For designers and building authorities

When must the developer be informed of the obligation to prepare the Green Space Certificate?

When issuing the building permit, the specialist authority must inform the developer of the obligation to prepare the Green Space Certificate and that a Green Space Certificate with at least a medium rating is required for the occupancy permit to be issued.

What happens if no green space certification was prepared for an investment?

If the investment is subject to the green space certification obligation (see: Who is obliged to have the certificate prepared?) and the certification is not carried out on the plot or plots concerned, or no certificate with at least a medium rating is prepared, the investment cannot obtain an occupancy permit, and the technical handover of the landscape architecture work cannot take place.

How can it be ensured that the project reaches the green space certification level required for the occupancy permit?

Efforts must be made to retain the established vegetation on the plot(s) during design (terrain shaping, positioning of the building on the plot, etc.) and to protect it during the planning, organisation and execution of the construction works.
If there is no established green space on the plot(s), or the existing established green space cannot be retained or is of poor quality (e.g. due to the presence of invasive species), it must be replaced with multi-layered vegetation as well as green roofs and green walls, so that green spaces of adequate quality can be ensured.
The aim should be to create multi-layered green spaces, using varied vegetation that, where possible, fits the character of the landscape.
The green spaces created provide habitat, shelter and food for native fauna and insects. Objects placed for this purpose (e.g. insect hotels, bird and bat boxes, lizard shelters, bird baths, bird-friendly shrubberies, etc.) are assessed positively when present in larger numbers.
The aim should be to retain/create at least 30% canopy cover and to prevent the development of the heat-island effect.
Ideally, the plot is surrounded by a hedge along the fence. The shrub layer and the perennial layer should each exceed 10% of the green spaces.
Precipitation falling on green spaces should infiltrate into the green space. Precipitation falling on paving and roofs should be used on site.
Invasive plants should not occur in the area. The presence of invasive plants has a negative impact on the score of the Green Space Certificate.
Green spaces (shrub and perennial areas) should be mulched, there should be no open soil surface, and green waste should be managed on site.
If community use of green space takes place on at least part of the plot, or there is a community planting, this is assessed positively.
Annual flower beds have a negative impact on the score of the Green Space Certificate; it is advisable to limit them to the most representative locations and to combine them with perennials, or to replace them with other decorative vegetation.
To achieve the above goals, have the design tasks carried out by a landscape architect.
A site-specific green space maintenance manual should be prepared for the area by the landscape architect.

Which legal requirements does the Green Space Certificate examine compliance with separately?

Compliance with the settlement plan and the national green space regulations
- Minimum green space ratio
- Minimum/maximum distance of trees
- Minimum number of trees
- Layering
Compliance with the green space provisions contained in permits related to the investment
Compliance with the requirements for the biological activity value
Compliance with the requirements for establishing a protective forest

Solutions applicable when designing a building that have a positive effect on the assessment of the Green Space Certificate

Creating a green roof
Creating green walls and green façades
Management of precipitation:
- Collection of rainwater falling on the roof and its use within the plot
- Leading rainwater falling on roof surfaces and roads to green spaces after treatment

Which quantitative aspects does the Green Space Certificate examine?

Total area of green space
Height of green space
Green volume (at tree, shrub, perennial and lawn level)
Number of trees
Green space ratio
Green volume ratio
Coverage
Open soil surface

Which qualitative aspects does the Green Space Certificate examine?

Biodiversity
Presence of invasive species and proportion of infested area
Habitat creation
Presence of protected plants
Presence of annual ornamental plants
Stormwater management
Green façade, green wall, green roof
Factors contributing to the heat-island effect

Which functional aspects does the Green Space Certificate examine?

Social and community planting in the area
Public accessibility of the area, community use of green space

What should be done if there is no established tree stock on the plot and young trees have to be newly planted?

In this case, to achieve a favourable green volume, trees of nursery size 10/12 or larger must be planted, and mature shrubs and perennial areas must be used. If the canopy cover is low, shrubs and perennials can quickly create adequate green space that ensures a medium rating for the certificate.

A varied species composition is recommended at all vegetation levels because, e.g., if the garden is planted with only a few species, the green volume may receive a favourable score in the case of large plants, but the lack of biodiversity results in a deduction of points.

What should be done in the case of a plot with ancient trees or established tree stock that can also be preserved?

High canopy cover is favourable in terms of green volume; however, if the shrub and lawn layers are sparse, the plot may receive a lower score due to open soil surface and poor biodiversity. It is therefore recommended to improve biodiversity with shade-tolerant ground-cover vegetation and shade-tolerant shrubs.

The detailed methodological description can be downloaded from the website by specialist designers.

Download: Green Space Certificate Guide for Designers