This thesis studies the yield differential between green bonds and conventional bonds, the so called green premium or "greenium". By deriving a theoretical model that includes investors' preferences for green assets, two hypothesis are formulated: There exists a negative green bond premium and The negative premium is larger in absolute terms in countries with high environmental performance. In order to estimate the premium, synthetic conventional bonds are constructed having the same characteristics as the green bonds. Two different matching methods are used to construct the synthetic bonds, one based on maturity and one based on correlation. The findings of this study suggest a significant negative green premium between -0.29 and -0.78 basis points. Also, the green premium is more than twice as large, in terms of absolute value, if the issuer is based in a country which has a high environmental performance.

Green bonds present a promising tool enabling investors in fixed-income mar- kets to finance environmental projects. Yet, the pricing of green bonds with respect to conventional bonds remains an open question. This thesis in- vestigates the existence of a yield differential between green and equivalent conventional bonds in the secondary market. By matching green bonds with synthetic conventional bonds and performing a fixed effects panel regression of the yield spread, we find evidence of a small negative premium associ- ated with green bonds ("green premium"): as a result of high demand from value-seeking investors, the yield of green bonds is on average 1.12 basis points lower than that of their conventional counterparts. The variation in the magnitude of the green premium with bond characteristics is further examined through a cross-sectional regression. We show that external ver- ification of the bond's green credentials and assurance on its post-issuance allocation report significantly increase the estimated green premium. Finally, the green bond's yield seems to decrease in case proceeds are used to finance new projects, while refinancing existing projects results in an increase in the bond's yield. Our findings provide valuable insights into the field of green bond pricing. While the...

Issuing environmentally aligned green bonds has become an increasingly popular way to raise capital for green investments during the last decade. This thesis explores potential pricing differences between green and conventional bonds, known as the green premium, on the Swedish secondary bond market. Prior green bond research is inconclusive regarding the direction, size and even existence of such a premium. By creating a sample of 50 matched pairs of green and conventional bonds, we show an average positive green premium of 10 bps on the Swedish market, indicating that Swedish green bonds trade at higher yields than their conventional counterparts. We also study whether the size of the green premium is affected by credit ratings and third-party green certification but find no evidence of such effects. Overall, the results from this thesis add to current green bond research by showing a positive green premium, but the lack of shown effects from credit ratings and green certification indicate that further study is needed to fully understand the pricing mechanisms of green bonds.

The green bond market has gained significant traction over the past few years. In 2019, issuers released $320 billion worth of green bonds, compared to $490 billion in 2023 (Yamaguchi & Ramos, 2024). This study applies the widely used metric Value-at-Risk (VaR) to better understand the risk profile of this relatively new financial instrument. The study forecasts volatility using an ARMA(1,1)-GARCH(1,1) model to simulate VaR. The thesis employs regression analysis to explore higher downside risk and a green premium in the primary Nordic bond market for green bonds. The findings reveal that green bonds carry higher downside risk, as evidenced by significantly larger VaR values for green-labeled bonds. Additionally, the study identifies a lower yield to maturity associated with green bonds compared to conventional bonds, indicating a green premium in the primary Nordic bond markets. This research contributes to the growing body of literature on green finance, providing valuable insights for investors regarding the risks and yields associated with green bonds. The findings of this study are essential since ESG is a crucial topic for today’s investors, and a green premium encourages firms to invest in more sustainable projects. If proof of investors willingness to pay a premium for sustainability was confirmed, firms might undertake more climate-friendly projects. Further research should explore alternative risk metrics and apply these metrics across different regions.

