Access Bank Secures EDGE Green Building Certification

This certification was issued in recognition of the bank’s commitment to sustainable building practices and its efforts to reduce energy consumption, water usage, and embodied carbon in building materials.

Access Bank’s Head Office has achieved a 20 per cent reduction in energy use, a 33 per cent reduction in water use, and a 99 per cent reduction in embodied carbon in materials.

The building features sustainability measures such as insulated roof, high- performance glass, fresh air pre-conditioning system, smart meters for energy, water-efficient faucets in bathrooms and kitchen, efficient water closets and low embodied carbon materials, reflecting Access Bank’s commitment to environmental responsibility.

The building implemented retrofits to meet the EDGE water standard by installing flow regulators in all their water closets, faucets and showers. These reductions in energy, water, and embodied carbon are expected to result in significant cost savings and a reduced environmental footprint for the edifice.

The EDGE Green Building certification program is supported by the Japan Government in Nigeria and globally funded by the UK Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), with initial funding from Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).

The certification is a globally recognised standard for green buildings, designed to make buildings more resource efficient.

The process involves a rigorous assessment of a building’s design and construction, including independent third-party audits, ensuring that it meets the highest standards of sustainability.

IFC’s EDGE program aims to promote green building practices globally by providing a standardised approach to designing and certifying resource-efficient buildings.

It has been utilised in nearly 200 countries, with over 100 million square metres in certified floor space, enabling developers worldwide to create buildings that reduce energy use, water consumption, and embodied carbon.

Globally, IFC collaborates with financiers, governments, developers, and building owners to accelerate green building development in emerging markets. In Nigeria, cumulatively, over 800,000 square meters of offices, homes, hospitals, retail stores, student accommodation, hotels, and mixed-use projects are EDGE-certified.

“At Access Bank, we have always understood that our purpose goes far beyond banking. We are architects of change, custodians of the future, and now, we stand proudly at the intersection of finance and environmental leadership.

“This building and this certification embody our vision to set a new standard for building, operating, and growing responsibly.

“Our collaboration with the EEN team was transformational, and together, we have shown that environmental performance and business performance are not rivals, but partners.

“We believe that in that partnership lies the future of banking, the future of corporate Africa, and ultimately, the future of our planet,” the Executive Director for Risk Management at Access Bank, Mr Gregory Jobome, stated.