Research by Fourth Wall Building Consultancy has found a 53% increase in UK Google searches for the query ‘What is a house survey’ in the last month. Searches spiked for this phrase between March 16-22, the days following the Budget. The most commonly asked question on the topic on Google
RICS Sustainability Report 2022 – UK Occupier and investor demand for green buildings continues to rise in the UK as nearly half of respondents report lower rents and sale prices for non-sustainable buildings. 55% note a rise in climate risk assessments by investors on their built assets, suggesting that climate
Construction activity in Europe continues to shift up a gear, with positive output growth being reported within all sectors, according to the RICS Global Construction Monitor (GCM). Feedback from survey respondents points to a pickup in activity across virtually all European markets, with the RICS’ European Construction Activity Index rising
Colliers calls on RICS to Regulate Ratings Industry and Introduce Register of Rating Surveyors to prevent “cowboy” surveyors take advantage of business rates distress. “A group of conmen” “exploiting small businesses to sign unfair contracts”. This is how Kevin Hollinrake MP, the Member for Thirsk and Malton described rogue rating
New guidance on the measurement of land for development projects such as new housing and commercial development have been published by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors today (25 May 2021), which defines common measurements used across the built environment and associated metrics such as density. The guidance is now
Following calls from architectural experts to save on carbon emissions by upgrading older buildings instead of knocking them down, building designers and specifiers should consider retrofitting solutions to improve overall sustainability. The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) estimates that a sizeable proportion of a building’s lifecycle carbon is emitted
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is looking to gather insights into how the Facilities Management sector is reacting during this challenging situation and would be very grateful to receive your input if you could find the time. Given the current environment, some extra questions related to the impact
The 2019 East Midlands RICS Awards have recognised the £30 million Lincoln Transport Hub, winning the top prize in the Infrastructure category. The Wilmott Dixon-built development garned praise from the judges for being delivered “on time and within budget”. In addition, this major win has also secured the project’s place at
Carter Jonas, the national property consultancy, has appointed Matthew Ellams, Partner, to the senior team of its Leeds-based Architecture & Building Consultancy. Ellams joins from Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in London, where he was Head of Construction – responsible for the planning and management of all construction activities
Anthony Walker FRICS has been appointed chief executive officer at PropTech business GoReport, taking the reign as it continues to expand its portfolio of digital surveying solutions for the commercial and residential property sectors. Anthony Walker has more than 30 years’ industry experience as a surveyor and project manager. He chairs
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
Research by Fourth Wall Building Consultancy has found a 53% increase in UK Google searches for the query ‘What is a house survey’ in the last month. Searches spiked for this phrase between March 16-22, the days following the Budget. The most commonly asked question on the topic on Google was ‘how much does a house survey cost’ suggesting confusion around home surveys extends to pricing as well as its value in the homebuying process. Joshua Weston, Director at Fourth Wall Building Consultancy and recent winner of The UK RICS Young Building Surveyor of the Year 2022 commented: “It is likely that the return of first-time buyers to the market since March’s budget accounts for a large proportion of these Google searches, but ignorance and misconceptions about the role of a survey are on the rise. It’s so important for buyers to understand surveys and ask the right questions early on, in order to avoid costs later down the line. “Recent studies by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) showed that buyers who opt not to have a survey done when purchasing a property are faced with an average of £5,750 worth of repairs and works when they move in, due to issues they were not aware of. Many buyers, particularly young or first-time buyers, believe the valuation completed by their mortgage lender gives them all the information they need on a property, but this simply isn’t true. A survey must be completed by a qualified surveyor and is undertaken in order to identify potential issues that could cause problems during or after the purchase. “At Fourth Wall, we also ensure you get visibility on budget costs as standard: we provide detailed advice on condensation, damp, building regulations and planning, EPC and energy efficiency, and any structural issues which may affect the property – all things you would want to know before purchasing a home.” Fourth Wall are award-winning Chartered Building Surveyors working with commercial, residential and heritage clients across the UK. Aligning all the benefits of a traditional surveying practice with the pace, flexibility and market-leading knowledge of a dynamic consultancy, Fourth Wall ensures all their clients move forward with confidence. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
