EDGE V3: Experts and Auditors

• Module 2 of the EDGE V3 Technical Online Workshop includes EDGE experts and auditors, EDGE methodology, applying EDGE in special circumstances, and resources.

EDGE Experts and Auditors

• It's recommended to use headphones for the best experience when going through the material on EDGE.
• Taking EDGE to market or clients should be considered.
• Resources are at edgebuildings.com and edge.gbci.org.
• Earning an EDGE Expert credential is an option.

EDGE Expert Role

• Assists the client and project team in understanding the EDGE software.
• Advice is provided on which strategies to implement.
• Calculations and self-assessments must be completed.
• Documentation is compiled and submitted to the auditor.
• Clarifications are provided and site visits coordinated.
• Manages the overall process until certification.

Becoming an EDGE Expert

• LEED APs are prequalified.
• Alternatively, a higher education qualification in a construction-related field is required.
• OR have three years of construction industry experience as a skilled professional/tradesperson and a higher education qualification.
• Completion of the EDGE Technical Online Workshop is needed to take the EDGE Exam.
• Exams are scheduled through Prometric via www.prometric.com/edge.

Acceptable Construction Industry Roles

• Architect and Architectural Technologist.
• Bid Manager and Building Surveyor.
• CAD Technician and Civil Engineer.
• Contracts Manager.
• Contractor and Construction Manager.
• Developer and Electrical Engineer.
• Estimator and Energy/Environmental Engineer.
• Facilities Manager and Mechanical Engineer.
• Planner and Procurement & Contracts Manager.
• Quantity Surveyor and Site Engineer.
• Site Manager and Skilled Tradesperson.
• Structural Engineer.

GBCI EDGE Auditor Role

• Reviews documentation from the project team.
• Completes a design and site audit.
• Recommends project certification to GBCI.
• Answers technical questions.

Becoming a GBCI EDGE Auditor

• Must be a current EDGE Expert.
• They must have a higher education qualification in a construction-related field.
• Three years of practical work experience in the construction industry is required.
• Green building certification experience like EDGE, WELL, LEED is preferred.
• Apply at https://edge.gbci.org/auditors.
• After application approval, registration for GBCI's EDGE Auditor Candidate Workshop is required.
• Agreements must be signed and returned.
• Submit a maintenance fee.
• GBCI will consider one an 'interim' EDGE Auditor.
• Proactively market and sell EDGE Auditor services; contact info is also on the GBCI website.
• You can audit projects in any country where GBCI certifies projects.
• Quality gets evaluated before becoming an 'approved' EDGE Auditor.
• Status stays active by completing at least one task every two years.
• Tasks include completing one audit, refresher training of 4+ hours, or retaking the EDGE Exam, and maintenance fee submission.
• An annual quality audit is performed on active EDGE Auditors by GBCI.
• Each building project audit includes a desk review of supporting documents and a site visit.
• For non-conformity, an additional project is checked, a corrective action request is issued, and punitive measures may be imposed.
• The EDGE Auditor maintenance fee is currently $150 or INR 10,000 for India-based auditors.
• The fee covers two years.
• GBCI's EDGE Auditor Candidate Workshop is on-demand, like this workshop.
• Registration is open by personal invitation only to EDGE Auditor credential holders post application approval.
• The Workshop's price is $399.
• It lasts about 8.5 hours.
• English is the language of instruction.
• A short quiz after each of the 5 online modules and two audit exercises are required.
• Evaluating submission quality is part of the Audit Final Exercise.
• Passing requires a quality submission to become a GBCI EDGE Auditor.
• No refunds if you don't pass the workshop.

EDGE Auditor Protocols

• A single individual can't hold the roles of EDGE Expert, Auditor, and Certifier on the same project.
• An EDGE Auditor can’t provide training/consulting/EDGE Expert services on a project they are auditing.
• Auditors must remain impartial and resist commercial and financial pressures when making decisions.
• Confidentiality must be maintained.
• Accepting bribes or gifts isn't allowed.
• There must be no speaking negatively about EDGE Auditors, Certifiers, or the EDGE program.
• During all audits, focus on issues relevant to EDGE certification.
• Consider the impact of requests for information on the project team and documentation review before raising issues.
• Assume that clients/project teams are honest with submissions and measures until documentation proves otherwise.
• Prior to the Site Audit, documentation must undergo review, and scheduling must be based on project and expectations notified to client and site with the provision of a draft agenda.
• During Site Audit, reporting to the person in charge is mandatory along with compliance to safety procedures and regulations with a complete assessment based on Certifier requirements and confirmation on accurate installation of measures.

