Initial situation:Increasing building density is putting pressure on green spaces and thus on the living conditions for flora, fauna and people. However, the sixth IPPC report and the Covid 19 pandemic clearly demonstrate this: Green spaces that enable recreation and the experience of nature in the immediate vicinity are central to our well-being and biodiversity. New and additional pathways for high-quality recreational spaces are therefore needed. As a supplement to ground-based parks and gardens, the greening of buildings (façades and roofs) and measures that enable the settlement of animals (animal-aided design) play an important role. They make an important contribution to compensating for diminishing green spaces, provide habitats for flora and fauna, contribute to a better microclimate, have a positive influence on our quality of life and health, and at the same time strengthen the attractiveness of the cityscape.Objective:On behalf of the Federal Office for the Environment FOEN, we analyse good practice examples and present them in a comprehensible way using criteria. The following topics are examined in detail: Description of the various available technical solutions and their ecological impact, as well as the associated care and maintenance requirements. Furthermore, the valid regulations and legal bases on the level of public authorities and in the private sector are shown. In close cooperation with our communication experts, who have been with us from the beginning, guidelines for action are developed that make it easier for cantonal and municipal administrations as well as actors in the private planning and construction sector to better exploit the potential of buildings to promote biodiversity and landscape quality and to mediate between the individual disciplines and between experts and the public.