EDGE - Residential

EDGE certification involves two key stages. It is recommended that a project go through both preliminary and post construction stages in order to successfully achieve EDGE certification. 

Each stage consists of a 2 round submission process to the GBCSA

1. Preliminary:  At the design stage, enter the project details into the EDGE software and select green options.  The platform will quickly establish the feasibility of the green measures you plan to use on the project. 

Note: In order to comply, the project must reach the EDGE Standard of a minimum of 20% improvement in energy, water, and embodied energy in materials as measured against current standard building regulations.

A preliminary certificate is issued by the GBCSA at this stage.

2. Post Construction: Following construction an EDGE auditor is dispatched to site to verify the projects green credentials. The EDGE auditor will then collate the findings and submit the relevant documentation to the GBCSA. 

The GBCSA will then verify the documentation and issue a final EDGE certification certificate per unit to the project owner.

Taking green measures, EDGE proves that the next generation of buildings can be more affordable to build. Preliminary indications from South African pilot projects targeting EDGE certification point to an additional construction cost of not more than 3% to meet the EDGE Standard, but this will vary for each project depending on the specific design of the project. 

1. Typology is defined as one particular design of a residential unit that has all aspects of the design the same, including but not limited to aspects such as layout, shape, windows, shading, materials etc.

2: In order to claim the GBCSA members discounted project registration fee the Applicant must be a fully paid up member of the GBCSA at the date of execution of this Agreement.

3: Projects that submit a signed certification agreement and pay the full project registration fees (thus becoming fully registered) and do not submit their final As Built Round 1 or Round 2 submission within 24 months of the registration date, the GBCSA has the right to adjust the project certification fees upwards in accordance with the fees advertised at the time of submission (resulting in an additional invoice issued to the project for the additional fees) which are then payable by the project before the Round 1 submission is passed onto the assessors by the GBCSA.

4: Once the GBCSA has received the signed certification agreement and the full GBCSA project certification fee, the GBCSA will acknowledge the project as a fully registered project.

5: Please note that the project certification fees only cover the cost for GBCSA to produce and issue digital certificates (and not paper certificates or plaques for projects).

6: Please note all changes to the GBCSA Certification Agreements are to be undertaken at the cost of the client; please contact the GBCSA to establish our lawyer’s current hourly rate. The number of hours will depend on how many changes are proposed.

7. GBCSA reserves the right to change the fees periodically.