COVERED BOND & MORTGAGE COUNCIL

Their core work

CBMC is a Brussels-based industry association representing the European covered bond and mortgage lending sector. In H2020, they have driven the development of energy efficiency mortgage frameworks — designing standardized protocols that link mortgage financing to building energy performance. Their core contribution is bridging the gap between capital markets, mortgage lenders, and energy efficiency policy, creating financial instruments and data standards that incentivize green building renovations through preferential lending conditions.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

CBMC's early work (2017-2019) focused on proving the concept: establishing the business case for energy efficiency mortgages by linking EPCs, green property value, and preferential financial conditions (EeMAP). From 2020 onward, they shifted decisively toward market implementation, regulatory integration, and sustainable finance mainstreaming — aligning their mortgage frameworks with Basel Committee rules, Capital Markets Union goals, and ESG disclosure standards. The trajectory shows a clear move from pilot design to systemic financial infrastructure.

CBMC is moving from designing green mortgage products toward embedding energy efficiency criteria into mainstream financial regulation and ESG reporting standards — making them increasingly relevant to sustainable finance policy discussions.

How they like to work

CBMC predominantly leads projects — coordinating 3 out of 5 H2020 initiatives — which reflects their role as a sector-convening industry body that sets agendas rather than filling specialist slots. With 21 unique partners across 8 countries, they build moderately sized consortia suited to Coordination and Support Actions. Their partnership pattern suggests a hub organization that assembles different players (banks, universities, energy agencies) around each project phase.

CBMC has collaborated with 21 distinct partners across 8 European countries, building a network that spans mortgage lenders, energy agencies, and financial regulators. Their Brussels base and industry association status give them direct access to EU policy channels.

What sets them apart

CBMC occupies a rare niche at the intersection of capital markets and energy efficiency — very few organizations can credibly convene both mortgage lenders and energy policy experts. As the representative body for Europe's covered bond market, they bring direct industry authority that academic or public-sector partners cannot replicate. For any consortium working on green finance, building renovation financing, or ESG-linked lending, CBMC provides both the policy access and the industry buy-in needed to move from research to real market adoption.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EeMAP
  The foundational project that created the Energy Efficient Mortgages Action Plan — essentially launched the entire EU energy efficiency mortgage concept that CBMC's subsequent projects built upon.
• EeMMiP
  Largest-funded project (EUR 436K) and the implementation phase, moving from concept to market-ready mortgage products aligned with Capital Markets Union and Basel requirements.
• TranspArEEnS
  Marks CBMC's expansion beyond mortgages into mainstream ESG ratings and SME energy efficiency financing, broadening their impact into corporate sustainability assessment.