Manila, Philippines, July 20, 2016 — IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has named the Philippine Green Building Initiative (PGBI) as its local partner in promoting green building through the use of EDGE, IFC’s green building certification system for emerging markets. IFC made the announcement during the handover of the EDGE licensing agreement to PGBI today at the IFC office in Taguig.
EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) promotes resource efficiency through building designs that reduce energy, including the energy used in making construction materials, and water. PGBI, a non-profit group of professional associations that promotes energy-efficient and environment-friendly design and construction, will serve as the exclusive certification provider for EDGE projects in the Philippines.
IFC country manager Yuan Xu said: “With PGBI as our partner in the Philippines, we hope to see more building designers and developers champion green building and transform the market into one that invites economic growth, minimized resource consumption, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and generates savings for building owners and residents.”
PGBI president Amado de Jesus said: “EDGE is a design and investment planning tool that the building industry can use to make sustainable designs in order to be more competitive in the market.” He added, “PGBI is founded on a concern over the impact of global warming. We see EDGE as an immediate action that offers developers a leadership opportunity while helping to mitigate climate change.”
The Philippines’ National Statistics Office states the average annual growth rate of commercial and residential buildings is over 500 percent. Buildings consume 63 percent of the country’s energy supply, according to 2013 data from the Department of Energy. IFC’s green building program is expected to cut 1.9 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in the Philippines and save 38 billion Philippine pesos a year by 2030. To qualify for EDGE design certification, companies must use the EDGE software to prove that their building design will reduce resource consumption by at least 20 percent compared to a conventional building. The online software is available for free at www.edgebuildings.com.
This is not the first time that IFC and PGBI have collaborated. IFC engaged with members of PGBI in a project to provide technical support to the Department of Public Works and Highways in developing the Philippine Green Building Code, which is now part of the National Building Code.
IFC’s work to promote green buildings in the Philippines is delivered in partnership with Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). 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, IFC uses its capital, expertise and influence to create opportunity where it’s needed most. In FY15, IFC’s 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 build and brand green in a fast, easy and affordable way. EDGE is supported by free 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 PGBI The Philippine Green Building Initiative (PGBI) is a non-profit group of professional associations and a leader in the promotion of energy-efficient and environment-friendly design and construction. PGBI independently recognizes excellence in green business industry performance and practice, serving as the sole certifying body for EDGE projects in the Philippines. For more information, visit www.greenbuilding.ph.
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