Document downloads - Sustainability for surveyors
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Sustainability and the RICS property lifecycle (ARCHIVED)
This document has been archived and is available on isurv for information purposes only.
The chartered surveying profession has long had a role and reputation as being the custodian of the built and natural environment. With a body of knowledge and expertise built up over many years, RICS members are at the core of decision-making on the built and natural environment.
RICS recognises that sustainability should be considered throughout the property lifecycle. The interrelationships of the five phases in the property lifecycle - greenfield and estate management, planning and procurement, new construction, occupation and use (including refurbishment and alterations), demolition and remediation - are critical to achieving sustainability for the property profession.
This document details how sustainability can be embedded into the RICS property lifecycle and provides a resource for engaging our members in sustainability in promoting a positive contribution to our pursuit of sustainable land, property and construction.
This guidance note primarily examines the sustainability interventions and opportunities property professionals can put forward during the design and construction of a building project.
It also forms a starting point for further guidance aimed at the RICS property lifecycle stages. -
Sustainability and ESG in commercial property valuation and strategic advice
Published December 2021
Effective from 31 January 2022
This global professional standard provides a practical framework for delivering on sustainability and ESG investigation, and reporting requirements in professional valuation advice.
Please note, this was reissued in October 2022 as a professional standard. It was previously published as a guidance note. The regulatory requirements remain the same.
Practical and globally relevant principles for the delivery of the sustainability and ESG requirements in the Red Book Global Standards.
- Good practice advice supporting everyday commercial valuation practice and its interface with ESG and sustainability.
- Alignment of ESG and sustainability considerations with the core mechanics of valuation (purpose, basis, approach).
- A glossary of globally relevant sustainability and ESG terms and an appendix referencing world-leading rating, benchmarking and performance frameworks and tools.
The updated guidance is part of a suite of professional standards for sustainable practices across the built and natural environment. For example, ICMS 3, for the comparison of cost and carbon in construction. And the Responsible Business Framework, which enables clients to build and communicate a responsible business strategy mitigating negative environmental and social impact.
It is an update to the guidance issued in 2013 and is intended for valuing commercial property. It will be reviewed and updated periodically – reflecting pending developments in International Valuation Standards and the wider investment and regulatory framework globally. -
Supply, demand and the value of green buildings (RICS)
Published March 2012
In the current debate on global climate change, buildings are increasingly considered by policy makers, corporations and institutional investors to represent vehicles for achieving energy efficiency, carbon abatement and corporate social responsibility.
This shift in the perception and use value of buildings has led to changes in investment and regulations towards the built environment over the last decade, gradually moving commercial property markets towards increased levels of energy efficiency and sustainability. -
Valuation of renewable energy installations (ARCHIVED)
This document has been archived and is available on isurv for information purposes only.
This information paper addresses the capital and rental valuation of freehold and leasehold landed interests for sites where a significant part of the value arises, or might arise, from the potential to generate renewable energy - principally electricity.
This information paper is primarily concerned with the valuation of developments undertaken on a large scale for the regular production of energy for sale. -
Methodology to calculate embodied carbon (ARCHIVED)
This document has been archived and is available on isurv for information purposes only.
This global guidance note outlines a practical framework for quantity surveyors on how to calculate embodied carbon emissions associated with their projects.
The guidance note supersedes the 2012 RICS information paper Methodology to calculate embodied carbon of materials, 1st edition which was aimed at a UK audience. -
Developing an approach to sustainable return on investment in the UK, Brazil and the USA (RICS)
Published July 2015
This report develops an approach which places a value on the social and environmental impact of projects and applies these to the built environment. -
Green roofs and walls
Published April 2016
There are many green roofs and walls guides; however this guidance note has been prepared to assist building owners, tenants and their advisers in the processes involved in understanding the various steps that will need
to be considered if a green roof or wall is to be installed on a new building, or retrofitted onto an existing building. This guidance note looks at green walls and roofs from the property and surveyor’s point of view, encompassing the technical, value and community impacts that green walls and roofs can bring. This guide is aimed primarily at commercial and medium to high-density residential buildings.
This guide aims to provide information on green roofs and walls to:
- surveyors
- owners
- tenants
- property managers
- builders and developers
- project managers
- facility managers
- services consultants and
- local and national government.