The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has launched a consultation amongst its members and people who work in the built environment globally on the second edition of its Professional Standard, RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment for the Built Environment.
The methodology was developed in 2017 and has been endorsed and adopted by several governments, industry bodies and organisations, including the World Economic Forum.
RICS is seeking feedback on the updated version, which it says will ‘provide a consistent approach to calculating whole-life carbon emissions within the built environment’, covering all built assets and infrastructure, throughout the whole built environment life cycle.
Ann Gray, RICS president, said: “RICS calls on the global built environment community to engage with this crucial consultation on Whole Life Carbon Assessment. The built environment contributes significantly to global carbon output, and RICS’ is committed to supporting the real estate industry in meeting the challenge of net zero head on.
“Our greatest asset is our members; their knowledge and experiences are second-to-none. This consultation is a historic opportunity for all of us to shape the sector’s response to the global challenge of climate change and make a profoundly positive difference to our planet.
“The international scope of this consultation will enrich the breadth and diversity of insight we gain. This is important as we recognise that nations and their respective built environment sectors are at different stages in their response to the climate crisis. The global nature of our consultation will ensure that the final output is capable of adoption around the world while retaining its role as the principal methodology recognised in the UK.”
