Sustainable building in Egypt

Green Pyramid and COP27 legacy

Egypt developed the Green Pyramid Rating System (GPRS) as its national green building certification, adapted to the country's hot-arid climate and construction practices. Administered by the Egyptian Green Building Council, GPRS assesses buildings across categories including sustainable site, energy efficiency, water efficiency, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and management.

The country's hosting of COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh in 2022 catalyzed Egypt's sustainability ambitions. The government committed to greening its infrastructure pipeline, with the New Administrative Capital — a 170,000-acre city being built east of Cairo — incorporating green building targets for government facilities, commercial districts, and residential neighborhoods.

LEED is widely adopted for Egypt's commercial and hospitality sectors, particularly for projects with international ownership or IFC financing. The growing stock of LEED-certified buildings in Cairo, including corporate headquarters and mixed-use developments, demonstrates the market's appetite for internationally recognized sustainability credentials.

ISG delivers GPRS and LEED certification, energy modeling, and sustainability advisory for Egyptian projects. Our expertise in hot-climate building design — developed across hundreds of projects in the Gulf — translates directly to Egypt's similar climate challenges. From energy-efficient cooling systems to water conservation strategies, ISG helps Egyptian developers build better for less.