Dobromir Dobrev: UBB’s role is to reduce the carbon footprint of not only its loan portfolio, but also of Bulgaria’s economy
02 Decempber 2024
“ESG and energy efficiency in the real estates and construction sectors. Challenges and opportunities” were the topic of the last conference for Y2024 under the Sustainable Future project of 24 Chasa and UBB.
The event, held on 28.11.2024 in Vivacom Art Hall Sofia, gathered investors, entrepreneurs, construction companies, industrial chamber representatives, consultants, experts of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works and others, who discussed the challenges before the real estates and construction sectors in a panel, moderated by Assoc. Prof. Marina Stefanova, PhD- Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Economics at Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski.
The event was announced open by Dobromir Dobrev, Executive Director Corporate Banking and Markets at UBB, who presented the main policy highlights of both the Bank and KBC Group in the sustainable development domain and their commitments in the construction and real estates’ sphere.
„The important role of the bank and of the banking sector as a whole is to achieve reduction of carbon emissions in various economic sectors through their loan portfolios and the financed projects. UBB’s loan portfolio in the real estates and construction sectors is nearly BGN 2 billion. Financed companies total to 715 in number with a sum total of over BGN 550 million in the field of real estates, while in the construction sector there are provided loans to 5652 companies for over BGN 1.35 billion. “, he added.
On behalf of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works the conference attendees were addressed by Ms. Yura Vitanova, Deputy Minister, who shared information about the programmes for enhancing the energy efficiency of buildings, which implementation was currently underway.
At the discussion panel opinions and stances were also shared by Mr. Ivaylo Aleksiev, Chairman of the Agency for Sustainable Energy Development, Ms. Tanya Kosseva-Boshova, Chairperson of the Association of Commercial Building Owners, Mr. Georgi Kirov, partner and director at Colliers Bulgaria, architect Plamen Miryanov, Executive Director of Arteks Engineering, and Mr. Dominic Hamers, Executive Director of Geotechmin.