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    Our aim is to offer leadership, expertise and influence, while giving our members the skills they need to create positive change in the natural and built environment. This page details how we are leading in sustainability through:

    • innovative standards and guidance
    • industry-leading research 
    • upskilling our members and showcasing their work
    • working with industry-leading organisations.
       

    The built and natural environment sectors have a key role to play in achieving decarbonisation, and we are committed to working with members and stakeholders to do just that.

    Our latest work

    Sustainability Advisory (MRICS) pilot pathway

    This pathway has been launched to support our members with the ever-growing demand for sustainable expertise. 

    Standards and guidance

    We focus on developing innovative, robust, sustainability-focused standards and guidance. Our members adhere to these standards across the globe.

    This is a key part of how we’re helping create a more climate resilient built and natural environment. Discover all our standards, as well as our public consumer guides, below.

    Whole life carbon assessment (WLCA) for the built environment

    Learn about the RICS whole life carbon assessment (WLCA) standard and why it is key to reducing whole life emissions across the built environment.

    ICMS 3

    Optimising environmental sustainability in construction

    International Building Operation Standard (IBOS)

    IBOS (International Building Operation Standard), a new method to measure and manage how buildings perform for people, through data.

    Residential retrofit standard

    RICS’ first residential retrofit standard has been created in response to growing demand for retrofit services.

    Valuation of woodlands and forests, 2nd edition

    Aiming to assist valuers, this guidance highlights the main factors that impact the market value of woodlands and addresses some of the more compl...

    International Land Measurement Standard

    Responsible Business Framework

    Find out more about our Responsible Business Framework.

    ESG and sustainability in commercial property valuation

    This global professional standard provides a practical framework for delivering on sustainability and ESG investigation, and reporting requirements in professional valuation advice.

    Negotiating Options and Leases for Renewable Energy Schemes, 2nd edition

    Intended for use within the UK, the guidance is essential reading for all members who are asked to advise in relation to renewable energy schemes.

    Environmental risks and global real estate

    Both in real terms and in the growth of legislation, environmental considerations affect real estate in all sectors. Increasingly there are implications for how we buy, sell, use and value real estate.

    Letting waste sites: an insight into Network Rail policy

    An overview of Network Rail�s strategic framework for the letting and management of their waste related sites.

    Consumer Guide: Flooding | Find a Surveyor

    Consumer Guide: Reducing Carbon in Your Home | Find a Surveyor

    Research and insights

    Creating a more resilient built and natural environment takes cross-sector collaboration. We work with key stakeholders to gather insights and deliver industry-leading research pieces.

    This work is crucial to helping steer the industry towards sustainability-focused outcomes.

    Sustainability report 2025

    RICS’ Sustainability report 2025 examines sentiments from over 3,500 global professionals in the commercial real estate and construction sectors, in order to understand how the climate agenda is shaping trends and practices across the world.

    Decarbonising the built environment: policy reform reports for key market governments

    RICS has identified opportunities for policy reform in several global markets ahead of COP 28

    Impact of carbon markets on the rural economy, 1st edition, practice information - UK

    This paper offers a comprehensive overview of how UK and global carbon markets create new opportunities and challenges for British agriculture, forestry, and the valuation industry.

    RICS Sustainability Report 2023

    In December we published our 2023 sustainability report, which draws on questions in our global construction and commercial surveys.

    The design, delivery and management of healthy buildings, 1st edition

    Internationally, we launched a new guide to designing, delivering and managing healthier buildings. The guide builds on our International Building Operation Standard, covering every stage of a project.

    Digitalisation in construction report 2024

    The world is abuzz with positive and negative stories about generative artificial intelligence. However, it is a half-full or half-empty situation with the Digitalisation in construction report 2023.

    RICS Sustainability Report 2022: Are we making progress?

    What does the built environment need to make progress towards decarbonisation? Here are five things we learned in our webinar.

    Sustainability Report 2021

    In any given year, the construction, operation and decommissioning of buildings will be responsible for roughly 40% of total global greenhouse gas emi

    We’re also proud to have members that take sustainability seriously within their work and continue to innovate.

    How closing the infrastructure gap for Indigenous Communities is key to achieving Canada's ESG goals

    BTY Group is a leading quantity surveying, project management and construction advisory consultancy established in 1978. The firm is a longstanding member of RICS with a diverse staff of more than 160 professionals, including chartered surveyors, project managers and engineers.

    Cushman & Wakefield reduce carbon production through re-purposing and recycling

    At Cushman & Wakefield, we prioritise the need to protect and promote sustainable value. Our sustainability strategy commits to tangible sustainability goals.

    Laing O’Rourke demonstrate how informed decisions on building materials can halve carbon emissions

    In Australia, Laing O’Rourke focuses on delivering transport infrastructure projects (predominantly rail and road); defence infrastructure; buildings at the transport interface; and exploring opportunities in renewable energy and sectors.

