Document downloads - Research
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What is the impact of flooding on property values? (RICS)
Published June 2009
This research indicates that flooding has only a temporary impact on property values, and after three years prices had returned to their normal market level. While flood events in low risk areas had no impact on property prices, being designated at high risk of flooding also has had no effect on property values in areas with no flood events. -
Is sustainability reflected in commercial property prices: an analysis (RICS)
Published January 2010
This report, by Kingston University with funding from the RICS Foundation, analyses the publicly available evidence base for sustainability being reflected in commercial property prices. -
Can building codes deliver energy efficiency? (RICS)
Published June 2008
The intention of this report from the Building Research Establishment (BRE) to RICS is to initiate debate on some of those areas of building control that need development and reinforcement.
This report critically reviews the way in which building regulations in selected countries around the world can contribute to achieving energy efficiency. -
Valuation and Sale Price Report 2009 (RICS)
Published October 2009
The 2009 report of the annual comparison of valuations against sale prices of commercial property in France Germany, the Netherlands and UK, carried out by Investment Property Databank. -
Modelling price movements in housing micro-markets: permanent and transitory components in local housing market dynamics (RICS)
Published July 2009
This research, by Michael White of Heriot-Watt University, examines the factors that drive house price changes in different city sub-markets, using Aberdeen as a case study. -
Regional house price model of excess demand for housing (RICS)
Published May 2009
This report combines RICS housing market survey data with other housing indices to explore the creation of a time-on-market adjusted house price index. -
Examination of the housing needs and supply for an ageing society (RICS)
Published April 2009
This report, by the Centre for Housing Policy at the University of York, examines the implications for housing supply and user needs of an ageing society. -
Doing well by doing good? An analysis of the financial performance of green office buildings (RICS)
Published March 2009
Buildings with a high Energy Star rating are attracting rental premiums of three percent per square foot compared with non-green buildings of the same size, location and function, according to RICS. -
Internal housing space standards in England and Italy: comparing the 'conditions' of regulation (RICS)
Published February 2010
This research, led by Nick Gallent of UCL, and with funding from the RICS Education Trust, looks at the causes and consequences of differences in internal housing space standards in England and Italy. -
Integrating automated valuation models with valuation services to meet the needs of UK borrowers, lenders and valuers (RICS)
Published January 2010
This report, by Mary Lou Downie and Gill Robson of Northumbria University, with funding from the RICS Education Trust, explores attitudes towards the use of automated valuation models. -
Life cycle costing of sustainable design (RICS)
Published February 2009
This report, by John Kelly and Kirsty Hunter with RICS Education Trust funding, provides a methodology for assessing the life cycle cost of buildings that incorporate elements of sustainable design. -
Permanent and transitory components in local housing market dynamics (RICS)
Published July 2009
This research, by Michael White of Heriot-Watt University, examines the factors that drive house price changes in different city sub-markets, using Aberdeen as a case study. -
Planning and the gender equality duty (RICS)
Published May 2009
This report explores the response of local authorities to the requirement that they take gender issues into account in their decisions, with particular reference to planning and urban regeneration. -
Towards a 3D urban land register information system (RICS)
Published April 2009
With funding from the RICS Education Trust, Roland Billen of the University of Liege explored what is needed to encourage the implementation of 3D land information systems. -
Towards a low carbon built environment: a road map for action (RICS)
Published February 2009
To begin a process of exploring how the chartered surveying profession could best play its part in preventing climate change, RICS commissioned this study to establish the current state of knowledge and practice in this area, and to describe a possible framework to support moves towards a low carbon built environment.
The primary objective of this report is to try to suggest how a developed country might go about reducing carbon emissions from the built environment, and how that could fit within a wider national programme. -
Transaction costs, planning and housing supply (RICS)
Published February 2010
This research by Phil Allmendinger of the University of Cambridge, with funding from the RICS Education Trust, exlpores the increasing costs that the planning system places on new housing development. -
UK Government national carbon reduction targets and regional housing market dynamics: compatible or contradictory? (RICS)
Published March 2010
This report, commissioned by RICS East and carried out by the University of Cambridge, explores the relationship between national carbon emissions targets and the nature of regional housing markets. -
Why do companies rent green? (RICS)
Published November 2009
This report, by Piet Eichholtz, Nils Kok and John Quigley, examines the tenant-base of 'green' office buildings in the USA, to see which organisations seem most likely to occupy 'green' space. -
What is the effect of eco-labelling on office occupancy rates in the USA (RICS)
Published January 2010
Fuerst of the University of Reading, UK, explores the impact of eco-labelling on void rates in commercial office buildings in the USA. -
Urban revitalisation in traditional neighbourhoods in Chinese cities (RICS)
Published January 2010
With funding from the RICS Education Trust, Elisabete Silva of the University of Cambridge explored the social and economic impacts of different approaches to neighbourhood revitalisation in China. -
Urbanisation of Caribbean coastlines: a case study of the Trinidad west coast (RICS)
Published March 2010
This report, by David Neale and Asad Mohammed, outlines some of the pressures that are being faced in the land use planning and development of the west coast of Trinidad. -
Impact of peripheral urban land acquisition on indigenous communities' livelihood and environment around Uluguru mountains, Tanzania (RICS)
Published November 2008
This report looks at the impact of peripheral urban land acquisition on indigenous communities' livelihood and environment around the Uluguru Mountains in Morogoro, Tanzania. It was carried out in four wards in Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania between April and September 2008.
