Green building certifications, standards and rating systems provide a framework for evaluating the environmental performance of buildings, based on specific criteria that measure their sustainability and efficiency.
EDGE is a certification system for efficient and sustainable buildings developed in 2014 by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. It currently has more than 78 million m² of certified green space around the world.
EDGE was created with the objective of promoting sustainable construction in terms of resources in emerging markets. To obtain this certification, it is necessary to prove a minimum reduction of 20% in energy consumption, of the 20% in water consumption and 20% in the energy embedded in materials, compared to traditional buildings.
This system has three levels of certification:
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) was created in 1998 by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). With more than 197,000 certified projects, it is one of the most recognized and used green building certification systems worldwide.
To certify a project, LEED evaluates criteria such as:
It includes several categories of analysis, such as:
The projects go through a verification and review process by GBCI, receiving a score that certifies them as:
Learn more about the similarities and differences between LEED and EDGE hither.
BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) was developed in the United Kingdom in 1990 by the Building Research Establishment (BRE), being the first method of environmental assessment of buildings worldwide.
It currently has more than 565,000 certificates issued and more than 2,250,000 registered projects. BREEAM evaluates environmental performance in areas such as energy efficiency, water use, waste management, indoor air quality and the use of sustainable materials.
Green Star is the only voluntary national rating system for buildings and communities in Australia. Launched in 2003 by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), it offers independent verification of sustainability.
Green Star ratings are available for all types of buildings: schools, hospitals, shopping malls, hotels, and more.
Fitwel was created jointly in 2017 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. General Administration of Services (GAS). Currently, the Center for Active Design is the operator responsible for expanding Fitwel globally.
This certification promotes environments that promote the health and well-being of building occupants, based on an exhaustive analysis of more than 7,000 academic studies.
Fitwel addresses factors such as indoor air quality, access to natural light, ventilation, thermal comfort, accessibility to spaces for physical activity and promotion of healthy habits.
WELL was created in 2014 by Delos and the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). The IWBI manages this certification system, while the Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) reviews documentation for compliance.
Its objective is to improve the quality of life of occupants by designing and managing spaces that promote physical and mental health.
Like Fitwel, WELL evaluates criteria related to health and well-being, such as indoor air quality, access to natural light, acoustics, thermal comfort, healthy habits and exercise.
Learn more about the similarities and differences between WELL and Fitwel hither.
GREEN is a certification for sustainable buildings developed by the Green Building Council of Spain (GBCe), oriented and adapted to the Spanish context. It is an effective alternative for certifying sustainable projects in Spain.
The certification system DGNB (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen or German Society for Sustainable Construction) was founded in Germany in 2007. It has variants depending on the type of use, scheme of the building or district and phase of the project's life cycle.
The basic structure and number of criteria vary; for example, the DGNB System for New Building Construction (Version 2018) employs up to 37 criteria distributed in six topics, while for Buildings in Use there are only nine criteria in three themes.
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EDGE certification is one of the fastest and most effective ways to create efficient buildings, reduce energy, water, and material consumption, and increase property resale value. Developed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, EDGE helps real estate projects lower their environmental impact, reduce operating costs, and support decarbonization efforts. With a streamlined and measurable process, EDGE has become a strategic certification for developers and investors seeking sustainability, profitability, and market differentiation.
Sustainable certifications in Mexico are gaining prominence as a key tool for companies and projects that seek to demonstrate their environmental, social and governance commitment. They are no longer limited to construction alone, but encompass complete processes, operations, products and business models.
Discover how environmental certifications, energy efficiency and sustainable buildings increase the resale value of a property and reduce its environmental impact.
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