Low Carbon Building Criteria: Germany

The document details the requirements for German buildings to qualify for Certified Climate Bonds, focusing on low carbon emissions trajectories and market proxies. For residential buildings, eligibility is based on an EPC rating of "A" or "B" from the Energieausweis system. Commercial buildings can qualify via a proxy—requiring they be built after 2008, hold an EPC rating, and be part of an existing MBS refinancing pool—or by meeting a specific emissions intensity trajectory. In Berlin, for example, a 10-year commercial bond issued in 2018 requires an emissions intensity of 56.23kg CO2e/m2 or below. All trajectories aim for zero emissions by 2050 and are aligned with the Paris Agreement goals.

• Buildings in Germany are eligible for certification if they follow a low carbon emissions trajectory or an approved proxy, or if they undergo a retrofit that reduces emissions intensity by 30-50%, depending on the bond's tenor.
• Residential buildings in Germany qualify for certification by meeting a market proxy based on the Energieausweis (EPC) rating system, specifically achieving a rating of "A" or "B".
• Commercial buildings in Germany can be certified through a proxy route if they meet three simultaneous criteria: they must have been built after 2008, possess an EPC rating, and be part of an existing MBS pool undergoing refinancing.
• For commercial buildings not using the proxy route, eligibility is determined by emissions intensity trajectories that aim for zero emissions by 2050. In Berlin, a commercial building for a 10-year bond issued in 2018 must have an emissions intensity at or below 56.23kg CO2e/m2.

APA

Climate Bonds Initiative (2018). Low Carbon Building Criteria: Germany. https://www.climatebonds.net/files/drupal-files/files/Crit%20Brochure_Germany%20Brochure%281%29.pdf

Chicago

Climate Bonds Initiative. Low Carbon Building Criteria: Germany. 2018. https://www.climatebonds.net/files/drupal-files/files/Crit%20Brochure_Germany%20Brochure%281%29.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Bonds Initiative |title=Low Carbon Building Criteria: Germany |date=June 2018 |url=https://www.climatebonds.net/files/drupal-files/files/Crit%20Brochure_Germany%20Brochure%281%29.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatebondsinitiative2018low, author = {{Climate Bonds Initiative}}, title = {{Low Carbon Building Criteria: Germany}}, institution = {Climate Bonds Initiative}, year = {2018}, month = jun, url = {https://www.climatebonds.net/files/drupal-files/files/Crit%20Brochure_Germany%20Brochure%281%29.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }