IFC Recognizes the Grand Egyptian Museum as the First EDGE Advanced Green Museum in Africa and the Middle East

Cairo, Egypt, February 19, 2024 – IFC today awarded the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) with the EDGE Advanced Green Building Certification, making the museum the first in Africa and the Middle East, and one of a handful worldwide, to receive the certification.

Supported by Switzerland's State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the UK Government, the EDGE Advanced certification recognizes the GEM's resource efficient and climate-smart design and construction, which is helping the museum save more than 60% in energy costs and reduce water use by 34% compared to a conventional building of its type and size.

The museum, which has a site area of half a million square meters, has taken sustainability measures including a reflective roof, external shading for thermal comfort, resource-efficient lighting, and water fixtures, in addition to the use of smart meters for energy consumption.

These measures translate into energy savings equivalent to removing over 400 gasoline-powered vehicles from the streets of Cairo for one year, and water savings equivalent to 63.4 million liters of Nile River water annually.

"Today, the Grand Egyptian Museum stands to be a shining example of innovation and environmental stewardship as 'an EDGE-certified green building', an award highlighting the successful ongoing partnership between Egypt and the IFC in the Green Buildings Enhancement program. This is in line with the country's commitment to promoting sustainable and green infrastructure and reflects the strategic partnership between Egypt and the IFC across diverse sectors within the Egypt - World Bank Group Country Partnership Framework 2023–2027," said H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation, Egypt.

"The Grand Egyptian Museum going green – and becoming the first EDGE Advanced certified museum in Africa and the Middle East – is a powerful testament to Egypt's growing commitment to sustainability," said Cheick-Oumar Sylla, IFC's Regional Director for North Africa and the Horn of Africa. "Building green is both resource-efficient and cost-effective. Now is the time to build more responsibly and support Egypt in its journey toward a lower-carbon future."

"The Grand Egyptian Museum received this prestigious award by IFC based on the building's energy and water efficiency measures and its reduced carbon footprint," said Major General Atef Moftah, the Grand Egyptian Museum's General Manager. "These measures – and this certificate – reaffirms the museum's commitment to sustainability, in alignment with Egypt's Vision 2030 for clean energy."

GEM's EDGE Advanced certification is part of IFC's Green Building project, developed in partnership with the Government of Egypt's Housing and Building National Research Center (HBRC), to enhance the green buildings ecosystem in Egypt and promote the certification of construction projects that foster cost-effective, resource-efficient design choices. The partnership focuses on increasing the public sector's awareness of the economic case for certified green buildings, developing skills to implement green incentive schemes, and supporting the local development of green building stock.

"The Grand Egyptian Museum sets a new standard for sustainable construction in Africa, demonstrating Egypt's leadership in embracing environmentally responsible practices," said Dr. Mohamed Massoud, Chairman of the Housing and Building National Research Center. "This project showcases the power of collaboration between government, international organizations, and the private sector to advance sustainable building practices that benefit both the environment and the economy." 

Since beginning its operations in Egypt, IFC has invested and mobilized approximately $8 billion in investment projects and has an advisory portfolio amounting to $26.8 million. IFC's private sector support in Egypt focuses on the fintech, climate finance, manufacturing, infrastructure, renewable energy, healthcare, gender, and other sectors.

About IFC
IFC — a member of the World Bank Group — is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2023, IFC committed a record $43.7 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity as economies grapple with the impacts of global compounding crises. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

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About EDGE
An innovation of IFC, EDGE helps property developers to build and brand green in a fast, easy and affordable way. EDGE is supported by free software that offers up solutions to reduce energy, water, and the energy embodied in building materials by at least 20 percent. EDGE certification is recognized by the major green finance standards and streamlines green debt reporting requirements. The simplicity and low cost of EDGE, plus its focus on quantifying emission reductions makes it invaluable to map and track a path to zero carbon. The program has been generously supported by the following donors: The United Kingdom, Austria, Canada, Denmark, ESMAP, EU, Finland, GEF, Hungary, Japan, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. For more information, visit www.edgebuildings.com

About HBRC
The Housing and Building National Research Center (HBRC) is a leading research institution in Egypt, dedicated to advancing knowledge and innovation in the fields of housing, building, and construction. For more information, visit www.hbrc.edu.eg.

About Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)
The Grand Egyptian Museum is a scientific, cultural, and educational institution that is keen to preserve the ancient Egyptian heritage and civilization, and promote scientific research for the sake of humanity, by providing a unique and accessible integrated tourism experience for its visitors based on modern technological means of display. The museum is one of the most important and greatest achievements of modern Egypt, as the largest museum in the world that tells the story of the ancient Egyptian civilization history. It consists of a large number of distinctive and unique artifacts, including the treasures of the golden king Tutankhamun, which are displayed for the first time in full since the discovery of his tomb in November 1922, the collection of Queen Hetepheres, mother of King Khufo (Cheops) who commissioned the construction of the Great Pyramid in Giza, the Museum of King Khufu's boats, in addition to various archaeological holdings from the predynastic era to the Greek and Roman eras.