Green Building Certification

Source Metadata

CBI Sector Criteria

CBI recognizes third-party green building certification schemes as proxy evidence for meeting building sector criteria, provided the certification level corresponds to top-15% energy performance. CBI maintains a list of recognized certification schemes and the minimum certification levels that satisfy its criteria. This proxy approach streamlines verification for large portfolios of green-certified buildings, reducing the need for individual building-level energy assessment.

Eligible Activities & Assets

Eligible assets include: buildings certified at qualifying levels under LEED (Gold or Platinum); BREEAM (Excellent or Outstanding); EDGE (certified, with 20%+ improvement over baseline); Green Star (5 or 6 Star); NABERS (5 or 6 Star); DGNB (Gold or Platinum); and equivalent national green building certification programs recognized by CBI. Portfolios of certified buildings can be aggregated in a single bond issuance for efficiency.

Certification Process

Verifiers confirm building certification levels and their correspondence to CBI-recognized thresholds. Pre-issuance assessment reviews the green building certification documentation and confirms that the certification level meets CBI proxy requirements. Post-issuance monitoring requires maintenance of certification status throughout the bond term. If certification lapses, the building may need individual energy performance assessment to maintain CBI compliance.

LATAM Market Context

Green building certification is growing rapidly across LATAM, with LEED and EDGE as the most commonly adopted standards. Colombia has the highest concentration of LEED-certified buildings per capita in LATAM. Brazil, Mexico, Chile, and Argentina also have substantial certified building portfolios. The EDGE program, developed by IFC, is particularly popular for residential and hospitality projects across the region.

Colombia Green Finance Taxonomy Alignment

The TVC recognizes green building certification as evidence of compliance with its substantial contribution criteria for buildings. Colombia's Consejo Colombiano de Construcción Sostenible (CCCS) promotes LEED, EDGE, and CASA Colombia certifications. The national building code (NSR-10) and energy efficiency resolution create a regulatory foundation that supports both CBI and TVC compliance for certified buildings.

Cleantech Taxonomy Crosswalk

Maps to Cleantech Taxonomy sector BU (Buildings) — specifically BU-GC (Green Certification). Cross-references to BU-EE (Energy Efficiency) for performance-based assessments and to XS (Cross-Sectoral) for urban sustainable development standards.