The Green Finance Institute (GFI) UK has launched a green mortgage training programme to drive the decarbonisation of the built environment.
The GFI Certificate in Green Mortgages provides training on the real-economy opportunities provided by green finance solutions.
The programme has been designed to help educate mortgage professionals to understand, define and sell green mortgage products.
The training scheme, which is accredited by the London Institute of Banking and Finance (LIBF) and eligible for CPD certification, has been created by the institute, a principal forum for innovation in green finance.
The programme covers the impact of climate change, specifically on UK housing, as well as the broader green finance landscape and how it impacts the mortgage sector, the vital role of housing in tackling climate change, emerging technology, grant funding and EPCs.
With 23% of the UK’s total carbon emissions attributed to buildings, according to the Climate Change Committee, the GFI says there is an urgent need to decarbonise the built environment at pace and scale. However, there is a knowledge gap around green mortgages among customers, intermediaries and brokers.
More than 80% of advisers said their clients had no understanding of green mortgages, and 14% only partially understood them.
Decarbonising ‘remains an integral part of our transition’ to net zero
Having successfully piloted the green mortgage training programme with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), the GFI is now offering training sessions more widely as it looks to support the industry through its green transition.
Rachael Hunnisett, associate director for built environment at the GFI, who leads the training, said: “Decarbonising UK properties remains an integral part of our transition to a net zero economy. Our new CPD-accredited training programme will equip brokers with the core information and skills they need to develop a deep understanding of financing green home upgrades, and how to navigate and support customers as they seek to invest in home energy-efficiency improvements, enabling them to save money on energy bills.”
Councillor Tom Ross, GMCA’s portfolio lead for the Green City Region, said: “Our work with the Green Finance Institute is helping turn green mortgages into a mainstream solution to financing home upgrades, ensuring more homeowners can support our ambitious environmental vision – to be carbon neutral by 2038. The launch of the GFI Certificate in Green Mortgages is an integral part of delivering solutions that will drive benefits for the economy and the planet.”
Samantha Partington is a freelance trade and consumer journalist writing about property and personal finance. Previously she worked worked for the Daily Mail and Property Week. She is the former deputy editor of Mortgage Solutions and editor of Specialist Lending Solutions.
Before becoming a journalist, Samantha worked as a mortgage broker and latterly for a mortgage, bridging and secured loan lender. Samantha is CeMAP qualified. Follow her on Twitter @SamJPartington1.
