EDGE ("Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies"): A State-of-the-Art Green Building Platform for over 130 Countries

Advice to governments. The IFC is working on green policies and codes in Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Colombia, Panama, Peru, Ghana and Costa Rica. The IFC's role has included helping identify least cost and highest impact measures (often using the EDGE application for benchmarking) whilst engaging with both public and private sector stakeholders to minimize costs and maximize enforcement. IFC is also collaborating with China's Ministry of Housing and Urban Development on policy initiatives and EDGE is being integrated into the government's voluntary certification approach. Green code programs in Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines have to date reported 4218 million m2 of permits issued in line with the new green standards. Investment. IFC's investment in green buildings now exceeds $3 billion, including amounts mobilized from third parties. Over 70% of relevant MAS investments are now green, supported by the EDGE application. FIG is launching an aggressive program to support green mortgage and construction finance through FIs. EDGE certification. Through a partnership with the World Green Building Council, IFC has launched a global program tailored to developing country climates and customs. The EDGE standard is 20% reduction in energy and water consumption, plus a 20% reduction in energy embedded in materials. At the heart of the system, the EDGE application both offers up the most economic opportunities for developers to explore and supports a low-cost certification process. In up to 20 target markets, IFC aims for 20% of new construction to be certified green within 7 years of local launch. In addition to overcoming information asymmetry, voluntary certification increases the incentives for market leaders to innovate in building green and undermines push-back against minimum regulatory standards from industry laggards. Voluntary certification achievements so far include the following - • IT Platform: free software for building designers to use in 130 emerging markets, in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Bahasa, Mandarin, tailored for homes, hotels, hospitals, retail, offices, schools, light manufacturing and warehousing; user manuals; training materials and videos; case studies; online certification process. • Certification services available worldwide through SGS-Thinkstep, GBCI (the LEED certifier), plus local certification providers under license in: Colombia; Costa Rica; India; South Africa; Ghana; Nigeria; Indonesia; Philippines and Vietnam. • Financial sector: eligibility standard for green bonds (Green Bond Principles); EDGE used by commercial banks in India, Turkey, South Africa and Costa Rica; EDGE recognized by MDBs such as CDC, FMO, Proparco, IADB, EBRD. • As of end 2017, 1.7 million m2 of floor space had been certified green across 107 projects. EDGE-accredited green building auditors and advisers totaled 307 and EDGE user registrations 9,181. Particular success stories include South Africa, where 7% of new build is now certified green, and Vietnam, where 5% is now certified green.