The newly-constructed Takoradi Mall on Thursday received its Standing for Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) Green Building Certification at the launch of the facility in the capital of the Western Region.

The official opening of the Takoradi Shopping Mall is part of the ongoing development of the oil city.

The Takoradi Mall becomes the second commercial building in the country after the Atlantic Tower in Accra received its certification earlier in December, 2018.

Senior Country Officer for the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Joseph Akwasi Kuma, joined by Dennis Papa Odenyi Quansah, also from the IFC and Phyills Okpoti of SGS Ghana presented the certification to managers of the new shopping mall.

SGS Ghana explains how buildings could qualify to receive the Standing for Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies building certification.

“To obtain the certification buildings, must achieve at least 20 percent improvement across each of the categories of energy, water and embodied energy in materials.

It was the subtle features in the choice of building materials, such as reflective UV paint on the roof tiles and general energy saving lighting throughout that ensured the Mall qualified,” SGS said in a statement.

Majority of the people present at the inauguration of the Takoradi Shopping Mall expressed surprise but commended managers of the facility for incorporating the EDGE technology, which is a certified sustainable building.

Standing for Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies was developed by the World Bank Group’s IFC and certified in Africa by SGS Ghana and thinkstep in the United Kingdom (UK).

With the launch of second EDGE Green Building Certified in the same month of December, EDGE is fast setting the standard for sustainable buildings in Ghana.

The incorporation of the EDGE Green Building Certification in the construction of the mall is to ensure long term energy efficiency and reduced water usage.