    JLL support financial and asset management though a bespoke ESG valuation model

    One of our goals is to help break the valuation deadlock, which is an emergent phenomenon where valuers are unable to reflect the full range and impact of ESG risks in regulated valuations. We aim to enable the built environment to decarbonise while promoting and protecting asset values.

    Octopus Energy use technological innovations to improve design and infrastructure of buildings

    The combined energy and cost of living crises have brought the UK housing market to a standstill. There is a chronic undersupply of new homes, and those that are built conform to Building Regulations but often do not go any further, meaning they fall short of maximum energy efficiency standards.

    CTPark Amsterdam City utilise renewable energy to reduce total costs

    CTP Group’s objective in acquiring this speculative development was to meet the rising demand for premium, last-mile low-or zero-emissions logistics facilities.

    Working with the industry

    Only through collaboration with other stakeholders can we truly create sustainable built and natural environments.

    We’re proud to work on some ground-breaking initiatives that are helping the sector:

    • reduce whole life carbon emissions
    • create resilient assets
    • protect and enhance biodiversity
    • embed circular economy principles.

    RICS is an active member of the UN Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC). Founded at COP21, hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme and with 280 members, including 39 countries, the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction is the leading global platform for all stakeholders committed to a common vision: A zero-emission, efficient and resilient buildings and construction sector. This is orchestrated via the Buildings Breakthrough Agenda facilitated by GlobalABC.

    RICS is now a supporting partner for Buildings Breakthrough: Priority International Action B1: Standards and Certification and B5: Capacity and Skills. Head of Sustainability Anil Sawhney was recently appointed to the B1 (Standards and Certification) steering committee.

    As a participant of the UN Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, RICS is committed to its Ten Principles and the wider UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We aim to drive awareness and address the world’s most pressing environmental and social challenges in the land, construction, real estate and infrastructure sectors.

    Our Communication on Engagement report for the UN Global Compact highlights the key projects that represent some of the actions RICS has taken to drive a more sustainable future in the built and natural environment.

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    RICS is also working with Urban Land Institute to develop a pioneering set of universal internal carbon pricing principles. This is a task force of seven leading industry organisations, including World Building Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). This collaboration sets out a series of high-level universal principles for implementing a voluntary carbon price, to be used by any organisation in the real estate sector.

    RICS, in collaboration with organisations covering a breadth of the UK built environment, have launched the Built Environment Carbon Database.

    BECD is free to use and provides a library of product carbon factors and a place to report results of whole life carbon assessment for buildings. We are now working to improve BECD and widen its scope by aligning with the new life cycle assessment reporting formats introduced by the second edition of the RICS WLCA standard.

    RICS is a co-intervention lead of the MTAA’s Lever 1 ‘Align behind whole life carbon’, focusing on the adoption of life-cycle assessment.  We are developing global principles to drive harmonisation in whole life carbon accounting through a globally consistent approach.

    RICS is a core member of the WLCP.Co promoting consistent measurement of whole life carbon. The Whole Life Cycle Policy Coalition (WLCP.Co) is led by the UK Department of Energy Security (DESNZ) and Net-Zero and the World Building Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).

    RICS is a founding collaborator of the pilot version of the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard (UKNZCBS), launched in 2024. This is the UK’s first standard for verifying buildings as net zero carbon. Aligned with the RICS WLCA standard, the UKNZCBS also builds on previous work in the net zero carbon field by fellow collaborators.

    The International Energy Agency cites the RICS Global harmonisation framework for whole life carbon assessments in the built environment in its Breakthrough Agenda Report 2024. Our guide is cited under the report’s Chapter 7 ‘Buildings’ amongst key examples of the progress made towards guidance and recommendations to advance the harmonisations of WLCAs.

    RICS is a signatory of the Professional Bodies Climate Action Charter (PBCAC). The PBCAC facilitates professional bodies to take action by sharing skills, knowledge and resources. It aims to spread expertise across the sector and ensure it reaches members, with a focus on professional development.

    RICS, in collaboration with organisations covering a breadth of the UK built environment, have been part of a Sustainable Markets Initiative taskforce focusing on Cleantech Homes. The taskforce published a report promoting the case for faster decarbonisation of the UK’s new-build residential property sector.

    The report highlights the progress made to date and the further industry and policy actions required to accelerate the transition from gas to clean technologies.

    The Circular Do Tank (CDT) is a dynamic team of multidisciplinary experts tackling challenges relating to the circular economy. RICS President Tina Paillet is part of the CDT’s committee, which aims to drive circularity in the industry, facilitates data and information sharing, and promotion the adoption of circular practice.

