If you have already visited the Grand Egyptian Museum, you may have noticed the abundance of natural lighting and fresh air that circulates throughout the vast space that houses some 56k artifacts. This didn’t happen by chance — the GEM was designed and constructed based on green building practices that allow air and light to pass through naturally giving visitors an open space experience and powering the museum with environmentally friendly sources of energy, according to Major General Atef Moftah, construction supervisor for the Grand Egyptian Museum and Giza Plateau.

The museum has earned the prestigious EDGE certification — one of the most important international certifications for resource efficiency, certified by the International Finance Corporation (IFC)— making the GEM the first green museum in Africa and the Middle East. Moftah explains that the GEM uses 40% less electricity than a similar building of its size. A dedicated solar power station supplies the GEM with one gigawatt of clean energy, with plans to scale up generation capacity to 10 gigawatts as operations expand and consumption increases.

A massive rainwater collection tank holds around 300 cubic meters — the equivalent of 300k liters — of water. The rainwater is filtered and pumped directly into the museum’s water networks, cutting down on treatment costs. The museum saves 46% of its water consumption, according to Moftah, while also reducing pollution by 64%.

The GEM has earned more than eight ISO certificates spanning energy, occupational health and safety, environmental, and quality standards, including a green building certification. It was also awarded two additional ISO accreditations — one for environmental management systems and another for quality management systems.

The museum is built for a minimal carbon footprint. The GEM is on track to become the first museum in the world to obtain a zero carbon certification, says Moftah. The government plans to issue carbon certificates for the museum, a move that would allow the sale of carbon credits. Government sources confirm that preparations are underway to launch these bonds soon in coordination with the Environment Ministry and the Egyptian Stock Exchange.

Partnerships with multinationals like Schneider Electric allowed for a major leap in technology solutions, which now see the current energy setup cut costs while improving visitor comfort. The Tourism Ministry also collaborated with Sharp Elaraby for eco-friendly technology, installing the Plasmacluster air purification system inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu and inside the museum. This helps reduce humidity levels and protect internal walls from corrosion, according to a source from Elaraby Group, who also states that it helps extend visit times to archaeological sites as well as encourage repeat visits.

The GEM was awarded the Green Building Award during the COP27. It also received official accreditation for a comprehensive greenhouse gas report, approved by the General Organization For Export and Import Control, in cooperation with the Egyptian National Accreditation Council (EGAC).

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