A significant barrier to adopting green building practices is the lack of government incentives and policy uncertainty. Credit: Gatot Adri/Shutterstock.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has released its 2024 global sustainability report, emphasising the urgent need for the UK’s built environment to decarbonise in order to meet the 2050 targets.

The report assesses the current state of green real estate worldwide and provides policy recommendations to support the UK construction sector’s transition towards sustainability.

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Despite some progress in reducing carbon emissions, RICS indicates that the UK construction sector must take more decisive action to align with national and global climate objectives.

The report advocates for a sustainability strategy, including setting evidence-based targets, mandating carbon assessments for new projects, and improving training for professionals in the built environment.

A significant barrier to adopting green building practices, as reported by 31% of UK respondents, is the lack of government incentives and policy uncertainty.

High costs associated with sustainable materials and practices were also highlighted as impediments to wider adoption within the industry.

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However, there are signs of positive change, with 22% of respondents now measuring biodiversity on all projects, and 31% doing so on over half of their projects.

These figures are among the highest globally and are expected to rise following the UK’s biodiversity net gain legislation, which mandates a minimum 10% improvement in site biodiversity.

RICS standards, such as the Whole Life Carbon Assessment (WLCA) and Retrofit standards, are instrumental in supporting government and industry efforts towards sustainability.

These frameworks provide practical pathways to achieve sustainable outcomes and align with national objectives.

The recent introduction of the ‘Net Zero Carbon Building Standard’ further supports this shift, offering clear guidelines to reinforce government initiatives and facilitate the transition to net zero emissions in the construction sector.

RICS president Tina Paillet said: “Credible policy interventions are essential, and regulation remains a significant factor driving green real estate investment and shaping construction practices.

“RICS will continue to champion effective regulation and the adoption of common standards across jurisdictions to simplify processes, ensure a level playing field, and ultimately drive meaningful progress on climate goals.”