TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR INSTITUTIONAL CONTRACTING TITLE OF TOR/ASSIGNMENT: EDGE Green Building Certification Services for UNICEF India Country Office, New Delhi 1. BACKGROUND / RATIONALE The UNICEF India Country Office, located at 73 Lodi Estate, New Delhi, is a heritage institutional building originally designed by renowned architect Joseph Allen Stein and has been operational since 1981. Over the years, the building has undergone significant interior and system-level upgrades, including the integration of solar PV systems, HVAC modernization, and improved facility management practices. In line with UNICEF’s global commitment to environmental sustainability and resource efficiency, the organization is now seeking to formalize and benchmark its operational performance through IFC’s EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) Green Building Certification. EDGE is an internationally recognized certification system that provides a measurable, cost-effective way to improve the efficiency of buildings in terms of energy, water, and embodied energy in materials. This initiative is part of UNICEF’s broader strategy to lead by example in climate action and sustainability, demonstrating its commitment to responsible resource use, institutional decarbonization, and alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Achieving EDGE certification for the UNICEF Delhi office will not only validate ongoing energy efficiency measures but also provide a clear roadmap for future improvements and inspire similar efforts across other UNICEF offices and UN facilities. 2. PURPOSE OF ASSIGNMENT The purpose of this assignment is to engage a qualified and experienced consultancy firm to support UNICEF India in achieving IFC EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) certification for its Delhi office building. The firm will be responsible for providing comprehensive technical assistance and project management services from the feasibility stage through to final certification. The selected agency will guide the project through all key phases of the EDGE certification process, including: Feasibility assessment and baseline modeling using the EDGE App, Identification of resource efficiency measures in energy, water, and materials, Preparation and submission of design and construction phase documentation, Coordination with an accredited EDGE Auditor and Certifier (e.g., GBCI, SGS), Training and capacity building of facility teams for ongoing compliance, This engagement is part of UNICEF’s broader goal to institutionalize sustainability in its operations and align with international green building standards. 3. OBJECTIVES The specific objectives of this assignment are as follows: To assess the technical and financial feasibility of achieving EDGE certification by benchmarking the building’s current performance against local baselines using the EDGE software tool. To identify and quantify practical and cost-effective efficiency measures that can be implemented to achieve at least 20% improvement in energy use, water consumption, and embodied energy in materials. To facilitate the EDGE certification process by managing the full lifecycle of activities, including registration, documentation, audits, and liaison with certifying authorities. To provide expert technical support for preparing, validating, and submitting all required data and documentation for both the design and post-construction stages. To enhance institutional capacity by training UNICEF’s internal staff and facility managers on maintaining and monitoring the resource-efficient systems aligned with the EDGE framework. To ensure timely and cost-efficient completion of the certification process with the goal of securing either EDGE Certified, EDGE Advanced, or Zero Carbon status, depending on feasibility 4. OVERVIEW OF EDGE CERTIFICATION EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) is an innovative green building certification system developed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. Unlike conventional rating systems that may be resource-intensive and documentation-heavy, EDGE offers a streamlined, cost-effective, and results-oriented approach, making it particularly suitable for emerging markets and institutional facilities. EDGE focuses on three core areas of resource efficiency: Energy Use Water Consumption Embodied Energy in Building Materials A building must demonstrate a minimum of 20% savings in each of these three categories compared to a country-specific baseline to qualify for certification. For organizations like UNICEF, which are committed to climate action and sustainable development, EDGE provides a credible framework to measure, improve, and validate the environmental performance of their built assets. It aligns seamlessly with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to responsible consumption (SDG 12), climate action (SDG 13), and sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11). The following sub-sections explain the importance of EDGE certification, available certification levels, the step-by-step process involved, expected timelines, and cost considerations for successfully completing certification of the UNICEF India Country