WHAT IS EDGE?
EDGE Green Building Certification is the first green building standard of its kind in the world
An innovation of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, EDGE consists of three elements: a cloud-based application, a green building standard and a certification system.
The three elements of EDGE.
Software
Standard
Achieve the EDGE standard by reaching the minimum standard of 20% less resource intensity in energy, water and embodied energy in materials, and choosing a higher level of energy savings to prepare your project for EDGE Advanced and Zero Carbon certification
Certification
What does the EDGE software do?
The EDGE App is at the core of the certification program. Anyone can access the free software globally and within minutes compare a building against a local baseline and implement green design principles to make it resource-efficient.
The local baseline is calculated based on comprehensive data collected by IFC, including local building codes, climatic data, and typical utility costs. This is a huge advantage for developers, building owners, and investors around the world, as it saves time typically spent developing bespoke models and makes the business case clear for implementing resource-efficiency measures by showing incremental cost and return on investment data.
How does a building achieve the EDGE standard?
To achieve the EDGE standard, a building must be 20 percent more efficient compared to a standard building in that location across three categories: energy, water and embodied energy in materials. But the work doesn’t end there. For those looking to keep striving for excellence, achieve EDGE Advanced or Zero Carbon by improving your energy savings to 40% and implementing renewable energy and/or offsets.
What buildings does EDGE apply to?
EDGE is available for almost every building category, including offices, warehouses, retail, hospitality, hospitals and residential developments, and can be used on new builds or for existing buildings undergoing refurbishment.
Where is EDGE available?
EDGE is a global standard and has been designed to take into account local differences. It is currently available in over 170 countries around the world, and will soon be available in even more countries. For a full list, please visit IFC’s EDGE website.