RICS Sustainability Report 2022 – UK Occupier and investor demand for green buildings continues to rise in the UK as nearly half of respondents report lower rents and sale prices for non-sustainable buildings. 55% note a rise in climate risk assessments by investors on their built assets, suggesting that climate issues could be influencing the behaviour of key market players. Lack of tools, databases, established standards, and benchmarks identified as key obstacles. Industry must, however, help drive the establishment of standards by adopting and utilising those that are available* Contributors also highlight high costs or low availability of low carbon materials and skill shortages as a challenge. Progress is being seen in some aspects of the built environment on the drive to be more sustainable, according to the latest annual sustainability report produced by RICS, however the rate of advancement needs to accelerate significantly and become more widespread. The 2022 RICS Sustainability Report, which collated sentiment from almost 4,000 chartered surveyor contributors, around 1200 of which are from the UK, across commercial and construction sectors globally, shows that some improvement in the push for sustainability has been made in the past year, notably in the commercial real estate sector as demand for green buildings continues to rise. However, the data also shows there has been little or no change in some important areas in the past 12 months. Indeed, in construction, a significant share of professionals say they do not measure carbon emissions on projects. Commercial Property: While the appetite to seek green buildings in the commercial property sector continues to rise in the UK, the change is modest. Looking at investors and occupiers separately in the UK, around 65% of contributors note that occupier demand for green/sustainable buildings has risen over the past 12 months, however the UK is falling behind Europe as a whole, with Europe leading the way with around 52% of contributors across the region seeing a modest increase in demand, and just under one-quarter stating that occupier interest in green/sustainable buildings has increased significantly. On the investment side around 45% of survey contributors in the UK report a modest increase in investor appetite for green/sustainable buildings over the past 12 months, which is 5% higher than the global average. A further 21% suggest there has been a more significant increase in demand. Comparing the UK to the rest of Europe where the pick-up in investor demand is again stronger, around 80% of those surveyed across the whole of Europe see an increase in investor demand for green/sustainable real estate in the past year. As demand for sustainable buildings continues to increase not just in the UK but on a global scale, it is impacting both rents and prices, with a significant share of contributors seeing a market premium for sustainable buildings, and citing that non-green real estate assets are subject to a ‘brown discount’. For those buildings that aren’t classed as green or sustainable, 48% of respondents noted a reduction in rents, and around half also cited a reduction in sale prices in the UK, with both figures lower than as can be seen in the whole of Europe, with 57% of respondents noting ‘brown discount’ for rental properties, and 60% noting a ‘brown discount’ in prices. In another signal that people in the UK are placing more focus on sustainable property, the majority of respondents (55%) note a rise in climate risk assessments by investors on their built assets, suggesting that climate issues are now rising up the agenda and could be influencing the behaviour of key market players. The figures suggest Europe is seeing stronger progress on sustainability in the built environment due to the spotlight being turned on green buildings by the European Commission’s ambitious Green Deal. Policymakers in other regions turning their attention towards sustainable real estate will lead to market shifts elsewhere, the report notes. Construction: Survey respondents report that Construction professionals in the UK are beginning to embrace digital tools and technologies to complete sustainability-related analysis for construction projects, predominantly to assess energy needs and costs, but they are less likely to utilise these tools to reduce embodied carbon or to measure the impact on biodiversity. 47% of respondents in the UK report that digital tools and processes are used to complete sustainability assessments on less than half or none of their projects. By comparison, Europe’s figure is lower with 40% of respondents reporting that digital tools and processes are used to complete sustainability assessments on less than half or none of their projects, indicating that the UK is falling behind the rest of the region. This year’s results also show that there is much room for improvement in measuring carbon emissions. 76% of professionals in the UK state that they make no operational measurement of carbon emissions on projects, which is in line with the whole of Europe, but slightly higher when compared globally (72%). With more than half of the UK respondents also saying that they don’t measure embodied carbon, even for those that do, less than 14% use it to select the materials they use in their project. When probed on the barriers to reducing carbon emissions, around 38% of contributors identified both the lack of established / adopted standards, guidance and tools and high costs or low availability of low-carbon products as the most fundamental issues. Alongside this, contributors also highlight cultural issues and established practices as a challenge. Kisa Zehra, RICS Sustainability Analyst, commented: “It is of benefit to all to embrace climate strategy, and we must reduce our impact as the built environment. Behaviour change is happening, with higher rents and prices being seen for the more desirable sustainable properties, and climate risk assessments by investors on their built assets rising across the globe. But, measuring all forms of carbon, is also critical to the changes we need to see from the built environment. “Barriers to progress cited in the report have included a lack of established standards, guidance and tools. However,
