Center-invest Bank has introduced a methodology to estimate the carbon footprint of home loans. In just a month, the Bank managed to estimate emissions for 293 loans in total amount of 1,065 million roubles.

The bank now calculates the carbon dioxide emissions from the projected consumption of all energy resources by the apartment building for each apartment purchased with the loan money.

The calculation includes the total annual specific heat consumption for heating, ventilation, hot water supply and general household needs of the apartment buildings. The unique methodology used takes into account such parameters as location, number of storeys, year of construction and energy efficiency class of the apartment building, floor area of the apartment, and other parameters.

Center-invest Bank puts the principles of responsible financing into practice. Since 2005, Center-invest Bank has been supporting the companies in Southern Russia to implement advanced energy-efficient technologies, which has already helped to reduce CO2 emissions by 259,000 tonnes. The Bank’s Green Home Loan product offers the opportunity to purchase energy-efficient homes and offices at a lower interest rate. The Bank has introduced an ESG rating system to assess the non-financial risks and environmental commitment of corporate clients.

More than 40% of the Bank’s own energy consumption comes from solar energy, through the purchase of green certificates and the installation of solar panels.

Center-invest Bank is further developing and implementing a methodology to calculate the carbon footprint of other segments and industries in order to achieve carbon neutrality and build a green economy.