UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) Green Buildings Training Content Development Consultant

Adapting and supplementing the UNEP FI developed green finance guide to discrete knowledge resources and training/capacity building materials that will be used in thought leadership, stakeholder engagement and skills development to property and finance practitioners in Sri Lanka.

Working Remotely.

The duration of the contract would be 3 Months.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

The overall objective of the UNEP’s Economy Division is to encourage decision makers in government, local authorities and industry to develop and adopt policies, strategies and practices and technologies that promote sustainable patterns of consumption and production, make efficient use of natural resources, ensure safe management of chemicals and contribute to making trade and environment policies mutually supportive. It promotes the development, use and transfer of policies, technologies, economic instruments, managerial practices and other tools that assist in environmentally sound decision making and the building of corresponding activities.

The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) is the strategic partnership between the United Nations and over 400 banks, insurers and investors. For over 28 years UNEP FI has been shaping and driving the international sustainable finance agenda, setting global standards and growing a global network of leading financial institutions. Through its work-streams and regional activities, peer learning, methodology development, training and research, UNEP FI carries out its mission to help the financial industry align with and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals and with that take on the crucial role it must play in achieving a sustainable future.

UNEP FI and collaborators from the UNEP Economy Division - Chemicals and Health Branch are working with stakeholders in Sri Lanka to improve market conditions and policies to accelerate the supply and uptake of green building materials and green properties. A key activity in this is the development of a guide for the finance sector to support the development of green finance products (e.g., green mortgages). The guide will provide foundational evidence that green buildings deliver economic and financial benefits to financiers, owners, and occupiers; and product design and structuring considerations and examples for the building finance and delivery value chain to develop and access dedicated finance instruments for the production and acquisition of green properties. The finance guide will be published in Q4, 2021followed by the development of the training materials in Q1 2022 and dissemination and training activities are in Q3 2022. A consultant is required to develop the training content to be used for stakeholder capacity building in Sri Lanka. The audience targeted and depth of the material will range between building general awareness of this initiative and green building finance across the business sector, and specific skill and product development support activities with the banking sector to increase availability of green finance instruments.

Financial regulators and actors in Sri Lanka have taken concrete actions to shift the financial system to embed sustainability in decision-making, for example: the Sri Lanka Banks’ Association have developed the Sri Lankan Sustainable Banking Principles; and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka has published its Roadmap for Sustainable Finance in Sri Lanka. More so, there are nationally relevant green building and green material certification schemes (Green Building Council of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Urban Development Authority) as well as international green certification schemes used in Sri Lanka. Collectively, these offer a good foundation to build the supply and demand for green buildings and to develop dedicated finance instruments to help overcome first-cost and early-stage market barriers faced by developers and buyers of green buildings. The goal of this consultancy is to create knowledge resources and training/capacity development materials suited to a wide range of stakeholders for increasing knowledge of green buildings and to seed supportive market development activities so that demand for green buildings and supply of green finance increase commensurately.

It is expected that the consultant will develop content structure and anticipated delivery methods of content; key audiences (targeted sectors and within specific institutions); potential collaborators and supporting agents such as industry associations, civil society actors, and regulators; and success indicators and metrics. UNEP FI will provide some content and guidance on themes and details to be captured in the training and knowledge resources, with the consultant inputting on specifics of the local market conditions and interests of Sri Lankan actors. Content will be jointly developed between UNEP FI and the consultant.

Specific tasks and responsibilities

1st deliverable – November 2021. Following execution of the contract, the consultant will prepare a project workplan that includes a project timeline of key activities; outline of proposed knowledge and training resources (developed in consultation with UNEP FI); delivery risks to the programme and risk management; and success indicators.

2nd deliverable –January 2022. Draft materials for training / capacity building and knowledge materials to build wider industry knowledge and support for green buildings and dedicated finance instruments will be developed. The materials will be partly based on the green finance guide to be published by UNEP FI in early Q4 2021, but should be supplemented by resources and inputs from other national green finance and green building actors as well as the consultant’s experience and expertise. The expectation is that more general resources are developed for stakeholders such as finance regulators, property investors and developers, building material suppliers, large corporate occupiers/tenants, real estate sales and letting agents, finance and property journalists, etc.; plus specific resources and training materials for Sri Lankan banks. The latter group will be targeted for more in-depth and hands-on engagement. The materials will need to capture the local market dynamics around property finance and development generally and green buildings specifically; and be shaped to address banking practices and regulations around credit risk, latitude with client relationships and project finance, finance product development, and institution capital raising. The materials will need to be developed with delivery method in mind, and the consultant may seek or utilise input from other civil society, industry association, or financial regulator organisations that may be collaborators in the delivery of the content.

3rd deliverable – February 2022. Delivery of final training content and materials together with recommendations on dissemination and training activities, including map or outline of delivery methods (i.e., matching material to specific activities). Successful completion will be compared against success indicators and metrics per the 1st deliverable.

The consultant/individual contractor will report to the Asia Pacific Region Coordination Manager at UNEP FI, with overall responsibility with the Head of UNEP FI.

The consultant does not necessarily be based in Sri Lanka but should have adequate knowledge of the Sri Lanka banking sector.

Skills: Ability to develop training materials and knowledge of effective delivery of training workshops; understanding of green building design principles and technologies; knowledge of real estate markets and property development; knowledge of banking sector practices, e.g., credit officer decision-making and processes for construction and end-mortgage financing; understanding of banking organisational structures, management practices and regulations, and change management for financial institutions; good coordination, organisation and planning skills, with the ability to work under pressure; adaptability to changing circumstances; and excellent presentation and communication skills.

Academic Qualifications: A degree in one or several of the following areas: finance, business administration, property construction, social studies, economics, environmental studies or sustainable development.

Experience: At least five years working experience in some or all the following areas: banking and finance, real estate development, training and capacity building, and environmental studies and sustainable development.

Language: English is the working language of UNEP FI. Presented materials will be in English; ability to communicate in Sinhala and Tamil is an asset.

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.