Real estate investment trust Attacq's Nexus 1 building, in Waterfall City, which also serves as its headquarters, has received Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) certification.

Nexus 1 has become the first Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) Green Star-certified building in South Africa to also attain EDGE certification.

Financial services firm Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) collaborated with the developer Attacq and acted as an EDGE expert in green building certification.

EDGE was introduced by development finance institution the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in 2014 and empowers developers to assess environmental impact and make informed design decisions, globally championing green building practices, Attacq says.

The group's focus on environmental sustainability is at the core of its business strategy, it adds.

“Attacq's implementation of a sustainability strategy is not ancillary to the business. We incorporate best practises and principles into our decision-making processes.

“This certification in particular underscores our commitment to environmental responsibility, and potentially sets a new standard for green building practices in South Africa and beyond,” says Attacq head of sustainability Lourens du Toit.

The 7 363 m² Nexus 1 building was the group's first Net-Zero Carbon Level 1 development, which now also meets a global benchmark set by the World Bank’s IFC by achieving an 88% on-site energy saving.

Nedbank CIB Property Finance partnered with the IFC in 2021 to issue a R1-billion green residential development bond, emphasising its commitment to EDGE-certified residential developments and particularly those focused on affordable housing.

“Nedbank CIB shares Attacq’s vision to promote green building practices and contribute to sustainable development by encouraging environmental sustainability and resource-efficient construction. Our collaboration with Attacq demonstrates our commitment to fostering environmentally responsible practices in the real estate sector," says Nedbank CIB Property Finance project management, valuations and sustainability divisional executive Genevieve Naidoo.