    RICS is a member of the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG). FIG is a global ‘umbrella’ organisation, bringing together professional surveying institutions, international and government agencies, and technology vendors. Founded in 1878, aims to ensure the disciplines of surveying and all who practice them meet the needs of the markets and communities that they serve. RICS has participated in a number of FIG-hosted initiatives, such as Working Week and Climate Compass.

    RICS has supported administrative and secretary general functions for the Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land Economy, completing a process of legal due diligence and incorporation. This has included the upgrade of the CASLE website, maintaining the quarterly newsletter and re-organisation of CASLE finances.

    Training, events and CPD

    We’re committed to developing our members expertise within sustainability. This ensures the profession keeps up with the ever-increasing need for sustainability advisory and expertise.

    Our member base can give sustainable advice, educate clients and deliver climate responsive projects and assets.

    Below are all the upcoming sustainability-focused training sessions and events available to our members.

    On-Demand (Recording)

    Global Sustainability Conference 2025: Key takeaways and highlights

    If you weren’t able to attend the RICS Global Sustainability Conference 2025, don’t worry! You can catch all the insights, discussions, and highlights from the event through our full recording.

    Training Courses

    Sustainable Real Estate: Creating a Better Environment

    RICS is proud to collaborate with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) to support professionals across the built environment in tackling the sustainability challenges facing our sector.

    Web Class

    Global Introduction to Whole Life Carbon Assessment - 3 Part Web Class

    Understand how WLCA reduces carbon impacts across a project life cycle.

    Training Course

    Global Certificate in Whole Life Carbon Assessment (2026 Edition)

    Empowering RICS professionals: simplifying complex carbon assessments for a sustainable future.

    Web Class

    UK&I Residential Retrofit - 5 Part Web Class

    Building Better Futures: Retrofit Mastery with Surveying Precision

    Online Training

    ISEP Pathways to Net Zero

    The ISEP Pathways to Net Zero course is an internationally recognised certification that demonstrates a verified level of competence.

    Online Training

    An Introduction to Sustainability in the Built Environment

    Discover the importance of the built environment in fighting the climate crisis and the role you can play in influencing change in this introductory course.

    On-Demand

    UK&I Impact of Carbon Markets on the Rural Economy Webinar

    UK Impact of carbon markets on the rural economy webinar

    Other news and updates

    Whole Life Carbon Assessment: Delivering the Future of Carbon Assessment in the Built Environment

    With over 30 years of expertise in quantifying, measuring and valuing construction work, Alan Northen FRICS MCIArb shares his rewarding experience delivering the Global Certificate in Whole Life Carbon Assessment training programme.

    RICS in Europe: Sustainable Real Estate Survey Europe 2025

    In this article we combine the survey findings with broader market observations and industry trends to explore how ESG expectations are reshaping demand, value and risk across the built environment.

    The future of property valuation and the influence of E(SG) criteria for residential buildings

    Shaping sustainable futures: RICS in Europe student competition

    Sustainability report 2025

    RICS’ Sustainability report 2025 examines sentiments from over 3,500 global professionals in the commercial real estate and construction sectors, in order to understand how the climate agenda is shaping trends and practices across the world.

    RICS response to EU framework for calculating the global warming potential of new buildings

    The European Commission has recently concluded its public consultation on the establishment of an EU framework for calculating the whole life-cycle global warming potential (GWP) of new buildings.

    Update from Justin Young, RICS CEO – November 2025

    This month I have news of two significant streams of work, intended to accelerate progress on issues that cut to the core of our profession and its impact on society: skills and sustainability.

    RICS responds to Government's Clean Energy Jobs Plan

    Yesterday, the Secretary of State for Energy Security & Net Zero, Ed Miliband set out the Government’s Clean Energy Jobs Plan which outlines plans to bring 400,000 extra jobs across the UK by 2030.

    Building a sustainable profession: SRB's progress update

    As the Standards and Regulation Board (SRB) is preparing for its annual strategy meeting, I’ve been reflecting on our progress so far this year on two of our important strategic objectives.

    Planning for a liveable and resilient city

    RICS recently caught up with Hugh Lim, Executive Director at the Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC), to explore Singapore’s approaches in shaping a resilient, liveable city that balances economic growth and sustainability targets.

    Influence and Advocacy Monthly Update – April 2025

    Over the past month, RICS has been actively engaging with UK Government departments, devolved administrations, and parliamentary committees to shape vital areas of policy concerning the built and natural environment.

    Sustainable development in one of the world’s largest built environments: Meet Eric Wo FRICS

    Sustainable development across the real estate industry is a key area of focus for RICS professionals across the globe – and one of the world’s largest built environments, China, is no exception.

    RICS at UK Construction Week: Bridging the skills gap in the built and natural environment

    This year at the UK’s largest built environment event, RICS will deliver a programme designed to promote knowledge transfer and professional growth across the industry.