight percentage points compared to the previous year, it rose by eight percentage points in second and third locations. This means that both location categories were almost on a par at 44 and 42 percent respectively. "The development shows that in less central locations, building quality and thus also sustainability certificates become decisive for rentability," explains Bey.
The growing importance of sustainable office space is also evident when looking at the sector. The highest proportion of certified deals in the first half of 2026 was recorded in the transport, traffic and warehousing sector with 80 percent. This is followed by IT and industry and commerce with 54 percent each, while banks and financial service providers come in at 51 percent. Demand from international users is particularly high. For deals over 1,000 m², certified office space accounted for 69 percent of the turnover of foreign companies. Among domestic users, the share was 47 percent.
"Sustainability certifications have finally developed from a nice-to-have to a must-have in the office real estate market," saysScheunemann. "The demand for certified space is growing faster than the supply. Against the backdrop of regulatory requirements and rising ESG expectations, certified buildings are increasingly becoming a decisive competitive factor."
