FAQs
Find and see the most frequently asked questions and their answers about greenpass.
greenpass is a ClimateTech company for climate resilient real estate & open spaces based in Vienna. Since 2018, greenpass has been supporting companies in making construction projects climate resilient and sustainable, offering the world’s first software-as-a-service (SaaS) for assessing urban environmental impacts.
The greenpass Software is an innovative tool for environmental impact assessment of real estate & open spaces
Greenpass helps developers, planners and cities to make the best and fact-based decision at every stage of urban planning and development regarding climate resilience. The impact of buildings, materials and plants on six urban issues is assessed, optimized and certified using an internationally applicable assessment system with more than 50 accepted and scientifically developed indicators: Climate, Water, Air, Biodiversity, Energy and Cost.
Greenpass makes the impact of buildings, urban structures and green & blue infrastructure on the urban environment visible, measurable and comparable thanks to standardization.
The goal of greenpass is to improve the quality of life in urban areas.
Cities are increasingly growing, while average temperatures are rising and extreme weather events are increasing due to climate change. Urban planning processes must take into account future climate conditions and the impact on people, buildings and the urban environment. Before, there was no simple solution for measuring and assessing the climate impacts of urban developments.
Together with more than 50 trained UCA partners, greenpass has
accompanied over 220 projects in more than 10 countries, including
well-known projects such as IKEA Westbahnhof (Vienna) and Biotope City
(Vienna).
Greenpass’ vision of a sustainable city is a green & livable city with
climate-fit, future-proof & high recreational value. Green &
livable cities with a healthy environment for all people & nature –
where people simply love living!
The greenpass software and methodology has been developed over the last 10 years with a total funding of about € 6 million. The globally applicable methodology was scientifically developed in cooperation with well-known international research institutes, universities and 5 international model cities (Vienna, London, Cairo, Santiago de Chile, Hong Kong).
Greenpass is a spin-off of Green4Cities (spin-off BOKU) and the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna. The company emerged from a research project.
Our slogan BE GREEN summarizes our five core values within the livable cities team – inspired by nature:
• Growth
• Respect
• Enthusiasm
• Environment
• Nature
Greenpass is backed by more than 16 international and national research projects, including currently 3 ongoing R&D projects, 1 PhD and a large number of scientific publications in the field. The globally applicable methodology was developed in cooperation with well-known international research institutes, universities and 5 international model cities (Vienna, London, Cairo, Santiago de Chile, Hong Kong).
With greenpass construction projects are optimized for their effects through blue & green infrastructure such as cooling, thermal comfort, building insulation, water retention and carbon sequestration. If the proposed measures are met, a project can be awarded a greenpass certificate for climate resilience performance.
Greenpass mainly contributes to the following SDGs:
Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives for all people at all ages and promote their well-being.
Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Goal 13: Take action to address climate change and its impacts.
Goal 15: Protect, restore and promote the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems and halt the loss of biodiversity
Using adaptation measures around nature-based solutions also addresses Goals 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 14 and 16.
Yes. From the beginning greenpass was designed for worldwide application. Therefor the methodology was developed in cooperation with five model cities in different climate zones: Hong Kong, London, Cairo, Santiago de Chile and Vienna.
Yes. The greenpass methodology was developed in cooperation with
five model cities in different climate zones: Hong Kong, London, Cairo,
Santiago de Chile and Vienna.
The greenpass technology includes holistic 3D impact analysis and enables scenario comparison and fact-based optimization based on a digital twin and expert simulations.
Weather conditions are only short-term impacts. Greenpass evaluates the long-term climate performance based on a standardized set of key performance indicators (KPIs).
Greenpass can be applied at every phase of a construction development project but it is highly recommended to include greenpass as early as possible. Since greenpass can simulate and evaluate the planning of a construction project, appropriate optimization proposals can be considered and implemented in time to achieve a better climate resilience outcome. All checks of the Environmental Impact Kit (Climate Check, Wind Check, Certification Check, EU Taxonomy Check) can be applied for a project development. Depending on the use case and the needs of the project, they can be selected and combined. The optimal service for the individual project can be identified in a consultation meeting with greenpass.
Yes, greenpass can be used for retrofitting projects. The climate resilience of the planning status of a renovation can be evaluated and optimized by greenpass.
Based on a digital twin greenpass can analyse and optimize existing buildings and open spaces towards climate & wind. Additionally an official greenpass certification and/or an EU taxonomy check can be applied.
