Certified sustainability projects

Project Description

La Selva is a residential project located in Mexico, with over 11,510 m² built, developed under a resource-efficiency approach applied to housing. The project is part of the growing adoption of EDGE certification in Mexico's residential sector, where developers of social, middle-income, and residential housing have found this standard to be a practical, cost-effective way to certify their projects.

La Selva holds EDGE certification (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies), developed by the IFC (International Finance Corporation), which requires minimum savings of 20% in energy, 20% in water, and 20% in embodied energy in building materials compared to an equivalent conventional home.

Among the strategies most commonly used in EDGE developments in Mexico are solar water heaters, LED lighting, and thermal insulation of facades and roofs.

What makes this project innovative?

The innovation of La Selva lies in applying energy- and water-efficiency criteria to a mid-scale residential development, helping normalize EDGE certification beyond large corporate projects.

The project stands out for:

• Incorporating passive design strategies to reduce cooling and heating demand.
• Optimizing lighting and equipment in homes to lower electricity consumption.
• Reducing water consumption through low-flow devices.
• Using materials with lower embodied energy across their life cycle.

Project impact

By meeting the thresholds required by EDGE in energy, water, and materials, La Selva helps reduce the environmental footprint of housing in Mexico and shows that certified sustainability is feasible in residential projects of different scales.