By Pamela Castellán and Armando Simón Múgica
The construction sector plays a strategic role in Mexico’s sustainable development. In response, Banco Inmobiliario Mexicano (BIM), a real estate–focused financial institution, developed a sustainable financing framework, with support from IDB Invest, tailored to the real estate sector’s needs.
BIM’s specialisation in the construction sector, combined with its technical rigor and regulatory alignment, positions this framework as a benchmark for the Mexican market.
Why is BIM the right institution to lead this framework?
Unlike banks with diversified portfolios across industries or segments, BIM operates as a niche bank focused on construction and real estate. This specialisation enables the institution to rely on an internal technical team to evaluate projects, verify appraisals, analyse risks, and ensure compliance with environmental and social criteria.
This internal capacity was critical to strengthening the framework’s scope and ensuring that eligibility criteria are supported by specific, clear, and verifiable technical parameters applicable to different types of real estate projects.
Alignment with Mexico’s sustainable taxonomy
BIM’s sustainable financing framework is among the first in Mexico aligned with the country’s sustainable taxonomy and was designed specifically for the construction category. This represents a significant step forward in the development of the national sustainable finance market.
Alignment with the taxonomy also helps standardise language among all stakeholders throughout the life cycle of a real estate project, there-by enhancing competitiveness.
The framework defines resource‑efficiency criteria tailored to each project typology. It recognises that technical requirements vary across single‑family, multifamily, and vertical housing, as well as developments with other uses, such as hotels or schools.
Which projects are eligible for sustainable financing under this framework?
The framework accepts projects that hold international certifications such as EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), as well as projects certified under national standards, provided they meet the minimum energy and water performance thresholds established by the taxonomy.
In an innovative step, BIM also developed the BIM Sustainable Assessment Tool (Cédula Sostenible BIM). This internal instrument enables the evaluation of non‑certified projects and expands access to sustainable financing, particularly in the affordable housing segment.
This initiative is aligned with the priorities of Mexico’s federal government to reduce the housing deficit. According to a 2022 government estimate, Mexico required 591,252 new housing units. However, the number of homes built in 2024, according to the National Housing Registry, totalled only 128,147 – the lowest level in the past decade.
How does this framework help reduce Mexico’s housing deficit?
The framework places strong emphasis on housing finance, prioritising social, low‑income, traditional, and middle‑income housing. Eligibility criteria incorporate price caps and specific requirements to ensure that a meaningful share of financing is directed toward segments with the greatest needs.
The framework also incorporates a robust social component aligned with the Social Bond Principles and the Sustainability Bond Guidelines of the International Capital Market Association (ICMA). It identifies and tracks financing provided to women‑led real estate developers – a segment historically underserved by the financial system.
This Sustainable Financing Framework not only strengthens the bank’s risk management and portfolio quality, but also sets a replicable precedent for other financial institutions in Mexico and across the region, demonstrating that it is possible to scale sustainable and resilient housing, reduce gaps in access to financing, and contribute to the development of the construction sector.
IDB Invest promotes sustainable housing in Mexico with Banco Inmobiliario Mexicano