This research has shown that land is increasingly becoming a market commodity in Morogoro Municipality and its market value is rapidly appreciating, resulting in stiff competition for the resource. Land speculation in the municipality is increasing, although there are minimal government efforts to discourage this activity, which has resulted in prices increasing beyond the reach of the majority of the local population. -
Energy efficiency impacts of upgrading informal settlements in developing countries: an exploration of urban areas in India (RICS)
Published October 2009
This report, by the University of Ulster, assesses the energy efficiency implications of upgrading informal settlements, using the city of Sonipat in India as a case study. -
ZC2 - 2008 Global Carbon Capacity Index (RICS)
Published March 2009
The results of the 2008 RICS Global Carbon Capacity Index, aimed at tracking progress of countries towards a zero carbon built environment. In 2008, France emerged as the country making most progress. -
Redefining zero: carbon profiling as a solution to whole life carbon emission measurement in buildings (RICS)
Published May 2010
This report, by Sturgis Associates, proposes a new approach to measuring the carbon emissions of buildings, by combining the embedded and operational emissions of buildings. -
Moving towards a low carbon city: a case study of Melbourne, Australia (RICS)
Published August 2009
Using Melbourne as a case study city, this report analyses the impact of different scenarios for carbon emissions reductions, and recommends the adoption of a phased approach to emissions reductions. -
Making GIS work in developing countries (RICS)
Published July 2009
RICS Research Report from July 2009 by Neil Stuart, Duncan Moss, Robert Hodgart and Paul Radikonyana of the Institute of Geography at the University of Edinburgh. -
Land markets and the modern economy (RICS)
Published December 2006
This paper looks at the reasons why buying and selling rights in land are important, and suggests ways in which the efficiency and effectiveness of land markets can be improved. -
Green Gauge survey results 2009 (RICS)
Published August 2009
This RICS Green Gauge research provides the first in a 3-year series of benchmark surveys that will provide the opportunity to examine how RICS members' awareness and understanding of sustainability is changing and evolving over time. The 2008/09 survey suggests that sustainability has become increasingly relevant to RICS members since the RICS Green Profession survey of 2006/07. -
Option pricing theory to value development land (RICS)
Published May 2010
This report examines the potential for using option pricing models as a method for the valuation of land with development potential. It draws on recent advances in real estate applications of option pricing theory, and carries out a series of empirical tests using residential house sale and land sale data for Perth, Western Australia for the period 1995-2008. -
Discovering property policy: an examination of Scottish Executive policy and the property sector (RICS)
Published December 2009
This report, by a team led by David Adams at the University of Glasgow and funded by the RICS Education Trust, assessed how the Scottish Executive considers property market issues in its legislation. -
Assessing the potential of GIS in the identification of prime vineyard sites in south east England (RICS)
Published July 2010
This report by a team led by Chris Foss of Plumpton College, and with funding from the RICS Education Trust, assesses the use of GIS in identifying prime areas for wine growing in south east England. -
Housing and security: casualisation revisited (RICS)
Published in September 2008
This paper, submitted to the construction and building research conference of RICS (COBRA), reflects on the extent to which the analogy between the growing insecurity in housing and the process of casualisation in employment is still relevant. -
On the economics of EU energy labels in the housing market (RICS)
Published June 2010
Based on data from the Netherlands, which was one of the early adopters of a certification scheme under the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, this report by Dirk Brounen of Erasmus University, Rotterdam, and Nils Kok of Maastricht University provides some of the first evidence as to the market adoption and financial impact of energy performance certificates. -
Application of geographic information systems (GIS) to analyse occupier chains and property market filtering (RICS)
Published March 2010
This report by Paul Greenhalgh and Helen King of Northumbria University, and funded by the RICS Education Trust, explores the use of GIS to analyse property market filtering. -
Establishing a data framework for measuring the price effects of eco-certification (RICS)
Published May 2010
This report, by the University of Reading, with funding from the RICS Education Trust, analyses the data needed to explore the link between the financial and environmental performance of real estate. -
Green roof retrofit potential in city centres (RICS)
Published in 2010
Green roofs are a living vegetated alternative to traditional roofing, comprising a roof structure; a waterproof membrane or vapour control layer; insulation; a root barrier to protect the membrane (i.e. made of gravel, impervious concrete); a drainage system; a filter cloth; a growing medium consisting of inorganic matter, organic material and air; and plants. This paper identifies the potential for green roof retrofits in Melbourne city centre. -
Ethical issues in surveying firms - CEM report (RICS)
Published August 2010
This new research report explores the extent to which differences in approach to ethical issues exist between small and large firms. Engaging with the profession, this research will enable discussion and widen the debate about ethical practices and behaviour right across the surveying profession. -
The validity of daylight calculations in rights to light cases (RICS)
The aim of this research was to discover whether it would be possible to justify an alternative measure of daylight sufficiency that would satisfy the requirement of a court and also be capable of being used in negotiations of compensation.
By testing the validity of the original research, which has underpinned the current methods without question since 1923 and comparing this with alternative methods of measurement, a new standard was developed which more accurately represents the value of daylight in a room. Further research, experimentation and testing confirmed the levels of illuminance required for sufficiency. -
Constructing a data framework for measuring the energy consumption of the non-domestic building stock (RICS)
Published September 2010
This reports the results of a study commissioned by the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change that investigated whether and how property and energy meter data might be combined for non-domestic energy consumption analysis. These data were combined in a 'Non-domestic Energy Efficiency Database' to describe the location and physical attributes of each property and its energy consumption. -
The future of UK housebuilding (RICS)
Published December 2010
This report aims to explore the future nature and form of UK housebuilding over the next 10 to 20 years with the purpose to encourage strategic thinking and provoke debate on the future of housing in the UK. The report reviews the current status of housebuilding, identifies the current key challenges and opportunities facing the industry in relation to the delivery of housing of quantity, quality, environmental sustainability and affordability. It then discusses the drivers for change and the potential future nature and form of housing, presenting strategic thinking based on expertise, existing knowledge and insights of the authors and others. -
Compensation rights for land use regulation: the findings of crossnational comparative research (RICS)
Published September 2010
In countries where land-use regulations and development controls operate, they often cause changes in the economic value of real property. Where the effect is downwards, do landowners have a right to claim compensation from the planning authorities? This topic addresses an inherent 'raw nerve' of planning law and practice, bearing deep economic, social and ethical implications. Yet, this paper will report on the first large-scale systematic comparative research ever conducted on this topic. -
The New Lease Accounting Rules (RICS)
Published February 2011
The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has issued proposals on how leases are to be accounted for by listed companies and others that report under International Financial Reporting Standards. If the new model is adopted, as seems likely, it will remove the distinction between operating and financial leases. This means that most corporate occupiers will have to record their lease obligations on the balance sheet which will have a significant impact on their reported financial position.
