Austria has adopted its first national standards for greening building facades and rooftops, becoming the first European Union country to incorporate green building concepts into urban planning and construction regulations as part of efforts to adapt to climate change and enhance biodiversity.

The Austrian Standards institute approved the new "ÖNORM B 1131" standard in a first-of-its-kind move that places rooftop and building greening under construction sector regulations for the first time.

The new standard governs the planning, implementation and maintenance of greening systems in buildings, and establishes green roofs, rooftops and facades as a core component of architectural planning.

Under the new framework, green roofs and vegetated facades will become a permanent feature of building design, integrating solar systems with green infrastructure and biodiversity-enhancing systems in urban environments.

The regulation is seen as a bridge between the construction sector and environmental sustainability initiatives.