Construction activity in Europe continues to shift up a gear, with positive output growth being reported within all sectors, according to the RICS Global Construction Monitor (GCM). Feedback from survey respondents points to a pickup in activity across virtually all European markets, with the RICS’ European Construction Activity Index rising to +34 in Q2 from +16 in Q1. The latest reading is in complete contrast to the reading of -25 at this point last year. This improvement was particularly evident in Portugal and the Netherlands, with both recording a reading of over 50. Similarly, the UK, Germany and Ireland all registered comfortably stronger readings in Q2 compared to Q1. Furthermore, expectations regarding the 12 months ahead moved further into growth territory over the quarter, led by robust projections across the private housing and infrastructure sectors. Meanwhile, employment in the construction sector in Europe is expected to grow, with a net balance of +28% of respondents projecting an increase in headcounts across the industry over the year ahead (rising from a net balance of +13% in Q1). But respondents in Europe were less optimistic about profit margins. Although expectations for profit margins did improve over the quarter (as the net balance moved from -10% to +7%), expectations are only marginally positive. This is no surprise given that material cost pressures have escalated of late, with 78% of respondents across Europe citing this as an issue constraining construction activity. Indeed, with projections for material cost inflation rising further during Q2, it appears cost pressures are likely to become an increasing headwind, which could act to dampen momentum further down the line. Simon Rubinsohn chief economist RICS said: “The rebound in construction workloads continues to gain ground in Europe with strong housing markets playing a key role in supporting residential development. Moreover, with the cost of money expected to remain close to zero, there is little reason to believe that this key driver of activity in the industry will diminish in importance over the next twelve months. However the forward looking metrics in the RICS Construction Monitor do suggest that infrastructure will play an increasing significant role in most European countries as government programmes to rebuild economies following the pandemic begin to be more fully implemented. “As elsewhere around the world, the industry unsurprisingly faces significant challenges as it looks to lift capacity with both material and labour shortages widely being highlighted in the survey and evident in the projection of higher costs. Against this backdrop, the hoped for rebound in profitability is likely to be a little more drawn out with tender prices struggling to keep pace.”
Colliers calls on RICS to Regulate Ratings Industry and Introduce Register of Rating Surveyors to prevent “cowboy” surveyors take advantage of business rates distress. “A group of conmen” “exploiting small businesses to sign unfair contracts”. This is how Kevin Hollinrake MP, the Member for Thirsk and Malton described rogue rating surveyors in a Parliamentary debate today focusing on reports of a significant escalation in the number of cases of “cowboy” rating surveyors targeting struggling businesses looking to reduce bills during the pandemic. Mr Hollinrake named and shamed rogue agents who he claimed are “effectively conning” small businesses into signing long term contracts, which are not in their interests , for reliefs they would have receive anyway and then pursuing them through the courts for payments. The Westminster debate on the “Regulation of business rates reduction services” called for industry regulation to protect vulnerable businesses who are suffering financial distress, in part because of high business rates, from falling victim to such rogue rating surveyors. Mr Hollinrake has called for the Insolvency Service to step in, but so far this body has not agreed that it is their role to regulate. According to the rating team at Colliers, it should be the RICS, The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors that urgently needs to step in and regulate the rating industry. According to Colliers, and borne out by the debate today, an increasing number of businesses, including Colliers clients, are being approached by rogue rating surveyors promising to obtain a marked reduction in their business rates bills. Some businesses, unaware they are entitled to reliefs are being targeted by the rogue agents to secure Small Business Reliefs or “Covid” reliefs despite the fact the businesses are in sectors that would have received them for free – by purely writing to the local authorities. The small business involved is then charged an annual fee of up to 52% of the “saving” for the length of the contract. In some cases, businesses have been tied in for 10 or 12 years. And it is not only the smaller businesses that have suffered from unscrupulous rating surveyors. According to Colliers numbers of such incidents has particularly grown during the lockdowns, when many office based businesses, who did not receive the business rates holidays seen in other sectors, struggled to pay their rates bills