Office building in New Delhi. Importance of EDGE Certification EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) is an internationally recognized green building certification developed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group. It provides a measurable, affordable, and user-friendly framework to benchmark and improve the resource performance of buildings. EDGE is specifically designed for emerging markets and encourages cost-effective strategies to reduce energy, water, and embodied energy in materials. For UNICEF, EDGE certification is significant because it: Reinforces the organization's leadership in environmental sustainability and climate action. Aligns with UNICEF’s global and country-level mandates to reduce operational carbon footprints and promote sustainable infrastructure. Validates existing energy and water efficiency initiatives through a third-party verified, performance-based system. Enhances the long-term resilience, performance, and cost-efficiency of its facilities. Levels of EDGE Certification EDGE certification is available at three progressive levels: Certification Level Requirements Notes EDGE Certified Minimum 20% savings in energy, water, and embodied energy in materials over the local baseline Entry-level recognition EDGE Advanced EDGE Certified + Minimum 40% energy savings Recognizes higher energy performance Zero Carbon EDGE Advanced + 100% renewable energy use or offsets + 12 months of operational data Most rigorous level; valid for 4 years 5. MAJOR TASKS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED: The selected agency shall adopt a streamlined methodology aligned with IFC’s EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) certification framework, tailored specifically for existing operational buildings. This approach focuses on efficient progression from assessment to certification, minimising stages while ensuring full compliance with EDGE requirements. Phase 1: Baseline Assessment & EDGE App Modelling The consultancy will begin by benchmarking the building’s current operational performance against both international and local EDGE baseline metrics. A detailed site walkthrough will be conducted to collect data on the building’s architecture and existing MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) systems. Using the IFC EDGE App, the existing conditions will be modelled to understand current performance in energy, water, and embodied materials. Based on this analysis, achievable efficiency interventions will be identified, and a gap analysis will be carried out to estimate potential savings and align with certification thresholds. The outputs will be a Baseline Assessment Report and a draft EDGE Scorecard, forming the roadmap for certification. Phase 2: Documentation Preparation & Submission for Certification Once target measures are confirmed, the consultant will prepare and compile EDGE documentation for submission. All necessary supporting evidence — including photographs, system specifications, operational records, utility bills, and purchase receipts — will be assembled to demonstrate implementation of selected efficiency measures. These inputs will be submitted through the EDGE App along with the completed Scorecard. The consultant will liaise with the appointed EDGE Auditor and respond to any clarifications raised during the document review process. Upon approval from the certifier (e.g., GBCI), UNICEF will receive the Final EDGE Certificate for the building. 6. DELIVERABLES AND DEADLINES S. No. 1. Baseline Assessment, Modelling & Measure Selection Baseline Assessment Report + EDGE Scorecard + Selected Measures Roadmap End of Month 2 2. Documentation Compilation & Submission for Certification Complete EDGE documentation package submitted to Auditor End of Month 3 3 Clarifications, Site Audit & Final Certificate Issuance Auditor clarifications closed, site audit coordinated, Final EDGE Certificate End of Month 6 7. DUTY STATION: UNICEF House, 73 Lodi Estate, New Delhi – 110003 8. CONTRACT / PROJECT MANAGEMENT: Sustainable Facilities and Administration Team, UNICEF India 9. OFFICIAL TRAVEL INVOLVED: N/A 10. ESTIMATED DURATION OF CONTRACT: 24 weeks (6 months) from the date of contract initiation 11. QUALIFICATIONS / SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE / EXPERIENCE/ COMPETENCIES (CORE/ TECHNICAL/FUNCTIONAL) / LANGUAGE SKILLS REQUIRED FOR THE ASSIGNMENT (Please use as applicable) The agency must be a registered legal entity incorporated in India and actively engaged in the domain of building energy efficiency. The agency must have a minimum of 09 years of experience in implementing building energy efficiency projects. The agency should have experience in building retrofitting projects for existing Institutional Building. Minimum experience of 2 completed retrofit projects is required. The agency should have prior experience in green building certification projects (e.g., GRIHA, LEED, EDGE), either as a consultant or as project manager. The project team should include a Certified ECBC Expert professional empaneled with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), and Certified Measurement and Verification Professional (CMVP), who will be responsible for leading the project.