Sustainability in Engineering: Understanding EDGE Green Building Certification
In our ongoing series themed ‘Sustainability in Engineering’ the iHub talks to John Chepkwony, a graduate electrical engineer at Howard Humphreys (East Africa) about his experience in becoming a certified green building expert.
- What motivated you to become an IFC EDGE Green Building Expert?
I have always had aspiration for sustainability and efficiency in design from my first role in the Renewable Energy field after graduation and before joining the Built Environment trade. Since EDGE is a green buildings platform that includes a global green building standard, a software application, and a certification program, I thought this would be a way of achieving my desire for sustainability and efficiency by ensuring that my designs are EDGE Compliant.
- What does this EDGE certification mean to you as a professional?
First, I am now aware of the target results in terms of Energy for a green building, this will allow me to specify energy efficient components from the initial stages of the project and thus reducing the iteration process in trying to reduce the overall project energy consumption when the project design process is at its tail end.
- How will the EDGE certification improve your ability to contribute to more sustainable projects?
EDGE has equipped me with a tool to check that my designs are sustainable and efficient.
- How are you going to use the knowledge from edge training in your day-to-day work as an engineer?
I’ll use the knowledge gained to promote awareness of green building designs to clients and the engineering profession.
- What other professionals can be certified in EDGE and what advice would you give them on their journey to becoming an Edge Expert?
Architects and Quantity surveyors. One of my advice to all built environment professionals is that we all have a collective responsibility in green development to reduce emission and gifting the future generation a greener environment.