The proliferation of various sustainable finance taxonomies and green building certifications have resulted in a diverse set of mechanisms to define green buildings for the purposes of accessing sustainable finance.
Under the guidance of instructor Kelvin Teo, an Adjunct Lecturer (Sustainable Finance) with SMU, today’s SGBC Masterclass: Accessing Green and Sustainable Finance with Green Building Certifications, unpacked the fundamentals of the Green & Sustainable Finance ecosystem for a full class of 30 built environment professionals. Key takeaways from the session include:
- How ESG considerations are embedded within traditional financial instruments
- The role of sustainable finance taxonomies (EU, ASEAN and beyond) in defining “green” assets
- How green building certifications and second‑party opinions support access to green and transition finance
- Practical case studies illustrating financing pathways for both green projects and the greening of brown assets
It was encouraging to see participants bridge finance, sustainability, and certification frameworks, gaining greater clarity on how aligned taxonomies and rating tools are easing the pathway towards accessing sustainable finance.
