+IMPACT Magazine Issue 25

PROJECT
TWO-PHASED CERTIFICATION
To achieve EDGE certification for Illovo Country Estate,
compliance had to be demonstrated at preliminary and
post-construction stage. Each stage consists of two rounds
of submissions, giving clients the opportunity to correct
any errors they might have made.
In the design stage, Alleyroads registered on the EDGE
app and entered the project’s details. The EDGE app is
intuitive, enabling clients to decide which green features they
want for their development. The app then quickly assesses
how feasible the proposed green measures are, given the
constraints of the project. A design certificate is issued once
the project has demonstrated a minimum improvement of
20% in energy, water and embodied energy in construction
materials, compared to current building regulations.
In the post-construction phase, an EDGE auditor visits
the site to verify the project’s sustainability features.
By greening our housing projects, we
put less strain on the national electricity
grid, which ensures future sustainability.
In the case of Illovo Country Estate, the EDGE auditor was
Yvonne Pelser of Inside Out Consulting, well known for
its consulting services targeted at the affordable housing
market. After inspection, the auditor submits the relevant
findings to the GBCSA. The GBCSA then assesses the
application and makes a final decision on whether to issue
an EDGE certificate to the project owner or not.
FUTURE PLANS
Pretorius says Alleyroads will continue to use EDGE
certification for its future projects and is proud of its
association with the IFC. “We benefit from our partnership
with the IFC, enjoying funding opportunities, expertise
sharing and networking advantages,” he says.
“As an EDGE Champion, we will enrol 3 770 units or
250 000m 2 for EDGE certification in the next 12 months,”
says Pretorius. “By December 2027, we plan to roll out 10 000
units or 620 000m2 of EDGE-certified affordable housing.”
He believes that with the IFC capital of R2.2 billion as
debt funding over the next five years, Alleyroads should be
able to hit these targets easily. “We are the first residential
developer in South Africa and with the GBCSA – in the
affordable housing sector – to achieve design certification
on EDGE Version 3,” Pretorius says.
READY TO BUILD
A GREEN FUTURE?
Put your brand on show at the
Green Building Convention.
Network, innovate and connect
at the most powerful green
building gathering in Africa.
Secure your space in our vibrant
exhibition village and put your
brand on show to over 900 built
environment and sustainability
professionals.
Exhibition space from just
ZAR 15 000
Email gbcsa@idna.co.za or visit
www.gbcsaconvention.org.za
to book your exhibition space.
The exterior walls consist of an innovative combination
of face brick and dense concrete bricks.
IN A NUTSHELL: EDGE CERTIFICATION
An innovation of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) is
a green-building certification system for emerging markets. EDGE certification enables residential developers to optimise
the performance of their building design and be rewarded for resource efficiency. The Green Building Council of South Africa
(GBCSA) is a licensed certification provider for EDGE throughout Africa.
Achieving an EDGE certification requires savings of 20% in each of the following three categories: energy usage; water
usage; and a reduction in the embodied energy of construction materials. The EDGE certification gives homeowners peace of
mind that their homes have been designed and built to be resource-efficient, saving them money on utility bills and leaving
a smaller carbon footprint.
15 - 17 Nov
CAPE TOWN
56 POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 25