Growing an EDGE Business with GBCI

• Architecture, engineering, or green building consulting firms can learn how to grow their EDGE business with GBCI.
• A firm can become a GBCI EDGE One-Stop Shop with one EDGE Expert plus a separate EDGE Auditor on staff.

EDGE Methodology Details

• The EDGE software compares an improved (project-specific) case relative to a local base case.
• Factors for consideration are percentage reduction in energy and water consumption, percentage reduction in embodied energy and materials, and utility cost savings.
• Building geometry and orientation are simplified.
• Orientation is assigned equally in all directions.
• EDGE assigns an octagonal shape to a building by default, with equal wall lengths in each of the eight main orientations.
• Using the closest orientations, a user must input the building lengths that reflect the actual building and modify the base case and the improved case.
• An improved geometry case means only window-to-wall ratio can be changed by selecting efficiency measures in the EDGE App.
• For virtual energy applications, there does need to be a cooling or heating system installed in the building but what it would cost is displayed.
• However, EDGE base case is based on local standard practices and codes. Local baselines are updated to reflect changes in construction practices linked to energy, water and materials. Therefore, if a building meets EDGE standard at one point in time it, may fail at a a later date depending on local improvements in construction.
• A monthly quasi-steady-state calculation method based on the European CEN and ISO 13790 standards measures space heating/cooling annual energy use.
• Building type and location vary base case.
• Locations in EDGE are assigned four baselines.
  • Country-customized baseline: Countries with distinct building materials or a strong national building energy or water code.
  • City-Customized baseline: Countries with uneven implementation of building energy codes.
  • Global EDGE baseline: Global parameters with economies following typical global practices. ASHRAE 90.1-2016: Economies typically follow a higher construction standard and therefore distinctions for insulation are based on climate zones as per ASHRAE standards.

EDGE is based on:

1. Climatic conditions of the location.
2. Building type and occupant use.
3. Design and specifications.
4. Building orientation (for select building types).

Calculations are based on:

• Size.
• Building shape and use.
• Building envelope.
• Occupancy type and usage patterns.
• Climate.
• Building systems.

Levels of data include

• Standards like ASHRAE 90.1 2016 and European CEN & ISO 13790:2008 standard.
• Local/Country specific like survey insights on baseline and climatic and Material/Equipment Costs.
• Building Data with unique baseline & savings, Operating Assumptions, Size Geometry, Specific deisgn parameters.

Project and Subproject Framework

• A Project is the whole building or development submitted for EDGE certification with the same certifier and owner.
• A Subproject is each portion of the Project Modeled.
• EDGE must have at least one Subproject.
• Subprojects can be in pre or post-certification.
• Subproject files can be 'Saved As' in the EDGE App to create another one.
• A Project and Subprojects Guide is available on IFC’s website.
• Number of Distinct Buildings is in the Project Details section of the Design Tab.
• The Subproject Multiplier represents the number of time an entire Subproject is repeated.

Apartment Modeling in EDGE App

• For identical apartment towers in a Project progressing through certification, a Subproject Multiplier helps.
• Single unit types need "Single Typology" under building data plus updates to total apartments field.
• For multiple units, select multiple typologies and modify typologies to provide the information by floor.
• Enter up to 14 unit types within a single residential subproject in EDGE V3.
• The EDGE APP’s savings calculation will be more accurate with less grouping units.
• At least one apartment/home unit type for each unique one must be used, for instance three plans are typically needed for a three-bedroom apartment or houses project.

10% Rule

• The actual area of any representative residential unit in EDGE must be within +/-10% of the unit type's modeled area.
• Unit areas are the internal areas of residential units with occupied spaces, utility, and service shafts.
• They don't include common areas or external walls.

Mixed-Use Buildings in EDGE

• Should secondary use be less than 10% up to 1000sqm, it can be certified under primary use.
• Anything above that has to be certified seperately and will yield two certifications, one for the retail portion, or another segment.

Multiple Buildings in the EDGE App

• Buildings less than 10% the project floor area and up to 1000 m² with the same use may be clustered.
• Everything bigger has to be accounted for individually and do not apply to residential projects.

Resources on edge.gbci.org Include:

• Training
• Incentives
• Sales Brochures and User Guides
• Methodology Reports

Key Things Found on edgebuildings.com

• Certify projects where GBCI does not administer certification.
• A marketplace of EDGE tools
• Calendar of upcoming trainings
• Brand Assets with guides on how to correctly market your EDGE projects