About EDGE: Green Building Standard, Software & Certification System
EDGE (“Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies”) is a free software, a green building standard, and an international green building certification system.
About EDGE
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EDGE (“Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies”) is a free software, a green building standard, and an international green building certification system. IFC created EDGE to respond to the need for a measurable and credible solution to prove the business case for building green and to unlock financial investment. Take a few minutes to watch our videos and learn how to meet the EDGE standard make green certification work for you.
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To earn EDGE certification, a project must achieve a minimum of 20% savings in energy, water, and embodied carbon in materials compared to a local baseline. This video walks you through the process of selecting efficiency measures using the EDGE software, modeling resource savings, and choosing strategies that fit the project’s needs and climate.
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EDGE offers multiple benefits for building professionals, investors, and occupants. It reduces utility costs, improves marketability, enables access to green finance, and supports ESG goals. With quick payback periods and a scalable certification process, EDGE makes sustainability a smart business decision.
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EDGE is a globally recognized standard with third-party certification, ensuring transparency and credibility. The compliance process includes key stages like preliminary modeling, design and construction audits, and final certification. This video explains how independent verification builds trust and adds value to certified projects.
The three components of EDGE
Free Software
The EDGE App helps identify the most cost-effective ways to reduce the resource intensity of a building.
Green Standard
EDGE focuses purely on energy, water, and embodied energy in materials for a quantitative approach to sustainability.
Verified Green Label
The internationally recognized certification system makes it fast and easy to verify the resource efficiency of a project
Why EDGE?
Cost Calculator
EDGE helps you decide the best green building options and estimate the incremental costs of sustainable construction.
Focus on Resource Efficiency
EDGE focuses on energy efficiency, water savings, and embodied carbon in materials for a quantitative approach to green design.
Bio-Climatic Modeling
EDGE is location-specific, using climate-responsive architecture and lifestyle data for thousands of cities worldwide.
Streamlined Process
A shorter green building certification workflow saves you time, with most required documentation already on hand.
Green Finance Aligned
EDGE is aligned with international green finance and sustainable investment standards, including GRESB, ICMA, CBI, and CDP.
International Acclaim
Integration of the EDGE brand into your marketing efforts distinguishes your green projects and carries global recognition.
EDGE is an innovation of IFC, a member of the World Bank Group. IFC created EDGE to respond to the need for a measurable and credible solution to prove the business case for building green and to unlock financial investment.