Find out how green building certifications can help you access financing for sustainable retrofits

During the recent Climate Action Week in London, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced the launch of a sustainable finance guide in partnership with the U.K.-based Building Research Establishment (BRE), the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC) and the Alliance HQE-GBC France.

Financing Transformation: A Guide to Green Building for Green Bonds and Green Loans details how various building verification and certification standards can be used to comply with global classifications and bond frameworks, setting a trajectory for the global built environment to meet a sustainable 1.5°C climate threshold.

This guide demonstrates how certification systems like LEED can act as a proxy that increases access to capital by providing credibility and standardization in evaluating and certifying green building projects.

Because most buildings today will still be in use in 2050, major capital investments in sustainable retrofits are necessary to meet global climate targets, points out USGBC. Sustainable finance tools like green bonds and loans are pivotal in driving the transition to a low-carbon economy and mobilizing capital toward sustainable building projects, mitigating investment risks through certification systems and aligning financial incentives with environmental goals.