and therefore become more vulnerable to such a cowboy element. A particular spike was seen at the beginning of the year when businesses were led to believe that the government’s Valuation Office ( the VOA) had agreed to a 25% reduction on business rates for those mounting an MCC, or material change of circumstance, appeal and rogue surveyors made promises they could help obtain this relief. There is no such relief on offer. “Businesses are getting desperate, “says John Webber, Head of Business Rates at Colliers. “Some who are entitled to reliefs were not aware of them and have therefore been targeted by rogue rating surveyors. Others who are not receiving any support, but with no announcement by the Government of any forthcoming, have been clutching at straws. Rogue agents are able to take advantage of this distress. The current business rates system with its high multiplier and complex system of reliefs has created an unsustainable system, as has the widely criticised and calamitous system of Check Challenge Appeal introduced by the Government in 2017. Both have played into the hands of cowboys extracting money up front.” “We believe the situation will only get worse after the end of June, when the 100% rates holiday comes to an end for businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure industries and Government support lessens. Businesses must beware of false promises.” Webber continued, “We have long been campaigning for the rating industry to be properly regulated and we are supportive of Kevin Hollinrake MP raising this issue in Parliament. We believe there should be a register of appeals professionals, which should be regulated by the RICS, in the same way the FCA regulates financial advisors.” He continued, “The lack of such a register gives a cowboy element the opportunity to gain credibility and persuade vulnerable businesses that it can save them serious funds. In the current crisis this situation is getting more out of hand. We call the RICS to take robust measures to effectively show these cowboys for what they are. Instead of infighting and navel-gazing, the RICS should take some leadership on a problem which has existed for many years.”
New guidance on the measurement of land for development projects such as new housing and commercial development have been published by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors today (25 May 2021), which defines common measurements used across the built environment and associated metrics such as density. The guidance is now available and will be used by planners, surveyors, developers, architects, government and legal administrators around the world. Titled ‘Measurement of Land for Planning and Development Purposes’, it provides clear definitions for measurements widely used in the property and built environment sectors, advocating consistency worldwide. Five core definitions have now been formalised by RICS to assist with the global measurement of land, they are: Land Ownership Area (LOA): an area of land, measured on a horizontal plane, which is held in a single legal interest or title by one or more legal owners, which may be the subject of a proposed or actual sale, letting or other disposal, valuation or compulsory purchase, and which may comprise all or part of that single legal interest or title. Site Area (SA): the total land area on which development authorisation is sought, measured on a horizontal plane. Net Development Area (NDA): the extent of the Site Area upon which one or more buildings or other operations and their ancillary space can be built, measured on a horizontal plane. Plot Ratio (PR): the ratio of total development floor area to SA. Development floor area may be measured as gross external area (GEA) or gross internal area (GIA) but whichever is used or modifications of them should be clearly stated. Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and Floorspace Ratio (FSR)are similar terms, used interchangeably in some jurisdictions to reference the same point. For consistency, PR should be used wherever possible. Where jurisdictional requirements are for the use of either FAR or FSR, PR should be reported as well. Site Coverage (SC): the ratio of ground floor area (measured in accordance with GEA) to SA, expressed as a percentage. A key difference with the new guidelines is that calculations of density should now always be expressed in terms of Gross Density (based on SA), rather than on a Net basis, with Net Density providing an additional and complementary metric for understanding the intensity of development of a site. The formal Guidance for Land Measurement can be read [here] The guidance is lead-authored by one of Britain’s foremost urbanists, chartered surveyor and town planner Jonathan Manns, Executive Director at Rockwell, who said: “Land measurement is a vital day-to-day component of real estate and this Guidance introduces, for the first time, clear and fixed definitions to assist with that process. “In doing so it establishes international best practice to be used whether buying, selling, evaluating, valuing or developing land. “This has the potential to profoundly improve consistency, once in regular use, to the benefit of both professionals and the general public alike, in countries around the world.” With over 130,000 qualified and trainee professionals, the RICS promotes and enforces the highest international standards across the built and natural environment. Tony Mulhall MRICS, Associate Director of the Land Professional Group at the RICS, stated: “This guidance offers a consistent way to measure land – whether that’s delivering desperately needed homes, new infrastructure or preparing vacant spaces for future development.”
