IFC EDGE Experts

IFC EDGE Experts in Kenya

EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) is a green building certification system developed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. The platform provides a global green building standard, a free software application and a certification programme designed to make sustainable construction measurable, affordable and accessible, particularly in emerging economies where green building regulations are absent or weakly enforced.

In Kenya, EDGE has become the leading green building certification pathway, with the country surpassing 1 million certified square metres of EDGE floor space. Notable Kenyan EDGE-certified projects in partnership with KGBS include the Nairobi County Governor’s Office — the first EDGE-certified government building in Africa – and ABSA Bank Kenya’s portfolio of certified branches. The Kenya Green Building Society (KGBS) serves as the local delivery partner for EDGE Expert training, running regular one-day workshops in Nairobi that prepare architects, engineers, developers and facility managers to lead EDGE certification on their own projects. KGBS has delivered multiple EDGE Expert training cohorts since 2022, including dedicated sessions for government officials, building a growing pipeline of accredited professionals across Kenya’s construction industry.

Sustainability Features

The EDGE standard requires a building to demonstrate a minimum 20% reduction in projected operational energy consumption, water use and embodied energy in materials compared to typical local construction practices.
The standard contextualises its baseline to each building’s function and geographic location, meaning efficiency targets are calibrated to local climate, energy sources and construction norms rather than a single global benchmark.
Performance is measured across three categories: energy efficiency (36 measures covering building envelope, HVAC, lighting, renewable energy and smart metering), water efficiency (18 measures covering fixtures, irrigation, rainwater harvesting and wastewater recycling), and materials efficiency (10 measures covering floor slabs, walls, roofing, insulation and windows – assessed on embodied energy content).
The free EDGE software application enables project teams to model efficiency measures at the early design stage, revealing projected operational savings and carbon emission reductions before construction begins.

Services

• Free EDGE software application for modelling building performance across energy, water and materials.
• Region-specific baseline data for over 170 countries including Kenya-specific climate and cost data. Online certification process managed through the EDGE platform.
• EDGE Expert training delivered in Kenya by KGBS: training workshops covering EDGE principles, software walkthroughs on real projects, certification pathways, practical retrofitting applications and communicating results to clients. After completing training, participants are eligible to sit the EDGE Exam and become accredited EDGE Experts listed on IFC’s global directory.

Certifications

• EDGE Certified: minimum 20% savings in energy, water and embodied energy in materials against the local baseline.
• EDGE Advanced: higher performance threshold beyond the standard 20% minimum.
• EDGE Zero Carbon: the highest certification level, requiring net zero operational carbon emissions.
• EDGE Expert: individual professional accreditation for architects, engineers and consultants who complete the EDGE training and examination, accredited by IFC and administered in Kenya through KGBS in partnership with Sintali-SGS.