The environmental impact kit is a modular kit with 4 environmental checks: climate check, wind check, certification check and EU Taxonomy Check. These environmental checks can be customized and assembled to meet the requirements of the specific project and use case.
Assessment and optimization of climate and environmental impacts of real estate and open spaces. The software-based and scientifically developed Climate Check analyzes 5 urban challenges: Climate, Water, Air, Biodiversity, Energy
Wind analysis and evaluation of pedestrian wind comfort and hazard prevention. Digitally assisted & 3D wind comfort analysis based on a digital twin (LOD 1) and CFD expert simulation: quantitative impact assessment, comparison and optimization of scenarios
International certification standard for climate-resilience. Digital-driven and holistic 3D impact analysis based on a digital twin (LOD 2) and ENVImet expert simulation with full scope of urban challenges and KPIs. Combinable with additional green building certification solutions like e.g. LEED, BREEAM, DGNB/ÖGNI, klima:aktiv and many more.
Climate risk vulnerability assessment and future climate scenarios of your building according to the EU taxonomy appendix and regulation for green
financing. Identification and assessment of climate risks from 4 risk areas: Temperature, Wind, Water, Solids.
Greenpass helps in the decision-making process of efficient climate
change adaptation measures that ensure investment security and ESG
compliance of the property.
Greenpass can assist cities with climate-proof urban development considering 6 main challenges: Climate, Water, Air, Biodiversity, Energy and Cost. It can be used to assess, optimize and certify real estate, city districts and entire cities with regard to their climate resilience. The aim is to reduce the impact of climate change on the urban population such as heat waves and heavy rainfall
events that lead to local flooding.
Depending on which type of partnership one chooses (UCA Partner, Reseller Partner, Network Partner), there are different benefits.
The UCA partnership allows to include and offer the greenpass service for climate resilient urban planning & architecture in its service portfolio. As a Reseller Partner you can broker the greenpass solution and receive commission for it. As a Network Partner, you will benefit from additional networking with a strong international network to drive change together.
There are no rigid requirements to become a greenpass partner. Any company interested in promoting climate resilient urban planning & architecture can become a greenpass partner in some capacity. Greenpass UCA partners are typically firms in the fields of: Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning, Cultural Engineering, Sustainability, Spatial Development.
A UCA is someone who has positively completed our UCA training and can operate the greenpass editor. As a UCA, you can design climate-resilient properties and open spaces in a collaborative process and offer this service to your clients.
You become an Urban Climate Architect by participating in the greenpass online UCA-Training and completing it positively.
The course includes the basics of urban climatology and green infrastructure as well as greenpass technology, software and certification.
After the course, participants will have an understanding of the role of cities in relation to climate and the interactions of urban development and atmosphere. Upon completion, they will be able to independently apply the greenpass technology including software and assessment process to projects.
Yes, the knowledge and know-how gained regarding the basics of urban climatology and green infrastructure can also be applied independently in projects without greenpass. The first lecture of the course offers extensive basics and application examples for climate resilient urban planning and architecture. However, a quantification of the intended measures to optimize the climate resilience of projects is only possible through the application of the greenpass technology.
Through the greenpass UCA training, a large number of the necessary steps can be completed independently and thus the pure costs per project can be saved. The training costs are usually amortized after the first average project.
Climate resilience in the context of real estate and open spaces refers to measures implemented to enhance the ability of these areas to withstand and adapt to climate change impacts. It involves designing and developing buildings, infrastructure, and outdoor spaces in a way that minimizes vulnerability and ensures their long-term functionality and sustainability in the face of changing climate conditions.
Nature-based solutions (NBS) are innovative and sustainable approaches that utilize and work in harmony with nature to address various environmental and societal challenges like green infrastructure (green roofs, green walls, urban parks etc.). They offer a holistic approach that not only tackles issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and water scarcity but also provides co-benefits for human well-being and sustainable development.
Green infrastructure refers to a network of natural and semi-natural elements, such as parks, forests, wetlands, green roofs, and permeable surfaces, integrated into urban and rural areas to provide environmental, social, and economic benefits. It helps to manage stormwater, mitigate the urban heat island effect, improve air quality, support biodiversity, and enhance the overall quality of life in communities.
Blue infrastructure refers to the network of natural and built aquatic features, including rivers, lakes, wetlands, coastlines, and water management systems. It encompasses the physical elements and systems that manage and protect water resources, such as dams, reservoirs, canals, and stormwater management structures. Blue infrastructure plays a crucial role in water supply, flood management, water quality improvement, ecosystem conservation, and recreational activities related to water bodies.
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