EDGE in Mexico

EDGE is a green building certification system that empowers the Mexican real estate market to build sustainably. An innovation of IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, EDGE makes it faster, easier and more affordable than ever before to build and brand green. Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) and thinkstep-SGS are the providers of EDGE certification services in Mexico. They can certify a project to increase its marketability at the design stage.

Rapid urbanization in Mexico has created a demand for more buildings, particularly in the residential sector. The government, financial institutions and developers are working together to make green design a standard practice, with programs such as Sociedad Hipotecaria Federal’s EcoCasa and INFONAVIT’s green mortgages. As key players in the market continue to recognize the value of embracing green, Mexico’s green building industry is poised to grow, leading the country towards a better future.

EDGE certification provides a solution: to capitalize on the value of green buildings by promoting the benefits to customers while protecting the environment. With EDGE, it’s possible to stay at the forefront of the green building trend.

Floor Space
Registered

112,686

m²

Floor Space
Preliminary Certified

305,994

m²

Floor Space
Final Certification

323,074

m²

CO₂ Savings
Certified

9,322

(tCO₂/year)

Number of
Certified Homes

6,842

Units

EDGE is an opportunity for governments, builders, banks and buyers, especially in Mexico.

Government

Mexico is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2030. It’s also committed to reforming its power sector and increasing its use of clean energy by 35 percent by 2024.

Builders

By 2021, the World Green Building Trends predicts that more than half of Mexican developers will build green. With 88% of the population expected to live in cities by 2050, the urban housing market will continue to grow.

Banks

The investment potential for green buildings is $33B in the near term, according to IFC’s Climate Investment Opportunities in Emerging Markets. Green bonds and mortgages are a growing market in Mexico.

Buyers

Mexico’s residential sector leads the market and they consider themselves a leader in green homes. As the country shifts to clean energy solutions, buyers will demand energy-efficient and sustainable housing.

The financial sector in Mexico is driving change, encouraging industry leaders to think twice before building conventionally.

Leading developers, financial institutions and organizations are collaborating to drive Mexico’s green building growth. Mexico has issued more than half of Latin America’s green bonds through key players such as Amundi, while INFONAVIT, the largest mortgage lender in Latin America, has issued over two million green mortgages. FINSA and Grupo Posadas have started to certify their buildings with EDGE, and Vinte and FICADE have committed to a portfolio approach. EDGE is grateful for the early support of these adopters, as well as Mexico’s green building council (SUMe), the Mexican Banking Association, and La Asociación de Desarrolladores Inmobiliarios (ADI).

Case Study: Mexico’s Top Developers Realize the Low Extra Cost of Building Green

Project Name	Type	Size	Energy Solutions	Water Solutions	Extra Cost/Payback Period
Acalli	Homes	60 units totaling 5,663m²	Reduced window to wall ratio and energy-saving lighting systems for internal spaces, common areas and external spaces.	Low-flow faucets in kitchens and bathrooms, and dual-flush water closets.	There are no incremental costs or payback period as passive design measures result in utility savings.
Fiesta Americana México Satélite	Hotel	13,399m²	Reduced window to wall ratio, higher thermal performance glass, energy-efficient air conditioning with air cooled screw chiller, energy-saving lighting systems and occupancy sensors in bathrooms.	Low-flow showerheads, low-flow faucets, dual flush water closets, water-efficient urinals, aerators and auto shut-off faucets in bathrooms and water-efficient kitchen faucets	$136,569 with a payback of 1.2 years
Villas del Fresno	Homes	1,916 units totaling 118,481m²	High-efficiency hot water boiler, energy-saving lighting systems, and solar hot water collectors.	Low-flow shower-heads and faucets in kitchens and bathrooms, single flush water closets.	Investment ranging between $0/unit to $409/unit with a payback period ranging from zero to 1.9 years, depending on unit size.

Find out how affordable it is to certify your project with our premier service providers.

Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) and thinkstep-SGS are the premier providers of EDGE certification services in 125 countries. Learn more about GBCI and thinkstep-SGS, and view their certification rates to see how they would apply to one of your upcoming projects:

GBCI is the premier organization independently recognizing excellence in green business industry performance and practice globally through rating systems such as LEED, WELL, GRESB, SITES, PEER and EDGE.

thinkstep and SGS collaborate to set the global benchmark for quality and integrity as providers of independent oversight for professional credentialing and project certification programs, including EDGE.

GBCI

Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI)
2101 L Street NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20037
+1 202 828 1145
Email

thinkstep-SGS

thinkstep-SGS
The thinkstep-SGS consortium has offices in nearly every country in the world. Get in touch with their global team by phone or email.
+44 203 473 8758
Email

Certification Pricing by GBCI:*

Register all the buildings at your site now for one low fee of $300. GBCI offers free online EDGE training in English for up to two project team members for each registered EDGE project.

Registration
Per Project Site: $300

By choosing to work with GBCI you are able to select and contract your own local EDGE Auditor from our list. Competitive pricing and the potential to save on travel costs make EDGE certification even more affordable. Calculate your certification fee for each building based on its floor area (excluding parking).

Certification	Price (per square meter, excluding parking)	Minimum
0-25,000 FLOOR AREA (SQM)	$0.27	$2,250
25,000-50,000 FLOOR AREA (SQM)	$0.22	$6,750
> 50,000 FLOOR AREA (SQM)	—	$11,000 Flat Fee

^*Certification pricing includes both design and construction stages. Note that hiring a local auditor is required and is in addition to the cost of certification. View the contact list of GBCI-trained EDGE Auditors and reach out for a competitive quote. GBCI can also assign an Auditor for your project if you wish. Contact GBCI for custom pricing if you have multiple buildings or any single building that is over 75,000 square meters.

Certification Pricing by thinkstep-SGS:*

Register your project with thinkstep-SGS for $300. thinkstep-SGS provides a complete “one-stop-shop” for EDGE certification, supporting clients from assessment straight through to final certification.

Registration
Per Project Site: $300

The fees below represent the total cost for a standard project, including travel and other ancillary expenses. A discount applies if there is an EDGE Expert on the project team, or for multiple project registrations. Basic assessment support can also be provided by an EDGE Expert Partner at no additional cost.

Project Type	Certification	Design Audit	Final Audit	Total
Residential (single-family housing developments or apartment buildings with up to 100 units and up to three house/apartment types).	$2,400	$4,000	$4,000	$10,400
Commercial (buildings with a single-end use, including hotels, retail, offices, and hospitals).	$2,400	$4,000	$4,000	$10,400

^*For multi-use buildings, residential buildings with more than 100 units and/or more than three unit types, or complex projects with multiple buildings or phases, contact edge@thinkstep.com for custom pricing.

Certify your project in three easy steps with the EDGE App.

1. Create and Register

Create and register your project, receive a quote, and send the required payment.

2. Submit

Upload compliance documentation and submit your project.

3. Certify

Win certification to better market your project to customers.

Understand the exact cost of certification in advance.

EDGE green building certification has two stages: design and construction. Each stage mirrors the other, except that a site audit is required at the construction stage. Upon completion of the design stage, a preliminary EDGE certificate is awarded, which enables marketability of your project with the EDGE brand. Upon completion of the construction stage, a final EDGE certificate is awarded. The cost of certification covers both stages. If your project is already built, only the construction stage of certification is required.

The first step towards certification is to create your project within the EDGE App. While it’s possible to calculate a rough estimate from the pricing chart, you may wish to receive a quote for a precise figure before entering your project within EDGE.

For more detailed questions regarding certification in Mexico, email either GBCI or thinkstep-SGS.

Get a Quote

Consider hiring an EDGE Expert for your project.

You may wish to hire an EDGE Expert depending on the size and complexity of your project and whether you are new to EDGE. EDGE Experts are trained and accredited professionals who provide advice on green design and help prepare your project’s application for certification. They are your go-to resource for your project team to better understand the EDGE software, standard and certification system.

To find your EDGE Expert today, visit EDGE Experts Around the World.

Note that hiring an EDGE Expert is not a requirement of EDGE certification.

Discover how others are designing and building green with EDGE.

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