Occupiers gain as more commercial buildings become green, EDGE certified

Space occupiers are the ultimate beneficiaries as more commercial buildings become green by integrating energy-saving and sustainability features, and subsequently embracing Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) certification.

EDGE is an innovative green building certification system developed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, to help emerging economies like Nigeria build efficiently and affordably.

It is an online platform, a green building standard, and a certification system available worldwide. EDGE was created in response to the need for a measurable solution to prove the financial case for building green and help jumpstart the mainstreaming of green buildings.

Experts believe that building green allows occupiers to reduce their consumption of natural resources and reduce the environmental impact of their buildings. Commercially, ensuring a lower carbon footprint not only reduces the building’s operational costs, but also leads to a lower cost of occupancy for tenants.

A good number of residential buildings in Nigeria, about nine of them, are EDGE-certified, including Bluewater Lagos, developed by African Capital Alliance (ACA) and Elalan Group, and Lekki Pearl Estate, a development by Alpha Mead Development Company, and many other estates.

EDGE-certified commercial buildings are not as many, but the number is encouraging. They include Alliance Place on Kingsway Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; Alpha 1 in Eko Atlantic City; Cornerstone Tower at Oniru Estate, and Stanbic IBTC Bank, Idejo Branch in Victoria Island, Lagos.

A new addition to these is the 12-floor Trinity Towers, a Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG)-owned mixed-use development, incorporating the City of David Church as well as commercial and leisure spaces.

Trinity Towers, which opened in 2023, is a unique and innovative masterpiece that comprises 3 towers (South, Central and North Towers) in one building and the first of its kind in West Africa.

The building is strategically located at the heart of the fast-developing commercial centre of Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos. It includes a multi-storey car park on split levels for approximately 673 cars, a gym and wellness centre, medical centre, recreational zone, potential for air, land and water access, and electric vehicle charging stations for sustainable mobility,

It also has seamless transaction and withdrawal of cash via ATM counters, tenant-dedicated external and roof-top garden terraces protected by lattice framework, 12 passenger lifts, two goods lift, two escalators, and a culinary hub.

Trinity Towers earned the EDGE certification offered by the IFC. The certification, presented in Lagos by EDGE certifier, Green Business Certification Inc.(GBCI), marks the Tower as one of the commercial office buildings to be EDGE-certified in Nigeria.

“The process to achieve this was collaborative, with contributions from the church project, Global PFI and IFC teams. We are excited that we achieved the green building certification for the building. Achievements like this do not happen in isolation,” MKO Balogun, Group CEO of Global PFI Holding, explained at the presentation of the certificate.

Balogun, who was the EDGE expert on the project, added, “I would like to acknowledge the architects and developers of Trinity Towers for embedding efficiency and sustainability into the project from day one; your technical expertise and commitment to innovation made this certification possible. I must also recognize our previous EDGE experts who worked on the project, Seyi Alabi, and Architect Jonathan, for their hard work.”

Emeka Okide, a representative of the City of David Church, on behalf of Pastor Kayode Pitan, thanked GPFI for the hard work in ensuring the certification came through despite the initial delays. He harped on the vision of the church to build something unique, a 3-tower mixed use integrated building, sitting on top of the 4500-capacity auditorium, to serve different uses and hope that with the certification achieved, the tenants and users can see the value in using a green certified building.

Temilola Sonola, Green & Resilient Built Environment Lead for Nigeria, IFC Lagos, commended the vision behind the building and the determination of the church and GPFI team to ensure the EDGE certification was achieved, emphasizing the value a certified green building will bring to the developers, the church, the users, the tenants and the community at large, and the need to maintain and scale the standard achieved.

“On behalf of the IFC, I am delighted to present the EDGE Certificate to the Trinity Towers team. May this building stand as a benchmark for green, future-proof development in Nigeria,” she stated.