Minimizing environmental impacts one of the top goals in the Real Estate industry

Sustainability is an issue that has gained increasing importance worldwide, in all geographies and across all industries. For this reason, BBVA has made sustainability one of its strategic pillars. We are a founding member of the Net Zero Banking Alliance and we are committed to being a net-zero company in both direct and indirect emissions. As part of this goal, we work with clients in various sectors of the economy to assist them in this transition process.

The real-estate industry is a driving force in today’s economies, encouraging fixed investment and jobs. It has seen exponential growth in recent years and has also shown a growing concern for sustainability. A real-estate asset generates a variety of environmental impacts over its lifecycle, which is why it is so important to adopt environmentally respectful practices from the planning state through construction and operation over the long term.

To participate in the transition of this industry, real-estate developers can incorporate environmental criteria into their property development and operation, which brings not only long-term economic advantages but can improve occupancy rates, create jobs, and help retain tenants, among other benefits.

The real-estate industry is a driving force in today’s economies, encouraging fixed investment and jobs

Among the most prevalent sustainable strategies adopted in this industry are the following:

• Reduced energy consumption: From the design phase, natural light can be incorporated into the building or industrial bay’s design, along with natural airflows for ventilation. Architects can plan for the use of solar panels, LED lighting, and automated energy saving features. The purchase of clean energy for asset operation, or onsite generation of energy when necessary, are other ways to reduce emission and create a smaller carbon footprint.

• Water use and waste management: Water stewardship is another key issue, as is management of wastewaters throughout the asset’s lifecycle, from construction through operation. An aspect closely related to this is waste generation, for which strategies can be designed for each type of waste in the various phases of the project.

• Construction materials: Use of sustainable materials. Today, more attention is being paid to the type of materials used, particularly if they are recycled or may be recycled in the future. The responsible use of natural materials is also highly important to consider in this regard.

By following some of these lines of action, buildings can earn various independent certifications like LEED, PCES, EDGE, and others.

In the past three years, BBVA México has mobilized MXN35.20 billion pesos in transactions tagged as green or sustainable in the real-estate industry, either through equity or debt issues or through the structuring of specialized loans aimed at promoting  sustainable strategies for our clients in the hotel, industrial, or commercial real-estate segments.