The industry consultation period ended on 15 December 2010 and there is a widely held view that the proposed standard will be adopted, although the IASB could still make some final changes. It is reasonable to assume that the standard would apply from 2014 if not before. When changes are made to accounting standards companies are required to provide restated balance sheets for the previous 2 years, meaning than the lease assets and liabilities may need to be calculated by 2012.
This is clearly something which is going to have a major impact on companies that lease commercial property and their advisers.
These changes do not just affect those chartered surveyors advising corporates on a day to day basis, but also investment and leasing agents. -
Performance and perceptions of green buildings (RICS)
Published 2010
The aim of this study is to find out whether or not Green Star certified buildings are living up to their reputation and expectations. What is working and what is not working within the buildings?
What do people like and dislike about their green building? Are there any differences among experiences of staff, tenants and owners? Is there anything in particular that separates top performing buildings from the low performing buildings? By analysing responses to these questions, this research aims to facilitate an increased understanding of Green Star certified buildings and green buildings in general. -
Sustainability and the dynamics of green buildings (RICS)
Published October 2010
In tackling climate change, increasing focus is being given to the operation of the built environment and it has become clear that improvements in the 'sustainability' of buildings can have large effects on the greenhouse gas emissions and energy efficiency of the economy. This report, by Piet Eichholtz and Nils Kok of Maastricht University, The Netherlands, and John Quigley of University of California, Berkeley, USA, looks at the financial performance of 'green' office building, following their earlier report, 'Doing Well by Doing Good: Green Office Buildings'. The report examines the impact of the economic downturn and recent surge in investment in energy-efficient and sustainable office buildings. Importantly, it also disentangles the 'green' premium. -
The role of Cloud computing in commercial property (RICS)
Published February 2011
What is Cloud computing? And why is it relevant to real estate? The focus of this paper is on using the Cloud to enable more efficient working practices, flexibly and cheaply. It describes what the Cloud is, and gives examples of how it is relevant within the property industry. -
The 2012 Games: The regeneration legacy (RICS)
Published September 2011
There are ambitious regeneration aspirations associated with the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games including: to transform the heart of East London (DCMS, 2007) and to give the communities hosting the Games the same chances as residents in other London Boroughs (Host Boroughs, 2009).
This report assesses the planning and delivery of the physical regeneration legacy associated with the 2012 Games. The report focuses on projects in East London and is based on a combination of primary and secondary research. Primary research involved interviews with individuals representing key organisations involved in the project. Secondary research involved a comprehensive review of academic research and official London 2012 reports. -
A review of performance-based contracting (RICS)
Published January 2011
Performance-based contracting (PBC) is a method of contracting, which is based on the postconstruction performance of a building or structure rather than the cost of materials and labour that produced it. Payments by the client are therefore spread throughout the contract period (beginning on completion) and not as interim payments during construction. -
Alignment of professional, academic and industrial development needs for quantity surveyors: The post recession dynamics (RICS)
Published December 2011
This research aims at investigating the changing developmental needs of quantity surveyors within a post recession industrial environment; one which satisfies the aspirations of industrial, professional and academic stakeholders. -
Assessment of atmospheric errors on GPS in the Arctic (RICS)
Published October 2011
GPS is used throughout the world for navigation and positioning. Growing interest in the Arctic region predominantly due to a reduction in ice coverage suggested that an investigation should be carried out on region-specific errors in GPS for high accuracy users. -
Community-based protests against construction and engineering projects (RICS)
Published June 2010
Construction and engineering projects can have significant transformation effects on the local, national and international communities in which they are embedded. While they promote employment and stimulate economic growth, they can also displace communities, destroy natural habitat and cause serious social, cultural and environmental degradation. -
Ethics in UK real estate practices (RICS)
Published July 2010
This research investigates professional ethics in small and large surveying practices. -
Is it worth carrying out energy efficiency improvements to commercial real estate? (RICS)
Published July 2010
The past decade has seen a marked increase in our awareness of the effect of climate change on the global environment. Real estate is directly responsible for 43% of all annual carbon emissions related to energy consumption. Yet in the commercial real estate markets, attention has been primarily focused on new construction and green buildings as the solution to reduce our carbon footprint. -
Non-domestic real estate climate change model (RICS)
Published March 2012
This research examines the impact of the changing climate on the operating costs and carbon performance of non domestic buildings. -
Green Gauge 2010: Summary report (RICS)
Published September 2011
In 2008, RICS commissioned the Oxford Institute for Sustainable Development (OISD) at Oxford Brookes University to undertake a three year benchmarking and monitoring survey of how RICS members were engaging with the sustainability agenda. This research builds on the RICS Green Profession report of 2007. -
Selecting and allocating land for housing development: Politics, expedient sites, regional planning and localism (RICS)
Published November 2011
This study examines the balance that is struck locally between allocations as a purely technical process, and the selection of sites for housing as a political act that might deviate from 'good planning'. -
Selling private carbon: or how the real estate industry can learn to love carbon markets (RICS)
Published April 2010
Real estate is one of the largest contributors to the emission of greenhouse gasses and yet the industry is only just starting to appreciate the role that it can play in responding to this. One key way in which it can do so is by participating in carbon offset markets, where the financial benefits can be significant.
Using the USA real estate market as a case study, the relationship between investment decisions based solely on electricity prices, as compared to one that incorporates the monetary benefit associated with carbon offsets is examined. -
Spatial-temporal variation analysis of wooded grassland ecosystem for management of wildlife habitats using landsat imageries (RICS)
Published July 2011
The study reports on spatial and temporal variation analysis of wooded grassland ecosystem as a contribution to sustainable management, conservation and monitoring of wooded grasslands ecosystem in Tarangire national park in Tanzania through mapping and analysing the changes for a period ranging from 1979 to 2009. -
Supply, demand and the value of green buildings (RICS)
Published March 2012
In the current debate on global climate change, buildings are increasingly considered by policy makers, corporations and institutional investors to represent vehicles for achieving energy efficiency, carbon abatement and corporate social responsibility.
