The International Finance Corporation (IFC), on October 6, 2022, announced the winners of the EDGE Green Building Challenge at an Awards Night at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra.

Launched in June 2022, the challenge was organised in two parts: the Net Zero Ready Design Competition and the Green Building Awards. 

The Net Zero Ready Design part was a competition for architecture and engineering students and recent graduates in the built environment to exhibit their understanding of green buildings, using the EDGE App and utilizing knowledge from the Design for Greater Efficiency (DfGE) course.  The Green Building Awards sought to recognize existing buildings or retrofits completed in the last 7 years who have come as close to Net Zero Ready as possible, whether certified or not.

The EDGE Green Building Challenge is an initiative of IFC and funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).

Speaking at the event, IFC’s Senior Country Officer for Ghana, Cemile Hacibeyoglu, said, “The challenge aims to inspire and prepare building professionals for the emerging opportunities in green buildings and for Ghana’s sustainable future.”

Team Charis, made up of David Gifat Ebow Ampiaw, Kobby Shalom Ampiaw, Ken Kafui Bakttah and Olufemi Andre Abodunrin, all students from Central University College, won the top prize in the Net Zero Ready Design Competition, while Team Grandeur and Team Ahaban came in second and third, respectively.

For its winning project, Team Charis presented a project that articulates the principle of maximizing the benefits of the site, maintaining existing conditions and minimizing the impact on the environment under the concept Maximize/Maintain/Minimize.

As its prize, Team Charis gets an all-expenses-paid trip to South Africa to attend Green Building Council South Africa’s (GBCSA) Green Building Convention, free EDGE expert training, an offer to write the EDGE exam for free and a certificate.

For the Green Building Awards, the winners of various categories included Rebecca Foundation Creches (Education), Takoradi Mall (Retail), Atlantic Tower (Mixed Use Building), Aqua Safari and Safari Valley (Resorts), SU Tower (Mixed Used Building) Premier Place (Apartments) Coral Showroom (Industrial Building) MTN House and Calbank (Office) and Boateng Residence, which is a net zero ready building, won in the Home category.

Green buildings use less water and energy, giving owners substantial savings over the lifetime of the building.

Net-zero energy buildings are energy-efficient and consume zero energy from utility-scale sources on an annual basis because all the power the building needs is generated through on-site renewable energy

As of October 13, 2022, eighteen building projects in Ghana have received EDGE certification. Ms. Hacibeyoglu revealed that, globally, EDGE certifications have more than doubled in the last two years, now certifying an estimated $1 billion worth of floor space each month.

Ghana’s first lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo- Addo, was recognized by the Ghana Green Building Summit for her key contributions in the green building space, including receiving EDGE certification for the Mother and Baby Unit of the Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital which was renovated by the Rebecca Foundation.

In her remarks, the first lady said, “Building green sustainable structures not only addresses climate concerns, but also provides an opportunity to impact the people who inhabit them.”

The challenge was organized with the collaboration of IFC EDGE, SECO, the Ghana Green Building Summit, OOA, Ghana Institute of Architects, and Goldkey Properties