Certification EDGE

EDGE (Excellence In Design for Greater Efficiencies), is a certification system born in 2014 funded in the beginning by SECO (State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of Switzerland) and is currently funded by the government of the United Kingdom for the sustainable construction of buildings energy-efficient.

The certification EDGE has grown in Latin America in recent years and is available in 170 countries. With the certification EDGE is possible to quantify and report on the metrics of impact, such as energy saving, water and CO2 emissions.

The Certification EDGE represents an evaluation of efforts to transform the market for sustainable construction.

The certification EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) World Bank (World Bank) through the IFC (International finance Corporation).

This certification allows to reduce the carbon footprint and streamline operational costs, increasing the energy efficiency of the building.

The GBCI (Green Business Certification Inc.) it is the entity that delivers the certification of buildings, he also serves as a reviewer reported the Auditor EDGE.

Due to climate change has had a strong impact on people, the buildings have become vulnerable spaces because they represent 39% of the total CO2 emissions.

A Sustainable building, or green incorporates techniques of design, technology and materials that reduce the dependency on fossil fuels and therefore the environmental impact is positive, the biggest benefit of a green building is the reduction of the consumption of energy and water.

• Financial calculator: free software for estimating the cost of being green.
• Quantitative approach: EDGE projected performance waiting with the unique approach and quantifiable to get the certification.
• Single window: The simulations of efficiency are created by EDGE and requires no software additional
• Integration projects: the implementation of The project can be created through invoices, photographs, and architectural drawings.
• Specific location: EDGE is adapted to the climates and lifestyles specific to obtain specific results.
• Green buildings for everyone: Quick and low cost, EDGE makes certification easy and accessible for all.

Sustainable buildings new or existing of the following types:

• Airports
• Education
• Residential
• Hospitals
• Hotels
• Industrial
• Offices
• Commercial

• Account with free software.
• Design guide with the calculation of costs of the building.
• Investment planning.
• Lower costs of services (electricity, water) maintenance.

Client: a person who will develop and/or fund the project.

EDGE Expert: person or group of persons accredited to advise the client in all the stages of the project (design and construction) who also supports in the registry, planning, review of documentation, it is important that it not be someone involved in the design

Certification: this Is an external reviewer that form part of the GBCI in Mexico, which reviews reports prepared by the Auditor EDGE and to verify the compliance of the energy savings of the building.

Auditor's EDGE: Is the accredited person who possesses the necessary knowledge for the review of the strategies applied in the project to get the Certification EDGE.

Standard EDGE: a Set of rules, guidelines, and specifications to follow throughout the process to comply with the energy savings.

To get the certification EDGE must meet a minimum savings of 20% in energy, 20% in water and 20% in embodied energy of the materials the building certified.

The Certification EDGE has 3 levels, which can achieve the projects to demonstrate the savings in excess of the percentages, depending on the level to reach.

EDGE CERTIFIED: it Is the basic way in which you can gain this recognition, which must meet the minimum percentages in the basis for the evaluation of EDGE, saving 20% power, 20% in water and 20% in embodied energy of the building materials.

EDGE ADVANCE: This level they achieve the projects that demonstrate savings of 40% in energy, 20% in water and 20% in embodied energy of the building materials.

ZERO CARBON: In this level we search for the maximum reduction and compensation of the energy consumption of the project, to achieve this it is necessary to show a savings of 40% in energy this percentage must be reduced by the design and building strategies, the remaining 60% must be mitigated through renewable sources on site, 20% in water and 20% in embodied energy of the building materials.

Is the free tool globally that facilitates the certification process, to review the data of the project depending on the location of the building, the requirements of the available regions and visualizing it in real time savings and the return on investment estimated for the level of certification EDGE-to-reach.

www.ifc.org/edge  www.edgebuildings.com

The software features:

• Design guide with the calculation of costs of the building
• Investment planning of buildings
• Local data with costs of services

Once verified that the project is fit and already have defined the Level of Certification EDGE to reach the steps to follow are:

• Enter data and record the project
• Design audit: EDGE through an auditor will review the project data and documentation so that in case of being approved to get the Certification EDGE, pass on the information of the project to the certification body GBCI and this decision will.
• Certification EDGE preview: The GBCI to get the suggestion on the part of the auditor's EDGE will issue a certificate preliminary.
• On-site audit: through EDGE App is coming again the data of the project, to record and evaluate the documentation of the building that supports the % of savings, so that on-site auditor EDGE to verify that the building meets the correct way with the savings.
• Certification EDGE: The CBGI reviews the documents issued by the auditor EDGE, if the documentation and the building meet is delivered in a formal way the Certificate to EDGE.

Sustainable construction offers the opportunity to maximize the savings in energy and water at low cost and to ensure a reduction of emissions for the future decades.

Do you have a project that you seek the certification EDGE?

We can support you, we develop the design and specification for your project to meet and be certified.

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