Following calls from architectural experts to save on carbon emissions by upgrading older buildings instead of knocking them down, building designers and specifiers should consider retrofitting solutions to improve overall sustainability. The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) estimates that a sizeable proportion of a building’s lifecycle carbon is emitted during construction – 35% and 51% for office and residential properties respectively. These findings have prompted campaigns for developers to prioritise the restoration of older properties over demolishing and replacing them at high carbon costs. According to REHAU, retrofit piping solutions will be vital to ensuring the viability of this upgrade-centric approach and aiding the construction sector’s fight against climate change. “The Government committing the country to net zero emissions by 2050 has made improving sustainability a key concern across all sectors, including construction,” says Steve Richmond, Head of Marketing and Technical at REHAU Building Solutions. “With that in mind, these RICS figures show just how damaging it can be to opt for new-builds over renovating older properties, especially at a time when we should be reducing emissions. “While building services suppliers should incorporate retrofit capabilities into their product designs as standard, it is now clearer than ever that this consideration should become a necessity. These solutions will be vital to improving the efficiency of older buildings in line with modern standards, while negating the carbon costs associated with creating the materials required to build a new property in their place.” A number of sustainable, high-performing solutions are already available for developers and specifiers looking to retrofit existing properties. These solutions, made from eco-friendly, recyclable polymer, include heating, plumbing and acoustic drainage systems that are easy to install and adapt to space and project demands, while improving building efficiency and performance. Steve concludes: “The carbon costs associated with their construction means new buildings may not pay back their carbon debt for decades. As such, retrofitting should become a priority for specifiers and developers looking to improve the sustainability of their operations, especially as lowering carbon emissions grows in importance in the run-up to 2050. “Opting for efficient building services solutions that can be adapted to suit existing properties is therefore crucial to reducing carbon emissions. With the support of suppliers such as REHAU, developers and specifiers are well-placed to adapt to these changing priorities and the challenges posed in upgrading these older buildings.” For more information on REHAU’s Building Solutions, click here.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is looking to gather insights into how the Facilities Management sector is reacting during this challenging situation and would be very grateful to receive your input if you could find the time. Given the current environment, some extra questions related to the impact of Covid-19 have been added at the end of the questionnaire and feedback here would be especially useful. The aim of the survey is to capture sentiment towards key issues across the FM sector such as: changes in demand, business confidence, skills shortages, expected areas of growth, attitudes towards sustainability, investment in technology and resources allocated to training/apprenticeships. Complete the questionnaire online.
The 2019 East Midlands RICS Awards have recognised the £30 million Lincoln Transport Hub, winning the top prize in the Infrastructure category. The Wilmott Dixon-built development garned praise from the judges for being delivered “on time and within budget”. In addition, this major win has also secured the project’s place at the RICS national finals in London later this year. “The Lincoln Transport Hub involved complex stakeholder engagement as well as presenting numerous operational challenges from the outset. By working in collaboration with the council and other organisations involved, we were able to collectively deliver a real success story for Lincoln,” said Nick Heath, director of delivery for Willmott Dixon. “We are delighted to have been recognised by our peers for this project, which we are certain will continue to be the bedrock of growth in Lincoln city centre. We have previously worked with Lincoln University Technical College (UTC) to refurbish and extend its iconic building and we are continuing to deliver a number of exciting schemes across Lincolnshire, such as a next generation emergency services hub for Lincolnshire County Council.” Thornton Firkin and John Roberts Architects worked alongside Willmott Dixon to deliver the hub to meet the needs of City of Lincoln Council. It is a vital element of the council’s plans to transform Lincoln’s city centre with a better integrated and improved interchange into the city centre which will also encourage further inward investment in Lincoln. The scheme included a new bus station with 14 bus bays and a six-level multi-storey car park housing 1001 spaces. “The transport hub scheme helps the city council achieve our vision of delivering Lincoln’s ambitious future and our priority of driving economic growth in Greater Lincoln. The new bus station and wider transport hub project will help revitalise the key visitor arrival point into the city centre. Our commitment to the Transport Hub project demonstrates to people locally, regionally and nationally that Lincoln is a thriving city and we are confident enough in this belief to invest significantly in its future,” added Kate Ellis, director of major projects at City of Lincoln Council.
