Sustainabuild Breakfast Club, to be held in Glasgow on Thursday 31 October, is bringing together some of the country’s leading experts in green finance to talk about the many sources of funding that are available for retrofitting, in an event that is open to anyone with an interest in driving sustainability within the built environment, including architects, engineers, housebuilders, developers, construction managers, ESG and sustainability experts, consultancies and local government officers.

The networking event, entitled “Financing Net Zero in the Built Environment”, will hear expert talks from Mary Kerr, climate finance manager at Glasgow City Council; Raphaëlle Vallet, programme director for new energy technologies at the Green Finance Institute and Alan Somerville, ESG director at asset management company Tritax Group.

Between them, they will cover a multitude of public and private finance options available to update poorly performing buildings, including:

• UK Government initiatives such as the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme
• Public-Private Partnerships
• Green loans and mortgages for both commercial and residential buildings, and the sustainable finance market
• Local Climate Bonds that can provide councils with over £8.5 billion in low-cost, long-term funding for local environmental and social impact projects
• Property Linked Finance and its potential to mobilise up to £70 billion in private capital in the UK to upgrade inefficient buildings.

In addition, the event will include opportunities to ask questions, valuable networking opportunities, CPD points and, of course, coffee and pastries. 

Matt Colgan, director of Sustainabuild, said: “This event will give our growing network of professionals interested in creating a more sustainable built environment a valuable opportunity to learn about how available funding can support their business and eco-goals. Each of our guest speakers is an expert in green finance, so we’re really looking forward to hearing more about how these funds can be accessed and used to decarbonise buildings across the UK.”

Raphaëlle Vallet, programme director for new energy technologies at the Green Finance Institute, said: “Investors and real economy firms are eager for financial innovation that blends public, philanthropic and private capital. We’re developing products to share risk and returns more efficiently, lowering the cost of capital for the companies that need it most. I look forward to discussing our latest work and exploring new opportunities.”

Alan Somerville, ESG director at Tritax Group, added: “I’m looking forward to sharing my recent experience of the challenges and potential opportunities of sustainable finance products.”

The Sustainabuild Breakfast Club is at The Social Hub, 15 Candleriggs, Glasgow, G1 1TQ, on Thursday 31 October from 9am to 11am. To book a place, visit here.