Sustainability practice for surveyors

Sustainability is central to modern surveying practice. For RICS, sustainability in the built and natural environments means balancing economic, environmental and social objectives, meeting present needs without compromising those of future generations, while still fulfilling technical and functional requirements.

This guide gives surveyors a holistic understanding of what sustainability means in practice and how to apply it across their work. It covers all surveying practice areas and can be read either in full or by individual sections depending on your role, experience and specific areas of interest.

Whether you are an APC candidate building core knowledge, an early-career professional, or an experienced surveyor working outside a sustainability specialism, the guide helps you understand the wider environmental, social and economic impacts of your decisions, improving decision-making, protecting asset value, and responding to growing client, regulatory and market expectations.