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Washington, D.C., September 22, 2015
– IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, will join forces with the world’s premier certification providers – Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) and thinkstep in partnership with SGS – to take IFC’s EDGE green building program to scale in nearly 100 emerging market countries. The certification providers will help mainstream resource-efficient building construction in emerging markets and mitigate climate change. The announcement was made as part of
World Green Building Week
, an interactive forum to promote the role that buildings play in our sustainable future.
GBCI and thinkstep-SGS will stimulate demand, drive certification uptake and train independent auditors to engage with clients, assessing their work before rewarding projects with EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) certification. GBCI and SGS currently serve as local certification providers for EDGE in India and Vietnam respectively, which has helped them prepare for global readiness.
IFC’s aim is to transform 20 percent of the construction market in rapidly industrializing countries with the support of governments, financial institutions and industry associations, led by green building councils who serve as national certification providers in such countries as Costa Rica and Indonesia. Resource-efficient buildings can significantly benefit the poor, as utility bills can absorb as much as 30 percent of a homeowner’s income in developing countries.
“Market transformation will require widespread participation and EDGE will help achieve our longstanding goal of green buildings for all within a generation,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, COO, U.S. Green Building Council and President of GBCI. “EDGE helps provide financially attractive measures for new construction projects and upgrading to more comprehensive green building practices. GBCI is ready to accelerate the progress of EDGE around the world.”
“EDGE is a first-of-its-kind approach to persuade the industry to change course and build green,” said Nicolas Kyndt, Global Vice President, SGS Environmental Services. “Our strategy is to achieve success by generating wide-spread recognition, satisfying demand through excellence in delivery, and ensuring a ripple effect of green construction.”
Thomas Saunders, EDGE Program Manager for thinkstep, added, “Rapid economic development and urbanization are creating a huge demand for housing and commercial space in developing countries. We are excited to play such a crucial role in the success of EDGE, which will encourage and reward developers that meet this demand with green buildings, ultimately leading to a more sustainable future.”
“Our global certification providers will build capacity and volume to seize the window of opportunity that lies before us,” said Prashant Kapoor, IFC’s Principal Green Building Industry Specialist and the inventor of EDGE. “The power and potential for EDGE with its speed, simplicity and rich data is now in their incredibly capable hands.”
IFC has a green building portfolio of $1.5 billion, which includes its own direct investments and mobilized financing. Complementing its investment work, IFC advises governments on green building regulations in Colombia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. Working with more than 2,000 businesses worldwide, we use our capital, expertise and influence to create opportunity where it’s needed most. In FY15, our long-term investments in developing countries rose to nearly $18 billion, helping the private sector play an essential role in the global effort to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. For more information, visit
www.ifc.org
.
About EDGE
An innovation of IFC,
EDGE
helps property developers to build and brand green in a fast, easy and affordable way. EDGE is supported by software that encourages solutions to reduce energy, water and the energy used to make building materials by at least 20 percent, which is the standard for EDGE certification. The program has been generously supported by the following donors: Austria, Canada, Denmark, ESMAP, EU, Finland, GEF, Japan and Switzerland. For more information, visit
www.edgebuildings.com
.
About GBCI
Green Business Certification Inc.
(GBCI) is the premier organization independently recognizing excellence in green business industry performance and practice globally. Established in 2008, GBCI exclusively administers project certifications and professional credentials and certificates within the framework of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating systems as well as the PEER standard for power systems, the WELL building standard, the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES®) and the GRESB benchmark, which is used by institutional investors to improve the sustainability performance of the global property sector. For more information, visit
www.gbci.org
.
About thinkstep
thinkstep
enables organizations worldwide to succeed sustainably. With a global presence in 19 countries, thinkstep serves more than 2,000 companies, including 40 percent of the Fortune 500. thinkstep’s industry-leading software, data and services include unparalleled expertise in the development and operation of green building standards and the quantification of green construction. For more information, visit
www.thinkstep.com
.
About SGS
As the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company,
SGS
is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 80,000 employees, SGS operates a network of more than 1,650 offices and laboratories around the world. SGS’ reputation for independence, excellence and innovation has established the company as the market leader in providing services that improve efficiency, reduce risk and deliver competitive advantage for customers. For more information, visit
www.sgs.com
.
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