Sustainability has been heightened to a new level of importance, due to the current global race for commodities and conservation of our environment. Sustainable Buildings are of particular interest since buildings are significant contributors to consumption of resources. Since the inception of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) in 1993, USGBC has played a key role in providing guidance to the design and construction community in building“green" structures. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system is an industry accepted standard for the design/construction and measurement of green buildings. Although USGBC provides guidance on performance measurement, a streamlined process of performance tracking and measurement has not been formalized. This research focuses on identifying vital areas of required tracking and measurement; to allow for a systematic analysis of costs and benefits, over the life of sustainable buildings. A case-study based on the recently designed and constructed East Hall LEED-Gold Certified, dormitory building at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), was undertaken to create and assess a life cycle costs analysis framework. This research is aimed at understanding what the costs of building green at WPI truly are. Life Cycle Cost Analyses of the mechanical, electrical, plumbing and roof components were evaluated to generate percent savings or percent added cost. This research reviewed the various green and non-green costs of construction, consumption, and operations and maintenance costs providing a comparative analysis to leading researchers in the field of costs and benefits of building green.

Med finansiella egenskaper som liknar konventionella obligationer spelar gröna obligationer en viktig roll i kampen mot klimatförändringar. Trots att marknaden för gröna obligationer har vuxit snabbt sedan 2008 så har sambandet mellan de gröna egenskaperna hos en obligation och dess avkastning inte studerats i en större utsträckning. I den här studien använder vi data från Eikon och regressionsmodeller för att undersöka hur de gröna egenskaperna påverkar obligationens avkastning, likviditet och volatilitet på den skandinaviska marknaden. Vår studie visar att gröna obligationer har en lägre avkastning (-42,7 baspunkter) än motsvarande konventionella obligationer. Resultatet i vår studie tyder också på skillnader i likviditet och volatilitet (0,01 respektive 0,30 baspunkter) men dessa resultat är ej signifikanta. Eftersom det här forskningsområdet är i ett tidigt stadie kan den här studien ligga till grund för framtida forskning. I takt med att den skandinaviska marknaden för gröna obligationer växer kan vår studie replikeras för att se om resultaten blir mer signifikanta när urvalsstorleken blir större. / With financial attributes similar to conventional bonds, green bonds play an important role in the fight against climate change. Even though the green bond market has seen a rapid growth since 2008, the relationship between the bond's greenness and its yield has not been studied to a great extent. In this study, we use a set of data from Eikon and regression analysis to examine how the green traits of a bond affects its yield, liquidity and volatility on the Scandinavian market. We match 62 green and conventional bonds into 31 bond pairs and show that the yield of green bonds are -42,7 basis points lower than its conventional counterparts. Our study also indicates that green bonds are slightly more liquid (0,01 basis points) and more volatile (0,30 basis points) but these results are not significant. Since the research in this field is in its initial phase, this study may serve as a foundation for future research. If the market for green bonds proceeds to grow in Scandinavia, our study could be replicated to see if the results may be more significant as the sample size increases.

Fastighetsmarknaden är en högt bidragen faktor till klimatkrisen. Grön finansiering och statliga stödprogram, som det tidigare investeringsstödet och dess miljöbonus, har gjort det förmånligt att producera- och investera i Miljöcertifierade bostadsfastigheter. Vidare finns krav på hållbarhet från bostadsfastighetsaktörernas finansiella investerare. Med andra ord finns det idag en efterfrågan att investera i hållbara fastigheter. En hållbar kvalitetsstämpel som finns är miljöcertifieringar. Rapporten syftar att undersöka hur investerarna resonerar kring en grön premie för nyproducerade bostadsfastigheter med en miljöcertifiering på den svenska marknaden. Med en grön premie syftar rapporten till förmånliga skillnader för bostadsfastigheternas hyresnivåer, drift- och underhållskostnader, direktavkastningskrav samt priserna vid en transaktion. Rapporten kartlägger även den gröna premiens utveckling över tid på den svenska marknaden. En kvalitativ metod används genom en semistrukturerad intervjustudie med respondenter från fem olika aktörer marknaden. Resultatet visar att investerarna på marknaden anser att det finns mervärden med miljöcertifiering, både när det gäller finansiella fördelar samt skillnader för faktorer som bland annat antalet intressenter för en fastighet samt direktavkastningskravet, det sistnämnda är dock väldigt svårt att kvantifiera. Skillnaden i antalet intressenter gör också att grundläggande ekonomisk teori om utbud och efterfrågan används, vilken antyder att det finns en premie för priset då fastigheten är miljöcertifierad. / The real estate market is a highly contributing factor to the climate crisis. Green financing and governmental support programs, such as the previous investment support program and its environmentally based bonuses, have made it advantageous to produce and invest in certified green residential properties. Furthermore, the financial investors demand a higher degree of sustainability. In other words, there is a demand to invest in sustainable real estate. A grade in sustainability is accessed through green certifications. The report aims to examine what the real estate investors think about the existence of a green premium for newly produced residential properties with a green certification on the Swedish market. A green premium is considered throughout the report as favorable differences in the property rent levels, operating and maintenance costs, yield and transaction prices. The report also maps the development of the green premium in the Swedish market over time. A qualitative method is used through a semi-structured interview study with respondents from five different actors on the real estate market. The results show that real estate investors believe that there is value premium associated with a green certification, both in terms of financial benefits and favorable differences regarding factors such as the number of potential buyers and yield, though the latter is very difficult to quantify. The differences in the number of potential buyers resulted in further usage of the basic economic theory of supply and demand, which suggests that there is a premium for the transaction prices in case of the property being certified green.

