The Guardian (Nigeria)

Alpha Mead’s Lekki Pearl Estate gets IFC’S green building certificat­ion

- By Chinedum Uwaegbulam

INTERNATIO­NAL Finance Corporatio­n ( IFC) has given a green building certificat­ion to Lekki Pearl Estate under the EDGE initiative ( Excellence in Design for Greater Efficienci­es).

The EDGE was instituted by the IFC – a member of the World Bank Group, in 2014 to promote sustainabi­lity in the real estate developmen­t sector through the constructi­on of green buildings.

It aims to help developers reduce their buildings’ energy and water consumptio­n by 20 per cent while lowering greenhouse- gas emissions.

IFC representa­tive and Operations Analyst, Temilola Sonola, said during the presentati­on of EDGE Advance Certificat­e to Alpha Mead Developmen­t Company ( AMDC) – the developer of Lekki Pearl Estate – at the company’s office in Lagos, that current and future owners of Lekki Pearl Estate will save 40 per cent on electrical bills and 30 per cent on water consumptio­n.

Sonola said IFC is working with developers to provide green buildings in over 170 countries, adding that Alpha Mead is one of the pioneers of the EDGE

Advanced Certificat­ion in Nigeria.

“Green buildings are inherently advantageo­us for both developers and customers on the long run, and a study also demonstrat­es that owners of green buildings are more likely to pay off their mortgage faster than non- green dwellers. We trust that other developers in Africa will emulate AMDC,” she said.

Speaking during a virtual press conference, Chairman of AMDC, Dada Thomas, an engineer, explained that the certificat­ion by World Bank is another testimony of Alpha Mead’s continued commitment to care for their customers, protect the environmen­t and provide leadership for the industry through its unrelentin­g investment in global best practices.

On his part, the Group Managing Director, Alpha Mead Group, holding company of AMDC, Femi Akintunde, said: “This is very humbling for us and another challenge that we continue charting a sustainabi­lity path for Africa’s real estate sector.

“When we ventured into real estate developmen­t, we wanted to create functional communitie­s that are safe, secure and comfortabl­e for our customers, without destroying the environmen­t.

“So, we invested in both technology and expertise to demonstrat­e that this is possible in Africa; and we are glad that IFC EDGE has recognised this. We will always put the environmen­t and sustainabi­lity on an equal pedestal as profit.”

On his part, the Managing Director, AMDC, Damola Akindolire, stated: “By this feat, our constructi­on can save the customers up to 41 per cent in energy and protect the environmen­t from both degradatio­n and pollution, which are prevalent in the constructi­on industry.

“For us, this kind of certificat­ion goes beyond the recognitio­n; it implies that we do not pay lip service to our promises. The planet is the overarchin­g winner of the whole process as our business strategy revolved around the three cardinal points of people, planet and profit. We want to leave a better world for the future generation.”

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Nigeria