This shift in the perception and use value of buildings has led to changes in investment and regulations towards the built environment over the last decade, gradually moving commercial property markets towards increased levels of energy efficiency and sustainability. -
Tax Increment Financing: An opportunity for the UK? (RICS)
Published February 2012
This report critically examines the TIF models that are operational in the US to identify lessons that can be learned prior to possible adoption in the UK. -
Waste and the built environment: A case study from the UK (RICS)
Published November 2011
The UK has one of the most ambitious targets for cutting carbon emissions in the world and sustainable waste management and resource efficiency will play a crucial part in our efforts to achieve these. -
Water scarcity and land use planning (RICS)
Published July 2011
This report has a focus on land use planning, but it also provides a context on the competing demands on water resources in order to understand the relative impact land use development has on water demand when compared to other uses, particularly agricultural production. -
ZC2 - 2010 Global Zero Carbon Capacity Index (RICS)
Published September 2011
The ZC2 Index, devised and calculated by the UCL Environment Institute, uses robust data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and World Bank. It is based on data for energy consumption in the residential, service (tertiary) and domestic transport sectors, together with data on the share of renewablesin energy supply and a measure of the number of policy instruments in place directly targeted at reducing carbon emissions associated with the built environment. -
A green profession? RICS members and the sustainability agenda (RICS)
Published June 2007
Is the chartered surveying profession a 'green' profession?
This research looks at the attitudes of chartered surveyors towards sustainable development, what tools and techniques are currently used and what more needs to be done to ensure that chartered surveyors can play their part in tackling what is now regarded as one of the most pressing and urgent global challenges. -
A review of the practical uses of real property options (RICS)
Published April 2005
Real property options are among the earliest modelled real options, with now six primary practical uses: planning, investment timing, leasing, operations, funding and industry strategy. -
Behavioural finance and urban sustainability (RICS)
Published 2003
This research forms a general evaluation of the scope for using behavioural finance as a basis for research into property markets and urban sustainability. Rather than adopting a practical case study approach the work offers a range of concepts and methodologies that might add something new to sustainability research. -
Benchmarking urban regeneration (RICS)
Published November 2003
The regeneration of significant parts of cities and towns has been a policy objective of successive governments over the past two decades. Numerous evaluations of initiatives and schemes have been commissioned to assess the impact of regeneration as part of the review of policy. -
Building performance evaluation in higher education properties: a Facilities Management approach (RICS)
Published December 2000
This research presents the findings of the characteristics of important aspects of a performance evaluation approach related to higher education properties, and discusses the framework developed based on the Balanced Scorecard methodology to measure performance. -
Changes and flexibility: The role of serviced office space in corporate property portfolios and office markets (RICS)
Published December 2000
With the increasing pace of change, organisations have sought new property solutions which provide greater flexibility. Serviced offices appeared to be a means of gaining this flexibility and, therefore, were examined to determine both their place within the business space market and the way in which they were perceived and used by occupiers. -
CONBPS: An expert system to improve the efficiency of the construction process (RICS)
Published April 2003
The aim of the research outlined in this paper is to develop a best practice process model for building projects based on the use of an expert system. The CONstruction Best Practice System (CONBPS) focuses on projects which are based on the traditional procurement strategy, using the JCT 80 standard form of contract. -
Feasibility study for a database of indicative building works costs for home owners (RICS)
Published September 2002
This report presents the results of a study carried out by the Centre for Urban and Regional Studies at the University of Birmingham for the RICS Foundation. The study examined the feasibility of the preparation of an index of basic repair and maintenance costs targeted at home owners, the costs of preparation, dissemination, and updating of the index, and the extent to which this initiative would be cost effective in terms of its impact of levels of investment by home owners in repair and maintenance. -
From rents to revenues: can property become a service industry? (RICS)
Published January 2003
This research report outlines the results of an investigation of the implications for valuation practice of the generation of non-rental revenue streams by property owners. -
Innovation and current practice in large UK quantity surveying firms (RICS)
Published March 2004
This study develops a model of innovation for classifying types of innovation among professional service firms. This framework is used to gather evidence of innovation among the largest UK quantity surveying firms, to discover the sources of knowledge and information contributing to innovative activity and improve understanding of the process of innovation among this type of firm. -
Innovation in small construction knowledge-intensive professional service firms (RICS)
Published December 2006
The aim of this paper is to contribute to the underdeveloped area of innovation in small knowledge-intensive professional services, within a construction industry context, by offering a synthesis of the relevant literature to form a conceptual framework to assist in the understanding of innovation within this type of firm. -
International approaches to the valuation of land and property affected by contamination (RICS)
Published August 2003
This research paper will enable practitioners to understand some of the implications involved in the valuation of contaminated land and to compare British research and practice with the situation in the United States. -
Investor rationality: evidence from UK capitalization rates (RICS)
Published April 2005
Recent analyses have suggested the irrationality of Australian and US office property investors in that they have failed to raise capitalisation rates sufficiently at rental cyclical peaks to account for the obvious mean reversion in real rents and thus have significantly overvalued properties. In this paper, we present a model of capitalization rates and explain UK office and retail cap rates in an error correction framework. -
nD modelling - a driver or enabler for construction improvement? (RICS)
Published April 2005
This research explores the concept of nD modelling, presents the current development of the 3D to nD modelling project, lays out the nD modelling opportunities and barriers for implementation, and concludes by examining whether it can be a practical proposition with industry wide applicability or whether it's merely a buzzword destined to remain a PR tool for the big players in the industry. -
Property advice for business occupiers: from asset valuation to business property appraisal (RICS)
Published January 2002
The need for international property advice is increasing, and the requirement to value without national boundaries is becoming implicit in international accounts and corporate property decisions of international companies. -
Property economics: growth theory and valuation of sustainable development options (RICS)
Published May 2005
The diversity of the topics discussed under the heading of sustainable development contributes to the impression that it is a vague concept. Focusing on sustainable development in association with measures of lifestyle and welfare as a process that treats property as a resource which is valued in a manner such that consumption of present users does not reduce the stock of property available for future consumers enables a parsimonious and positive economic construction of one aspect of sustainability. -
Property market processes and development outcomes in cities and regions (RICS)
Published November 2000
This paper considers urban and regional property market processes, their development outcomes and the implications for economic development. Major differences between the inter-regional pattern of economic activity and the interregional distribution of property development, particularly for offices, are identified. -
Property risk scoring: the reporting of investment risk to clients (RICS)
Published April 2007
In this new research, Norman Hutchison and colleagues put forward an alternative paradigm for the reporting of investment quality risk centred on techniques that are used within business applications. -
Provision of countryside access: Strategic planning, co-ordination and agri-environment schemes (RICS)
Published 2003
This paper investigates the extent to which strategic planning, provision and co-ordination of access between access providers is already taking place, the extent to which new access (statutory and non-statutory) is being provided at a local level and how voluntary access under agri-environment schemes is contributing to overall access provision. -
Reassessing the role of planning in delivering sustainable development (RICS)
Published December 2006
Revisiting the issue of how planning relates to, and delivers on, sustainable development. -
Red man, green man: Performance indicators for urban sustainability (RICS)
Published July 2002
Practitioners in today's property and construction industry are having to grapple with the challenging issues of "sustainable development". Since so much of our built environment is urban, many of these issues are focused on our towns and cities. -
Transport accessibility and land value: a case study of Tyne and Wear (RICS)
Published June 2007
This study is concerned with the relationship between transport accessibility and increases in land value, motivated by a desire to inform the land value capture debate. Focusing on residential land, here land value is examined through the form of house prices, using the Tyne and Wear Region of the UK as a case study. -
Twenty first century procurement strategies: analysing networks of inter-firm relationships (RICS)
Published October 2004
The paper deals with detailed case studies involving innovative procurement in both private sector and public sectors. -
ZC2 - 2009 Global Zero Carbon Capacity Index (RICS)
Published May 2010
The ZC2 Index, devised and calculated by the UCL Environment Institute, uses robust data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and World Bank. It is based on data for energy consumption in the residential, service (tertiary) and domestic transport sectors, together with data on the share of renewablesin energy supply and a measure of the number of policy instruments in place directly targeted at reducing carbon emissions associated with the built environment. -
An examination of the housing needs and supply for an ageing society - Main report (RICS)
Published April 2009
This research investigates the 'new' demographic group of older home-owners living in larger homes, and in good health, and to explore their attitudes and preferences for housing in later life. Both new and existing sources of data were used to address the topics of interest. -
IPD Valuation and Sale Price Report 2011 (RICS)
Published January 2012
The RICS IPD Valuation and Sale Price Report 2011 studies data from the IPD Annual Index of France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK and compares this against the sale prices of commercial properties in those countries. -
BIDs, economic recession and the future of stakeholder-led public realm management (RICS)
Published December 2011
This case-study research has investigated the impact recession and spending cuts have had and are still likely to have on the way BIDs operate, and has identified the threats and opportunities to them as stakeholder-led instruments for the management of town centres and commercial and industrial areas. -
Coastal communities: A pro poor approach to negotiating coastal land sales (RICS)
Published December 2010
The impetus for this study is that the increased density of human activity along the coasts is resulting in adverse changes to local community life, as well as the existing and immediate future effects and alterations caused by climate change. -
Household mobility expectations and estimates of local housing demand (RICS)
Published in February 2012
The aim of this research is to explore the reliability of survey data on mobility expectations as a predictor of actual moves and as a basis for estimating future housing need and demand. -
Improving the accuracy of ASTER elevation data for glacial change assessment in Antarctica (RICS)
Published March 2012
In order to improve understanding of processes such as sea level rise and climate change, there is a requirement for enhanced assessment of historical and present-day glacial change in sensitive polar regions such as the Antarctic Peninsula.
Vulnerable coastal societies such as the UK require better, more reliable estimates of sea level rise, and such information is essential in shaping government policy and mitigating impacts upon existing infrastructure. -
The strategic role of property assets within property portfolios of SMEs (RICS)
Published October 2011
SMEs are regarded as the engine of many economies but are generally constrained by the scarcity of resources. Thus, it is generally known that entrepreneurs operating SMEs often rely on personal resources to support their business operations. In this setting, property (i.e. bricks and mortar) remains a valuable currency that could potentially assist SMEs in ensuring the growth, development and in extreme cases, the survival of their business. -
An analytical Anglo-French comparative study of construction procurement and management strategies (RICS)
Published July 2007
This study is part of ongoing research that aims to develop the use of social network analysis (SNA) for the analysis of construction procurement and management, and for the exploration of the relationship between the approach to procurement and project performance. -
An investigation of the issues raised for the construction industry in the United Kingdom by bats (RICS)
Published April 2002
The paper outlines the protection afforded to bats and their roosts, and how it is brought into force in the UK. This protection causes particular problems for construction, and many everyday construction operations that disturb bats and their roosts can be illegal acts. The need for liaison with the relevant statutory bodies is outlined and the detection techniques available for discovering bats are described. -
Improving early cost advice for mechanical and electrical services (RICS)
Published December 2000
This paper addresses the problem of poor communication between clients and building professionals, leading to misinterpretation of mechanical and electrical (M&E) services requirements and inaccurate cost estimates. -
The provision of affordable housing through section 106: the situation in 2007 (RICS)
Published October 2007
This study was conceived as a way of exploring the current state of local planning authority (LPA) practice with regard to the provision of affordable housing through section 106 against a background of rapidly changing policy and practice. -
Water scarcity and its implications for land management: some lessons from Australia (RICS)
Published March 2008
Use of water is an issue that is now getting greater attention and we're now coming to realise that the easy access to water that we have enjoyed in many developed countries we can no longer take for granted. -
Raising the bar: Enhancing the strategic role of facilities management (RICS)
Published November 2012
