IFC and HOK partnership will accelerate sustainable design in emerging markets

IFC and HOK partnership will accelerate sustainable design in emerging markets

Apr 19, 2016  | Architecture 

IFC and HOK partnership will accelerate sustainable design in emerging markets
(Photo by: HOK)

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and HOK have signed a one-year partnership agreement that will enable HOK to use IFC’s EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) green building software and certification system. The goal is to promote sustainability in projects all over the world.

“We’re thrilled to partner with HOK, a firm that is recognized globally as a champion of environmental stewardship through sustainable design,” said Christian Grossmann (on right), IFC’s director for climate change. “Engaging the private sector to help green the building industry and adopt EDGE certification is a priority for IFC in our efforts to secure emission cuts for climate change mitigation efforts.”

“We look forward to collaborating with IFC in pursuit of our shared aspirations to help the design and construction community in emerging markets find lower-carbon, more resource-efficient paths,” said Carl Galioto, FAIA, (above left) managing principal for HOK in New York. “The partnership will result in better, more sustainable buildings that improve people’s lives while providing positive financial returns for all parties.”

“We’re honored to be the first design firm in the world to have this relationship with IFC,” said Anica Landreneau, Associate AIA, LEED AP, HOK’s director of sustainable design. “EDGE will be especially valuable for the design of office, healthcare, retail and residential buildings in developing countries, where passive design and practical solutions are essential strategies for sustainability.”

Supporting the private sector’s contribution to climate change mitigation and ensuring sustainable low-carbon growth are strategic priorities for IFC. The building sector presents vast opportunities for achieving these goals. With emerging markets in the midst of a construction boom, environmentally friendly construction offers opportunities to secure emission cuts at a low cost and to lock in long-term energy and water savings.

The fast, easy and affordable EDGE certification system is supported by software that enables project teams to determine the financial viability of sustainable strategies early in the design process. After determining the most cost-effective options to reach the EDGE standard of 20 percent less energy, water, and embodied energy in materials, projects teams can use the certification system for verification. Certification is administered by Green Building Certification Inc. (GBCI), which is the same body that certifies LEED projects, and the thinkstep/SGS consortium.

HOK has committed to using the EDGE software and exploring the potential for certification on at least five projects in emerging markets over the agreement’s first year. One of these projects will be the 2.3-milllion-sq.-ft., mixed-use World Trade Center being developed by Bengaluru-based Brigade Group in Chennai, India. HOK will also help create awareness about the economic and environmental benefits of EDGE within the global design and construction industry.

IFC will offer EDGE training to HOK design teams and incorporate feedback from HOK’s teams after they use the software and certification program.

Via HOK
Image,video ©: HOK