Energy efficiency loan special to urban transformation by Şekerbank

As the first bank that participated in EBRD’s Turkey Residential Energy Efficiency Finance Facility (TuREEFF) Program, Şekerbank has provided the first loan for an urban transformation project within the scope of the program.

The construction firms that use the bank's Reconstruction Loan offer the consumers houses with high energy efficiency, thus contributing to the fall of the heating/cooling costs and the carbon release. The construction firms can also receive free technical and marketing consultancy service on project basis.

Şekerbank will provide EBRD resource of USD 60 million for the energy efficiency investments within the scope of TuREEFF.

19.06.2015

Şekerbank, which has provided financial support over TRY 572 million thus far with EKOkredi it developed in 2009 to popularize the energy efficiency investments, now provides a loan facility for demolition and reconstruction of risky buildings in compliance with the energy efficiency criteria within the scope of Turkey Residential Energy Efficiency Finance Facility (TuREEFF) Program of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). 

Şekerbank, which is the first bank that participated in the 350-million-dollar program of the EBRD and provided a 60-million-dollar resource under TuREEFF, has provided the first loan for an urban transformation project within the scope of the program. The loan provided to DMS Inşaat to finance the construction of a building of B energy class is the “first loan provided to construction firms within the scope of urban transformation” for EBRD. 

With the Reconstruction Loan the Bank offers for the urban transformation projects to finance the energy efficiency in houses, the construction firms will build high quality and highly energy-efficient buildings. The construction firms that ensure the fall of the energy expenditures as well as the carbon release by offering the consumers highly energy-efficient houses through the said commercial loan can receive free technical and marketing consultancy service on project basis. 

For the loan provided to DMS Inşaat, a ceremony was organized in Kadıköy Branch of Şekerbank with the participation of Orhan Karakaş, Executive Vice President/Corporate and Commercial Banking, Şekerbank; Koray Alus, Senior Banker/Financial Institutions, EBRD; MWH Global Turkey’s Country Director Dr. Murat Sarıoğlu who has been assigned as the project consultant of TuREEFF; and Berker Özağaç, the owner of DMS Yapı.

Orhan Karakaş: “We have introduced energy efficiency to almost 62 thousand people”

Orhan Karakaş, Executive Vice President/Corporate and Commercial Banking, Şekerbank, specified that the energy saving investments subject, which is a global agenda item, is also a developing area in Turkey, and emphasized that the energy efficiency investments make contributions to social development and environmental sustainability simultaneously with the saving provided for the individuals and corporations and the support given to sustainability of the natural resources. Karakaş reminded that they have developed the EKOkredi product, which is a first in Turkey, in the year 2009 to popularize the energy saving and support the sustainability of the natural resources in our country where 73 percent of energy is imported. Stating that they have provided over TRY 572 million financial support to all segments for energy efficiency with the EKOkredi to date, thus introducing the energy saving to almost 62 thousand people, Karakaş said, “With the insulation of over 83 thousand houses within the scope of EKOkredi, 155 million cubic meters of natural gas or, in electrical terms, over 17.6 billion kilowatt-hour of energy was saved. Besides, 3.9 million tons of CO2 emission was prevented.” 

Stating that the bank has acquired 15 percent of the liabilities in its balance sheet to finance the energy efficiency and renewable energy investments thanks to its international recognition in the area of financing of the sustainable development, Karakaş said that they have acquired a resource of almost TRY 458 million from numerous international funds and financial institutions focused on energy efficiency for EKOkredi thus far, 60 million dollars of which has been provided under TuREEFF.

“Buildings with high quality and high energy efficiency will be constructed”

Orhan Karakaş said that it would be ensured that the high quality and highly energy-efficient buildings as well as the security factors could be financed within the scope of TuREEFF in the process of renewing the risky buildings with the Reconstruction Loan developed with the cooperation of EKOkredi and TuREEFF. Karakaş underlined that the Reconstruction Loan, which would make contributions to raising the awareness of energy efficiency in houses, would also contribute to the family budgets and the national economy by decreasing the heating/cooling expenditures and also to the environmental protection by decreasing the energy consumption.