The first instalment in RICS’ 'Raising the Bar' research series reviewed the current state of practice in the facilities profession and identify critical FM challenges. It focused in particular on the relationships between FM and other key functional areas. -
Impacts of flooding on SMEs and their relevance to chartered surveyors (RICS)
Published September 2012
This report looks at chartered surveyors’ knowledge and understanding of both direct and indirect impacts of flooding on SMEs. -
Land leverage dynamics in property markets (RICS)
Published June 2012
This report provides an understanding of the importance and influence of land leverage on a number of property issues and policies. -
Local empowerment and strategic co-ordination: A review of changing practices in infrastructure planning at the sub-regional level in England (RICS)
Published May 2012
This research paper on local empowerment and strategic co-ordination reviews changing practices in infrastructure planning at the sub-regional level in England. -
Locational investment: Where to target investment for maximum economic returns (RICS)
Published May 2012
Location, location, location; as relevant to governments and their investment plans as it is to the most informed private investment bodies. This paper seeks to highlight that global economic realities must shape Government investment decisions by location. -
Tropospheric effects on GNSS positioning for airborne applications (RICS)
Published April 2012
The research collects data from a GNSS receiver mounted on the Snowdon Mountain Railway train, to improve airborne kinematic GNSS positioning. -
The changing effects on domestic energy expenditure from housing characteristics and the recent rapid energy price movements (RICS)
Published May 2012
The report reveals that private tenants across England and Wales are more likely to incur higher energy bills than homeowners. -
Capturing planning gain: The transition from RICS: Section 106 to Community Infrastructure Levy (RICS)
Published June 2012
This report explores the issues arising from the transition of section 106 to the new Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) system. -
IPD Valuation and Sale Price Report UK 2012 (RICS)
Published January 2013
The RICS/IPD Valuation and Sale Price Report 2012 studies data from the 2011 IPD Annual Index for the UK and compares this against the sale prices of UK commercial property. -
IPD Valuation and Sale Price Report Europe 2012 (RICS)
Published January 2013
The RICS/IPD Valuation and Sale Price Report 2012, studies data from the 2011 IPD Annual Index for French, German, Netherlands and UK markets and compares this against the sale prices of commercial property in those markets. -
Modelling risk impacts and the variability between contract sum and final account (RICS)
Published September 2012
This report looks at the prediction of construction costs, and the difference that varies between the contract sum and final account. -
An investigation into the relationship between land administration and economic development (RICS)
Published June 2013
This research undertaken by the University of Reading’s Henley Business School investigated the relationship between land administration and economic development.
In this research, the national land titling programme of Thailand was studied as a successful example of this process and the surveying settlement programme in Bangladesh was selected as a detailed comparative case study of a village in the Gharinda Union. -
Sectoral and spatial spillover effects of infrastructure investment: a case study of Bengaluru, India (RICS)
Published July 2013
Understanding the impact of public infrastructure spending is imperative to government policy framework in India. This research looks specifically at sectoral and spatial spillover effects in Bangalore, and how infrastructure investment may stimulate investment in other sectors.
According to an estimate by India's Ministry of Urban Development, the urban population in India is expected to reach 575 million by 2030, from an estimated 325 million in 2005. In view of this urban population's staggering size, spending in infrastructure should be backed by comprehensive policy framework. India has experienced huge growth in infrastructure spending flowing through various channels (e.g. railways, highways, power generation and airports). -
The future of Private Finance Initiative and Public Private Partnership (RICS)
Published June 2011
This report presents a timely and credible evidence base to enable RICS to inform and guide members and other key stakeholder groupings on the challenges and opportunities afforded by PPPs.
More than 40 countries have implemented the PPP model across a diverse range of infrastructural provision and service delivery arrangements.
The key findings from the report are presented under a series of thematic headings and reflect the views and experiences of a diverse range of stakeholder groupings across 5 key PPP markets: Australia, Canada, India, the UK and the US. -
Is it time for a second nominal anchor in the UK? - Managing house price inflation with macroprudential tools (RICS)
Published summer 2013
In this note we argue that:
The Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee should consider adopting an explicit house price inflation policy using macroprudential tools.
We suggest setting an annual growth rate threshold in a national index, which if exceeded, triggers tighter macroprudential policy.
This should help anchor private sector house price expectations, thereby curbing excessive risk taking and the build-up of financial imbalances.
This should not be considered as a stand alone policy; it entails risks, so would need to form part of a package of measures that addresses these risks. -
The global infrastructure challenge: the role of PPP in a new financial and economic paradigm (RICS)
Published October 2013
The infrastructure investment challenge has commanded increasing levels of attention among national governments in recent years. The Public Private Partnership (PPP) model in response to the infrastructure investment challenge has been adopted in more than 40 countries around the world amid budgetary constraints and in the absence of a ‘viable alternative’.
This research provides an updated position on the global PPP market and the role PPP could occupy in redressing the global infrastructure investment gap.
RICS research content is available to everyone, free of charge on the RICS website. Non-members will need to register. RICS members and registered non-members will need to login to see the particular research items. See also the full list of RICS research held on rics.org -
Developing an approach to sustainable return on investment in the UK, Brazil and the USA (RICS)
Published July 2015
This report develops an approach which places a value on the social and environmental impact of projects and applies these to the built environment. -
Utilization of BIM in construction cost and project management practices (RICS)
Published June 2015
The report analyses the factors shaping the development of BIM in the North American, Chinese and UK construction industries and provides insight in how to navigate these. -
BIM and the value dimension (RICS)
Published June 2015
The central question this research report addresses is how BIM can support the activities and professional services delivered by property professionals.
RICS research content is available to everyone, free of charge on the RICS website. Non-members will need to register. RICS members and registered non-members will need to login to see the particular research items. See also the full list of RICS research held on rics.org -
Making more brownfield land available for housing (RICS)
Published March 2015
Using Nottingham as a case study, the research looks at the barriers to housing development on brownfield land. -
Innovative finance for real estate development in Pan-European regeneration (RICS)
Published March 2015
A critical review and analysis of innovative financial instruments for real estate development in Western Europe: the UK, Germany and Holland. This research outcomes will be useful to EU and European national policy makers in public finance and real estate development.