The aim of this study is to analyze and compare risk, volatility, yields as well as prices of green bonds, and whether they differ given certification or third party evaluation. The study bases its theoretical standpoint on bond risk, volatility and yield from a standpoint of the Merton as well as Jarrow & Turnbull models, as well as previous studies in the field. With a deductive approach, this study uses a multiple regression analysis, a quantitative method. This study has analyzed 24 green bonds issued between 2018-2020, out of a basis of 301 green bonds. No statistically verified differences were found in volatility, pricing or yield spread between certified and uncertified green bonds, however interesting indications of differences in volatility between regions, and an indication that issue size can affect yield.

Diminishing green bond premia have been associated with the risk of greenwashing. In response, third-party verification (TPV) has emerged as a market-driven solution to mitigate risks from asymmetric information and safeguard the credibility of green bonds. This thesis examines the complexities of TPV mechanisms within the green bond market, employing a novel approach by comparing two leading verification institutions: the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) and the International Capital Market Association (ICMA). The goal is to ascertain the effectiveness of TPV and examine their impact on bond yields. Additionally, this study examines the role of these verification systems in reducing information asymmetry and mitigating the threat of greenwashing. Utilising propensity score matching, our analysis reveals a TPV premium ranging from approximately -15 to -19 basis points (bps) for green bonds verified by the CBI, while the ICMA does not reliably demonstrate a TPV premium. Furthermore, our investigation extends to the differential impact of TPV on government and corporate green bonds. We find a clearer TPV premium for corporate green bonds verified by the CBI, estimated at -21 to -23 bps, compared to government green bonds, which yielded insignificant findings. Complementing our quantitative findings, a key informant interview provides nuanced insights. We also uncover potential biases inherent in dataset preferences favouring specific verification institutions. Our research highlights the efficacy of verification through the CBI, as the advantages significantly outweigh the associated costs, making it a sensible choice for issuers. Moreover, we advocate for the adoption of uniform reporting standards to streamline administrative processes and enhance transparency, particularly for corporate green bond issuers. / Minskande premievärden på gröna obligationer har kopplats till risken för greenwashing. Som svar på detta har tredjepartsverifiering (TPV) framträtt som en marknadsdriven lösning för att minska riskerna från asymmetrisk information och säkerställa trovärdigheten hos gröna obligationer. Denna avhandling undersöker komplexiteten i TPV-mekanismer inom marknaden för gröna obligationer, genom att jämföra två ledande verifieringsinstitutioner: Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) och International Capital Market Association (ICMA). Målet är att fastställa effektiviteten av TPV och undersöka deras inverkan på obligationsräntor. Fortsättningsvis, granskar denna studie rollen av dessa verifieringssystem i att minska informationsasymmetri och motverka hotet om greenwashing. Genom att använda propensity score matching avslöjar vår analys en TPV-premie på cirka -15 till -19 baspunkter (bp) för gröna obligationer verifierade av CBI, medan ICMA inte på ett tillförlitligt sätt visar en TPV-premie. Vidare undersöker vi den differentierade effekten av TPV på gröna stats- och företagsobligationer. Vi finner en tydligare TPV-premie för företagsobligationer verifierade av CBI, uppskattad till -21 till -23 bp, jämfört med statsobligationer, som inte gav signifikanta resultat. För att komplettera våra kvantitativa resultat, ger en intervju med en nyckelinformant nyanserade insikter. Vi upptäcker även potentiell partiskhet inneboende i datasettet som gynnar specifika verifieringsinstitutioner. Vår forskning belyser effektiviteten av verifiering genom CBI, eftersom fördelarna överväger de associerade kostnaderna, vilket gör det till ett vettigt val för emittenter. Dessutom förespråkar vi antagandet av enhetliga rapporteringsstandarder för att förenkla administrativa processer och förbättra transparensen, särskilt för emittenter av gröna företagsobligationer.