Carter Jonas, the national property consultancy, has appointed Matthew Ellams, Partner, to the senior team of its Leeds-based Architecture & Building Consultancy. Ellams joins from Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in London, where he was Head of Construction – responsible for the planning and management of all construction activities undertaken by the Trust, including the installation of a helipad on an existing 10-storey building. Having worked in the field for over 20 years, Ellams is relocating from London to Leeds to develop the Architecture & Building Consultancy across the North. Operating across all sectors, the Consultancy offers a range of services, including specialist architectural services and building surveying, as well as cost consultancy and project management. A high-calibre professional with a wealth of experience across the built environment sphere, Ellams is particularly adept at delivering projects in the healthcare and commercial sectors. He also has the added advantage of having previously worked in an international context – in Middle Eastern locations including the United Arab Emirates. Ellams has complimented his vocational experience with academic rigor, having received an MBA in Construction & Real Estate from the University of Reading. In 2017, Ellams was awarded a Fellowship by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors in recognition of his individual achievements. Richard Love, Head of Architecture & Building Consultancy, Carter Jonas, said: “This is an exciting time for the Building Consultancy team and we’re proud to announce Matthew’s appointment and welcome him into the team. Matthew is well placed to take forward this section of the business, and drive its development in the northern region.” Matthew Ellams, Partner, Carter Jonas, said: “I am excited to be returning to my roots – to the area in which I initially started my career in construction. Within the industry, the Consultancy has a reputation to be proud of, and I am up to the challenge of replicating this success and taking it to new places.”
Anthony Walker FRICS has been appointed chief executive officer at PropTech business GoReport, taking the reign as it continues to expand its portfolio of digital surveying solutions for the commercial and residential property sectors. Anthony Walker has more than 30 years’ industry experience as a surveyor and project manager. He chairs the RICS Building Surveying Professional Board Group on which he also leads on PropTech, and he developed and led the PropTech offer at Trident Building Consultancy for over four years. He has also held a number of senior positions within the public and private sector including 10 years with the Department for Education where he led the Property Data Survey Programme, the largest single building surveying programme in Europe covering more than 52 million square metres of internal area. Anthony said: “PropTech is my passion and has been central in my professional life for over 20 years. Most recently I’ve witnessed first-hand how much simpler and effective GoReport makes intelligent data capturing for surveyors on site and the added value it brings for their clients. Their customer service is something that stands them out in this space. I’m really looking forward to being a part of the continued growth and development of this innovative company.” David Bell, GoReport executive chairman, said: “Anthony is regarded by many as a thought leader on PropTech and through the work he has carried out with the RICS, he has influenced others on the benefits of embracing technology. He is widely respected by his peers for his knowledge and vision. We are delighted Anthony has agreed to join us at such an important time. The unique combination of Anthony’s knowledge, passion and experience will play a valuable role in building our success and propelling GoReport to the next level on our exciting growth journey.” Belfast-based GoReport is best known for its software for surveyors, project managers and estates managers, capturing site data electronically to convert into vital property management information, reports and data analytics. The new CEO has spoken many times about the benefits of PropTech and its positive impact on productivity. Anthony’s first speaking engagement for GoReport will be at the RICS Building Surveying Conference in Scotland on 15 November, on PropTech’s potential to positively disrupt building surveying. www.goreport.com