RICS research content is available to everyone, free of charge on the RICS website. Non-members will need to register. RICS members and registered non-members will need to login to see the particular research items. See also the full list of RICS research held on rics.org -
Climatic risk toolkit (RICS)
Published March 2015
This RICS research report and online tool help the built environment sector in 8 European countries determine the risk and impact climate change will have on non-domestic, or commercial, buildings. -
How Can Building Information Modelling (BIM) Support The New Rules of Measurement (NRM1) (RICS)
Published January 2014
The research piece investigates the required information from a BIM model to support the RICS New Rule of Measurement order of cost estimating and elemental cost planning, (NRM1).
The report reviews the four most well-known tools in the UK market, namely, Solibri model checker, Autodesk QTO, CostX and Causeway BIM measure, based on a set of criteria which is relevant to the NRM1 cost estimating and cost planning exercise.
RICS research content is available to everyone, free of charge on the RICS website. Non-members will need to register. RICS members and registered non-members will need to login to see the particular research items. See also the full list of RICS research held on rics.org -
Private management of the urban public realm (RICS)
Published October 2015
The research looks at the implications of contracted-out publicness by private management of the urban public realm.
In the last decade, there has been a noticeable increase in alternative public space management arrangements based on transfer and contracting-out of managerial responsibilities to organisations outside the public sector, whether in the shape of community or private trusts, tenants organisations, Business Improvement Districts, or the contracting-out of managerial tasks to private companies or voluntary sector organisations under a variety of arrangements. -
Natural capital planning tool (RICS)
Published January 2016
This research aims to develop a Natural Capital Planning Tool (NCPT) allowing planners and developers to assess the impact of proposed developments and plans on the provision of ecosystem services. -
New business practices: estate agency interactions in England and New Zealand housing markets (RICS)
Published January 2016
This research aims to understand the contemporary role of agents and other information sources in shaping owner occupiers’ search and bidding behaviour in the UK and New Zealand. -
Future of policy and standards for low and zero carbon homes (RICS)
Published February 2016
This research evaluates policy and standards for promoting the delivery of low and zero carbon (LZC) new homes in England, in the context of the 2012 Housing Standards Review and the recently withdrawn 2016 zero carbon target. -
The practice of stakeholder engagement in infrastructure projects (RICS)
Published March 2016
Using East West Link in Melbourne and Crossrail in London as case studies, this research analyses stakeholder engagement in the planning and development phase of public infrastructure projects. -
Housing associations and market renting in the North East and North West of England (RICS)
Published Marchl 2016
This research explores the regional responses to a changing context in housing associations and market renting in the North East and North West of England. -
Construction cost and commercial management services in the UK and China (RICS)
Published May 2016
This research compares the two of the most popular mainstream cost management systems in the world promoting construction cost management consultants to better understand complex client needs. -
REITs in China: opportunities and challenges (RICS)
Published May 2016
The research aims to compare the REITS in HK, China and Singapore in terms of regulation, taxation, costs and returns. -
The hub and the place (RICS)
Published June 2016
This research takes an in-depth look at the issues related to infrastructure delivery, by examining three case studies of rail transport hubs and their surrounding environment and urban development in the UK, China and India. -
Residential property measurement practice – evidence from world regions (RICS)
Published September 2016
The report by University of Ulster investigated local property measurement practice across five world regions and attempted to quantify the measurement choices made locally. -
Planning tools for strategic management of peri-urban food production (RICS)
Published September 2016
Using Sydney as a case study, this report aims to develop an understanding of what best practice looks for land-use planning on the urban fringe. -
Flood risk mitigation and commercial property advice: an international comparison (RICS)
Published March 2017
Commentators have increasingly raised concern over the impact of flood risk on commercial property insurability, maintenance and recovery, property utility and, ultimately, property value. -
Raising the bar: From operational excellence to strategic impact in FM (RICS)
Published March 2017
The third instalment in RICS’ ground-breaking 'Raising the Bar' research series makes a powerful case for how, as an industry, FM makes significant contributions to business success and organisational effectiveness. This report reviews the current state of the FM industry and is published in collaboration with IFMA. -
Regenerative landscapes (RICS)
Published March 2018
Ecosystem damage over the last 50 years of the 20th century was greater than in any comparable period of human history, with estimates that the demands of contemporary global society effectively consume 1.5 ‘Planet Earths’. There is a pressing need to use landscapes and other ecosystems in more sustainable and integrated ways.
This regenerative landscapes report highlights the need and the means for rebuilding carrying capacity across rural, urban and other cultural landscapes, with a significant emphasis on water. -
Assessing the impacts of extending permitted development rights to office-to-residential change of use in England
Published May 2018
This research, conducted by a research team led by Ben Clifford from University College London, assesses the impacts of extending permitted development rights for office to residential conversions in England. Utilising an in-depth case study approach, this research sought to determine whether enhanced freedom to change the use of property has threatened the development of sustainable communities through the loss of public revenue and unwelcome externalities. -
The exercise of permitted development rights in England since 2010
Published May 2018
In recent years, there has been a significant expansion in permitted development (PD) rights. The report presents an analysis of the exercise of PD rights in England since 2010 and an initial estimate of the direct financial costs and benefits of permitted development to the public sector. -
Valuing unregistered land
Published May 2018
This report investigates the widely-discussed claim that title registration is prerequisite for valuing unregistered land. This is the first time that informal land markets in Indonesia, Ghana and Peru have been studied in this way and this research and its findings should help provide a wealth of background information to anyone working or who has an interest in this sector.
The study is particularly important because governments, the valuation industry and professional bodies need to ensure they are informed about, and equipped to respond to, future scenarios for the expansion of these informal land markets.
