What is an EDGE Auditor? EDGE Expert vs. Approved EDGE Auditor

The EDGE system has three titles, and contractors often confuse them when collecting quotes. The difference directly affects the cost and duration of certification.

EDGE Expert — consultant

A professional who has completed IFC's EDGE training. They model the project in the EDGE App, select the measures and prepare the documentation package. They cannot issue a certificate; they prepare the project for certification.

EDGE Auditor — independent auditor

A professional who has passed IFC's training and exam and signed an auditor agreement with GBCI. They independently audit the design file and the site and submit their report to GBCI. GBCI issues the certificate. An EDGE Auditor audit is mandatory for every EDGE project.

Approved EDGE Auditor — approved auditor

An auditor granted "approved" status because their audits meet GBCI's quality expectations; the status is maintained every two years through active audits or training. Being Approved is not required for certification; any EDGE Auditor can audit. The difference is that the file gets stuck less at GBCI and the process is more predictable.

Can the consultant and the auditor be the same person?

Not on the same project: an auditor cannot audit a project they prepared themselves. However, the same team can hold both EDGE Expert and EDGE Auditor credentials; one engineer does the consulting and another does the audit. For the contractor, this means a single contract and a single schedule.

When choosing an auditor

• Are there certified projects published in the EDGE App under the auditor's name?
• Do they have healthcare building experience?
• Is the audit fee included in the quote, or will it come up later?
• Are they based in Türkiye for the site audit, and how quickly can an appointment be made?

Our team combines EDGE Expert consulting with a GBCI-approved Approved EDGE Auditor audit; the World Bank's Ankara office and eight SHIFA healthcare buildings were certified with this setup. Our team →