Northern Ireland Conference

Opening remarks and welcome

RICS NI Chair Brian Reid FRICS

Keynote address

Senior Government Representative (unconfirmed)

AI in Practice: Building the Judgement Your Profession Now Demands

RICS's new professional standard on responsible AI use became effective on 9 March 2026. It requires members to develop and maintain sufficient knowledge to support responsible AI system use, but it doesn't tell you how. This session bridges that gap. Drawing on nearly thirty years of building technology for people who do real work in the built environment, Richard Scott cuts through the noise to show what AI actually is today, what it can do for surveying practice, and how to develop the judgement that turns compliance into genuine capability. Practical, grounded, and opportunity-focused.

Richard Scott, Founder, Evolvity.ai

RICS address and CEO update

Justin Young, CEO RICS

Breakout sessions (choose A or B)

Session A – RICS Code of Measuring Practice (Refresh)

Nearly 20 years after the sixth edition the RICS Code of Measuring Practice is being refreshed, and the profession has the chance to shape it.  The seventh edition is now at public consultation, this session explains what’s changing, how the new Code resolves longstanding uncertainty between         existing standards and guidance, and what it means for day-to-day practice.                    

Measurement underpins valuation, agency and lending decisions – find out what these changes means for your clients.

Nigel Sellars FRICS, RICS Senior Specialist, Valuation and Investment Advisory

Session B – Greening the Lending Book: The Role of Finance in Driving a More Sustainable Built Environment

As the financial sector increasingly looks to reduce the environmental impact of its lending, what does this mean for the property and built environment sectors?

Chris Martin from Danske Bank will explore the growing role of ESG in financial decision-making, including the development of green mortgages and the wider move towards greening the bank’s lending book. He will consider how sustainability is influencing access to finance, investment decisions and the future value of property — and what this means for professionals across the built and natural environment.

Chris Martin, Danske Bank

How does PwC provide local and cross-border support to clients and exploring?

PwC’s perspectives on the evolving dynamics between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and how this is shaping investment, delivery, and opportunity across the island.

 Ashleigh Fletcher, PwC

Assessing the Implications of Adaptive Reuse in Regenerating Heritage Buildings: A Study of Barbour Threads Mill, Lisburn.

Shannon McCluskey, QUB (RICS NI Research Excellence Awards Winner)

RICS NI Awards Winner: Belfast Grand Central RICS NI Project of the Year

Matt Stalford and Duane McCreadie, Farrans Sacyr

Breakout sessions (choose A or B)

Session A – Building Value in Construction Contracts Through Better Drafting and Risk Management

In an increasingly complex construction environment, effective risk management is critical to protecting commercial value and achieving successful project outcomes. This session will explore how clients, contractors and project teams can take a more strategic approach to identifying, allocating and managing risk throughout the project lifecycle, including the importance of effective contract drafting and proactive risk management during construction.

Drawing on practical project experience and the evolving legal landscape, Claire and John will consider the implications of the Building Safety Act and the enhanced responsibilities   placed on duty holders. The session will provide practical insights into compliance, record-keeping and managing the risks associated with new building safety obligations, helping delegates understand how effective risk management can support project delivery, reduce exposure and strengthen commercial performance.

Clare McCarry MRICS and John Skelly, HF Law

Session B – Delivering Mixed-Tenure and Affordable Housing: From Policy to Practice

The session will discuss the implementation of mixed tenure and the affordable housing element of local development plans. It will consider the definition of affordable housing and look at the various elements such as social housing, intermediate housing for sale (Co-Ownership) and the new intermediate rent product.

Charles O’Neill, Co-ownership NI

Kieran Devlin, Deputy Director Housing Supply Policy in the Department for Communities

LionHeart

Renewable Energy (panel discussion)

Northern Ireland has committed to 80% renewable energy by 2030, but delivery remains the principal challenge. This panel brings together leading voices from policy, industry and the built environment to examine what’s needed to close the gap: grid capacity, planning reform, investment certainty and skills.

Lisa O’Neill, Senior Engineer, NIE

Emma Fletcher MRICS, Octopus Energy

John McGarry, Director, LP3

Drones and slam scanners

As Surveyors, have you ever measured up a property, drawn    up your notes back at the office and realized you missed a critical wall thickness or ceiling  height? Or faced a building condition survey where parapets, chimneys and roof valleys were simply impossible to inspect without quoting for scaffolding or a cherry picker?

Michael will be delivering a practical session exploring how modern handheld scanning, compact drones and large-scale aerial mapping solve these everyday practice bottlenecks.

Live on-stage demo: During the talk, Michael will be running a live demonstration with a handheld mobile scanner—walking the conference hall to capture the room in real time so you can watch an exact 3D digital model generate.

Michael Hannaway, Founder Landsurvey Group Ltd

Summing up of conference

Jo Scott

Closing remarks

RICS NI Chair Brian Reid FRICS