The research both builds on previous work in this important sector (RICS Research 2011 – Valuation of unregistered land – Kenya, RICS Research 2016 – An evaluation of valuation practice in sub Saharan Africa – case study Ghana) and helps provide an evidence base for current initiatives such as the International Land Measurement Standard (ILMS), UN Habitat GLTN ‘Valuation of unregistered land guide’, UN FAO ‘Valuing land tenure rights’ and for future initiatives such as the development of ‘environmental/ecosystem valuation’ standards and International Valuation Standards (IVS). -
New money in rural areas: assessing the impacts of investment in rural land assets
Published May 2018
New money in rural areas examines the economic, social and environmental impacts on rural localities and communities of new investment, and seeks to answer: how can the benefits of new money flowing into rural areas be maximised and how can potential negative externalities be mitigated? -
International Evidence Review on Housing Taxation
Published September 2018
This report examines three different aspects of housing taxation, in terms of their neutrality, fairness, transparency, efficiency and practicality. The first area is a property transfer tax (e.g. Stamp Duty Land Tax); the second is capital gains tax on residential property; the third is the interaction between taxation and the quality of the private rented sector. The report concludes with some key areas for further research. -
Perceptions of value premiums and workplace productivity in India
Published July 2018
This research is based on surveys of developers/investors, tenants and employees working in green rated buildings in India. The research explores participants’ perceptions of various aspects of property performance of green certified buildings compared to conventional buildings and seeks to answer the following questions:
- What are the cost, rent and value premiums for green buildings in India?
- What are the motivations for developers to build and occupiers to occupy green buildings over conventional?
- How do employees perceive working in green buildings? -
Changing priorities in investor decision-making: the sustainability agenda
Published July 2018
This report examines the importance placed on environmental sustainability in the decision-making process of UK fund managers when making property investments. It also investigates if green premia for sustainable buildings exist, and the compatibility of environmental sustainable and financial objectives. -
Big data: a new revolution in the UK facilities management sector
Published June 2018
This report examines the drivers, challenges, opportunities and benefits of using big data analytics (BDA) for facilities management (FM) and how to develop a methodological framework to implement BDA into FM organisations. -
Building Information Modelling to support healthcare built asset management
Published July 2018
Each year, England’s NHS spends billions of pounds to maintain its estates. This research investigates how Building Information Modelling (BIM) can provide benefit by demonstrating the links between built asset maintenance spend and added value to the organisational performance. The research uses a comprehensive literature review and a case study of an NHS hospital to achieve the research aim. -
BIM Execution Framework for early-stage estimating in PPP projects
The use of Public Private Partnerships (PPP) as the vehicle to procure large-scale social and physical infrastructure projects is becoming increasingly deployed around the globe.
This international study evaluates the use of PPP procurement in the UK, Australia and China as three of the most mature and rapidly developing users of the PPP procurement route.
It focuses on the ways of improving digitalisation in PPP procurement with the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and its impact on early-stage estimating. This research aims at developing an execution framework for BIM-enabled early-stage estimating for PPP procured projects, learning from the situations in these three most advanced user countries.
The expectation is that such a framework will also help the rapidly developing countries, who are increasingly reliant of PPP types of procurement. -
Innovative geospatial applications: integration of geospatial data for retaining wall management
This research examines the use of the lower accuracy UAV data where high accuracy data from the terrestrial laser scanner is available but has incomplete coverage.
The research project was developed to address an issue with a retaining wall constructed to project a major road in New Brunswick, Canada.
The main purpose of the project was to:
- investigate variations in the shape of the retaining wall using the laser scanner
- investigate the precision and accuracy of the laser scanner
- determine if data from a UAV could be merged with the laser scanning data to fill in gaps in the laser scanning data caused by vegetation growth in front of the retaining wall.
The study area was chosen because the provincial government of New Brunswick did not have, and therefore needed to develop, a strategy to check the stability of retaining walls constructed nearly 20 years ago. In the event of a partial collapse of the wall, the provincial government could be charged with negligence for not checking on the stability of any retaining walls constructed adjacent to major roads.
The research team took the opportunity to carry out an assessment of the laser scanner's accuracy by making use of points coordinated using the Global Positioning System (GPS).
This research is relevant to Geomatics Engineers and Civil Engineers as – broadly speaking – it is the Geomatics Engineer's responsibility to monitor the retaining wall, and the Civil Engineer's to develop solutions if movement is detected by the Geomatics Engineer. -
Cost reduction and deployment of prefabricated building integrated photovoltaics
This research evaluates the mechanisms driving the cost reductions and deployment of prefabricated Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) and explores the benefits, including aesthetics, of integrating photovoltaics within building materials and the challenges that need to be overcome.
Technology development, commercialisation, and manufacturing scaling have contributed significantly to rapid reductions in solar photovoltaic hardware costs. However, the soft costs, including design, financing, procurement, permitting, installation, labour, and inspection, have not declined rapidly. The lack of economic confidence and the lack of collaboration between the PV and building industries make the integration of prefabricated solar panels to the building envelope difficult. This research evaluates the mechanisms driving the cost reductions and deployment of prefabricated BIPV. The research aims to formalise a deployment framework by empirically breaking down prefabricated BIPV cost trajectories into a set of low- and high-level factors and identify their reduction potentials. -
Performance metrics, required returns and achieved returns for UK real estate development
The aim of this research is to improve the understanding of the form, extent and variability of the financial returns achieved by real estate developers, focusing on the UK real estate market.
Profits or returns from real estate development vary depending on the nature, location and timing of each scheme. Development appraisal methods vary in the way that they incorporate or measure developer returns. Cash margins on cost or value are very common, while rates of return are frequently used as well. Sometimes finance is incorporated in the valuation explicitly and sometimes it is absorbed within the developer's rate of return.
This variation among market participants and across methods in the handling of developer returns raises methodological questions when it comes to development appraisal. For example, is there a relationship between expected cash margins (profit on cost or value, for example) and rates of return, what is an 'appropriate' developer return, and how do returns vary depending on scheme, timing and the way the return is measured?
This research attempts to answer these questions by (a) reviewing relevant literature, (b) examining published development viability appraisals, (c) analysing published accounts for real estate developers, and (d) undertaking a survey of developers, supplemented by a small number of confidential interviews with market participants. -
Raising the bar: City roundtables report (RICS)
The second instalment, this research investigates the specific challenges faced by FM. Interviews were conducted with small focus groups of facilities managers in 12 cities across the globe representing economically diverse regions. Attendees shared their experiences and opinions on the difficulties faced by FM management and the discipline as a whole, the methods appropriate to value FM performance in line with business frameworks and the initiatives FM must take to adopt a more strategic orientation.