EDGE

The GBCSA has partnered with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to facilitate certification using the EDGE tool in Africa. Simply register to use the EDGE online software for free here. The EDGE rating system can be applied to projects across the Hospitality; Healthcare; Education; Offices; Retail and Residential sectors.

Enter basic project information online and the application will reveal how committing to a few practical energy and water saving options improves building performance at little or no cost. EDGE will help you determine, at a concept level, the financial viability of a project’s green building initiatives early in the design stage.

Should you wish to proceed to getting your project EDGE certified, which can unlock financing opportunities and authenticates your greening efforts, the certification process can get started.

It is recommended that projects targeting EDGE certification appoint an independent EDGE Expert to guide the development team from inception to execution and occupation and have an important role to play in EDGE certification and resource efficient projects. The EDGE Auditor reviews project documentation, verifies compliance with EDGE requirements, provides a rigorous check (audit) of the project submission, and recommends the project for assessment to the GBCSA.

The GBCSA offers high levels of service and technical support when it comes to getting your projects certified.

The GBCSA also offers training programmes to help you qualify as an EDGE practitioner. Part of the registration process requires that an independent EDGE Auditor is appointed and contracted to compile all the necessary documentation for submission to the GBCSA.

EDGE certificates are then issued to projects which successfully demonstrate they have met or exceeded the EDGE Standard at the Design and Construction stages of the project.

EDGE Ts & Cs

To Note, the following might affect the final fee.

• For every additional building, a fee of R 9 275 applies (assuming the 10% or 1000m2 threshold is exceeded). This is not applicable to residential type space uses [including multi use residential development, student housing and hospitality].
• For every mixed use building a typology fee or R 9 275 applies (assuming the 10% or 1000m2 threshold is exceeded)
• For every additional sub project registered a fee or R 9 275 applies (where not in addition to the two instances above).  For Residential space uses only [including multi use residential developments, student housing and hospitality), subprojects are limited to a certain number of typologies. For projects with more than 6 unit types within a single subproject an additional fee will be payable. For 7-12 unit types R9275 and 13-20 unit types (R9275*2) respectively apply. For projects with more than 20 unit types within a single subproject, the GBCSA will determine the final fee. Typology rationalisations are encouraged to improve assessment efficiencies. 
• For each additional sub-project that is registered (after project registration has been finalised), an additional fee of R9 275 is incurred.
• Phasing is available at Preliminary and Post Construction stage. Phasing relates to phasing the submission in different stages to align with project programmes and availability of submission documentation. This is typically used at Post Construction stage but can also be made use of at Preliminary stage, if required.
• Bulk Registrations discounts are available on request and available to all project applicants.
• Residential projects that receive a Consolidated Capital Grant (CCG) provided by the Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA) are eligible for a 8% discount on the published GBCSA registration fee. Where bulks registrations discounts are activated, this offer falls away.
• All fees quoted above are inclusive of VAT .

Standard T’s & C’s

1. These fees will be applicable from 1 January 2023, and apply to all projects that complete registration between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023 (i.e. sign a certification agreement and pay certification fees, both of these must be complete before a project will be reported as registered).

2. These fees are available to projects that meet all IFC requirements as per the EDGE User Guide.

3. The GBCSA EDGE certification fees are based on a sliding scale that relates to the project Gross Floor Area (GFA, excluding parking or basements). GBCSA Members receive a discount of approximately 20% on the fees compared to non-GSA members.

4. Additional fees might apply as per the notes and must be confirmed by GBCSA via an invoice issued to the project applicant.

5. These GBCSA certification fees do not include EDGE Auditor fees (and do not include EDGE Expert fees where these apply) – these are priced, appointed and paid by the client directly to these individuals.

6. A Project is defined as the whole building or development submitted for EDGE certification with the same certifier and owner. For example, a Project may be a residential building with two towers, a mixed-use building with offices and retail space, or multiple buildings with the same specifications in a city or country. The information in the Project section in EDGE is the top-level information that applies to the whole project.

7. A Mixed-use Building is defined as follows: if a building has more than one use and the secondary use occupies less than 10% of the floor area up to a maximum of 1,000m², the entire building can be certified under the primary use of the building (i.e. one subproject). If the area of secondary use is more than 10% of the floor area or more than 1,000m², then that portion must be certified separately (i.e. separate subprojects).

8. The full certification fees comprise two parts, namely the ‘1. Base fee & prelim certification fee’ and ‘2. Post construction fee per submission’. Each subproject associated with a project gets a certification and EDGE preliminary and post construction certificate.

9. In terms of payment process, there are two options:
   1. Option 1: ‘1. base fee & prelim certification fee’ and ‘2. Post construction fee’ can be paid at once at registration or
   2. Option 2: Paid in stages:  on registration, pay the ‘1. Base fee & prelim certification’ and then prior to the post construction submission pay the ‘2. Post construction submission fee’
   3. Note: In both cases option 1 or option 2; GBCSA will not be able to process a project submission for review until a project has paid the respective registration fee for that stage (prelim or post construction). Two Proforma Invoices will always be issued from the GBCSA accounts department to projects on registration for ‘1. Base fee & prelim certification fee’ and ‘2. Post construction fee per submission’ regardless of whether the project will pay in stages. GBCSA will keep a record of which stages have been paid for and which not on a project, and only process those that have paid.

10. Phasing is available at Preliminary and Post Construction stage. Phasing relates to phasing the submission in different stages to align with project programmes and availability of submission documentation. This is typically used at Post Construction stage but can also be made use of at Preliminary stage, if required. For example,  projects that plan to submit only one post construction submission to GBCSA only pay the post construction fee once, but projects that submit their post construction submissions in phases will pay the ‘2.Post construction fee per submission’ every time the project submits a phased post construction EDGE submission. For every additional preliminary or post-construction phased submission, a standard fee applies. The full certification fee covers 1 preliminary assessment and 1 post construction assessment for each sub-project associated with a project, assuming they are submitted for assessment at the same time. If subprojects are not submitted at the same time, this then qualifies as a phased submission and a phasing fee applies. Any subprojects that require submission for assessment after this 1 option has been used, incur an additional preliminary or post construction phasing fee.

11. Projects that register in one year, but only submit in future years may be subject to fee increases and will be required to pay current fees where the submission occurs more than 2 years after the original registration for the ‘1. Base fee & prelim certification fee’. 

12. GBCSA Fees are reviewed and increased annually, which will include an inflation related increase and any other increases where GBCSA costs have changed.