by Brianna Crandall — December 5, 2016 — Excellence in Design for Greater Education (EDGE) certification rewards developers, owners and project teams that implement strategies to reduce energy and water use in their buildings, as well as embodied energy in materials. An innovation of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), EDGE is a green building certification system for new residential and commercial buildings that enables design teams and project owners to assess the most cost-effective ways to incorporate energy, water and material savings options into their buildings.
To achieve EDGE certification, a building must achieve a projected minimum reduction of 20 percent in energy usage, water usage and embodied energy in materials as benchmarked against a standard building.
Why certify a project to the EDGE Standard?
By certifying, building owners and developers can quickly increase the marketability of their sustainable building. EDGE certification provides a competitive differentiator in the marketplace. Owners and developers can unlock greater value and:
- Make the building more attractive to buyers and tenants.
- Command a higher sales price.
- Attract tenants faster and at higher rental rates.
- Increase the property’s value.
- Lower operating costs.
- Realize brand recognition, public relations and community benefits.
- Protect the planet.
As a global certification provider, GBCI administers EDGE certification in nearly 120 countries around the world and is the exclusive certification provider for all EDGE buildings in India. EDGE certification is offered at a modest cost by GBCI in order to validate project achievements for financial and community stakeholders. To view the full list of countries where GBCI currently offers EDGE certification, or to register a project, visit the GBCI Web site.
