Frequently Asked Questions

There is no general legal requirement in Türkiye; however, EDGE certification is required in the specifications of EU-funded programmes such as the SHIFA Project and in the loan conditions of international financial institutions such as IFC, EBRD and CEB. Some banks' green housing loan products also accept EDGE certification as a precondition.

Typically 3–6 months from design stage to final certificate. A preliminary certificate can be obtained in about 4 weeks; the final certificate is issued after construction completion following a site audit and a review of about 4 weeks.

In EDGE, the consultant (EDGE Expert) and the auditor (EDGE Auditor) are separate roles, and both are needed for certification. With firms that sell consulting only, the audit appears later for an extra fee. Our quote includes consulting + audit, and the audit is carried out by a GBCI-approved Approved EDGE Auditor; no auditor fee comes up later. The certification body (GBCI) fee is paid separately in all cases and is shown clearly in the quote.

There are three items: the certification body fee (GBCI/SGS; based on building area), the EDGE Auditor audit fee and the consulting fee. For a small health centre or a mid-sized residential project, the total cost is far below LEED. The cost is clarified in a one-to-one discussion based on your project details.

Certified requires at least 20% savings in energy, water and materials. Advanced requires energy savings of at least 40% (water and materials still ≥20%). SHIFA health centres are certified at the EDGE Advanced level.

Yes. If material and equipment choices have not yet been delivered to site, you can start even at the shell construction stage. Certification is also possible for completed buildings via the 'existing building' route.

The preliminary certificate is issued based on design documents and is valid for 12 months after construction completion. The final certificate is issued after the site audit and does not expire.

An EDGE Expert is a consultant who has completed IFC training; they prepare the project. An EDGE Auditor is an independent auditor who has passed IFC's training and exam and signed a contract with GBCI; they can audit, but every project they submit is subject to GBCI's quality review. An Approved EDGE Auditor is an auditor granted approved status because their audits meet GBCI's quality expectations; the status is maintained every two years through active projects or training. Being Approved is not required for certification; it is an extra assurance. Our team has both an EDGE Expert and an Approved EDGE Auditor.

IFC's licensed certification bodies: GBCI (Green Business Certification Inc.) and SGS. The audit report is submitted to these bodies; the certificate is issued in their name and published in the EDGE App.

Architectural, mechanical and electrical construction drawings; area calculations; material and equipment datasheets; photos, delivery notes and test reports during construction. We provide the document templates.

Yes. Existing buildings and major renovations are certified with the same 20% rule. Part of a building (e.g. an office floor) can be certified separately, provided it is physically separated and sub-metered.

Yes. EDGE's energy and water calculations provide input to the related LEED credits. Many investors use EDGE as fast proof for financing and LEED for marketing and corporate targets.

The Final EDGE certificate has no expiry date. Only EDGE Zero Carbon is renewed every 2 or 4 years depending on the type of energy supply.