The construction and real estate industry accounts for a large share of the global energy consumption. Thus, an onerous responsibility is resting on the shoulders of the property owners and developers to alleviate the emissions derived from the real estate sector. With the escalating necessity for undertaking measures aimed at averting additional negative impact on the climate, a rising level of engagement from governmental as well as private stakeholders emerges. As a consequence of the negative development in the sector, and with tenants willing to pay rentalpremiums to be seated in premises in buildings certified as green, the issuance of green certifications have surged. The purpose of this study is to examine whether the distance from the city center has an impact on the green sales premiums for commercial office properties on the Swedish property market, to be able to compose more accurate calculations of green investments. This is investigated ona national level, as well as for cities exceeding 200,000 inhabitants. The study is a quantitative study which uses hedonic regression models to answer the research questions. The data used is collected through a transaction database provided by Cushman & Wakefield Sweden, with additional data from Sweden Green Building Council and Statistics Sweden, among others. The results conclude an incremental green premium of 14.80% at the 1 km mark from the city center for the country level data set, and 31.92% for the larger cities, at the 10%, respective 1% level of significance. However, some coefficients are inconsistent and the author highlights potential deficiencies within the course of action. / Bygg- och fastighetssektorn står idag för en stor del av den globala energiförbrukningen. Därmed vilar ett tungt ansvar på fastighetsutvecklare, förvaltare och andra aktörer i branschen för att minska utsläppen från fastighetssektorn. Med det ökande behovet av att vidta åtgärder för att undvika ytterligare negativ påverkan på klimatet, har även engagemanget från både offentliga och privata aktörer tilltagit. Som en konsekvens av den negativa utvecklingen inom sektorn och att hyresgäster är villiga att betala en premie för att husera i byggnader som är miljöcertifierade, har utfärdandet av gröna certifikat ökat markant. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka om avståndet från centrum har en inverkan på den gröna försäljningspremien för kommersiella kontorsfastigheter på den svenska fastighetsmarknaden, för att kunna göra mer exakta investeringskalkyler gällande investeringar i miljöcertifierade fastigheter. Detta undersöks på dels nationell nivå, och dels för städer med över 200 000 invånare. Studien är en kvantitativ studie som använder hedoniska regressionsmodeller för att besvara forskningsfrågorna. Dataseten komponeras med hjälp av en transaktionsdatabas som tillhandahålls av Cushman & Wakefield Sweden, tillsammans med ytterligare data från bl.a. Sweden Green Building Council och Statistiska centralbyrån. Resultatet indikerar en ökande grön premie om 14,80% vid 1 km från stadens centrum för datasetet på nationell nivå, och 31,92% för de större städerna, vid 10% respektive 1% signifikansnivå. Vissa koefficienter är dock inkonsekventa och författaren lyfter fram potentiella brister i handlingsförloppet.