A new initiative pioneered by a partnership of banks, property valuers, energy efficiency businesses and utility providers could mean EU homebuyers are offered better borrowing rates on mortgages if they buy energy efficient homes or commit to work that will save energy in the property.
The aim of the European Energy Efficiency Mortgage initiative is to create a standardised ‘energy efficient mortgage’ based on preferential interest rates for energy efficient homes and additional funds for retrofitting homes at the time of purchase.
This is the first time a group of major banks and mortgage lenders, as well as businesses and organisations from the building and energy industries, have come together to address the concept of energy efficient mortgages. The project partners are the Ca’Foscari University of Venice, RICS, European Regional Network of Green Building Councils, E.ON, and SAFE Goethe University Frankfurt.
Creating a private bank financing mechanism to encourage the energy efficient improvement of households is a key means of helping the EU to meet its energy saving target of 20% by 2020, and to deliver on the ambition of the historic climate change deal, the Paris Agreement, which was reached at COP21 last December.
It is also particularly timely given the growing global institutional and investor interest in climate finance and private sector investment required to fund low carbon initiatives, which will be the main focus of COP22 – the next major climate change conference which takes place in Marrakech in November.
‘The Paris Agreement has set a course to keeping global warming to within 2 degrees, but we will need to develop innovative ways of financing energy efficiency in Europe’s homes if we are to stand any chance of meeting that goal. Mortgages which reward consumers and investors by recognising energy efficiency represent one such way, and will undoubtedly play a key role in helping to achieve our ambitious climate change targets.’
JAMES DRINKWATER
Europe Regional Director, World Green Building Council
The European Energy Efficiency Mortgage initiative is significant in that it will explore the link between energy efficiency and borrowers’ reduced probability of default and the increase in value of energy efficient properties.
For banks and investors, this could lead to loans which represent a lower risk on the balance sheet and therefore qualify for a better capital treatment. It could also ensure that banks are able to recognise ‘energy efficient’ assets in their risk profiling, which would begin to help the market to price-in the added value of energy efficient property.
‘We have the responsibility to design a sustainable environment for future generations by developing a pan-European mortgage financing mechanism, according to which energy efficiency investments are made more accessible and affordable for consumers and institutional investors, and the subsequent energy efficiency improvements reduce risk for banks, creating a win-win for all involved.’
LUCA BERTALOT
EMF-ECBC Secretary General
Click here to find out more about the World Green Building Council.
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