Akademiska Hus publishes updated green bond framework

Akademiska Hus has been working on sustainability issues since the early 2000s and sustainability is an important aspect of everything we do. As part of our financial sustainability initiative, Akademiska Hus and Handelsbanken have formulated an updated framework for green bonds.

The recently published green bond framework is based on both environmental certification and energy efficiency requirements. Akademiska Hus is also subject to the EU taxonomy regulation, which includes rules that determine when a financial operation is to be considered environmentally sustainable within the EU. Broadening the framework with parts of the EU Taxonomy criteria, with a focus on the technical criteria, can indicate how well investments under the green framework align with the EU Taxonomy.

- With a new green bond framework, we want to take the next step and offer investors an opportunity for green financing within our sustainable assets and activities that contribute to the sustainable transition. In addition to our ambitious sustainability requirements, it is particularly gratifying that we now include criteria in line with the EU’s definition of sustainable construction through the taxonomy, says Erik Florman, Sustainability Manager at Akademiska Hus.

The framework also provides an updated view of sustainability work at Akademiska Hus, where we describe our roadmap towards our climate goal – to be climate neutral throughout the value chain by 2035. In addition to properties, investments related to energy efficiency, solar panels and climate-related measures will also be eligible for funding.

The framework is formulated based on Green Bond Principles 2021. The content has been reviewed by Cicero Shades of Green, which has assigned the framework a Medium Green rating.

• Economic sustainability
• Finance