NEWS: RICS report warns global drive for sustainable buildings is losing momentum

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has cautioned that global progress toward sustainable construction is slowing, as revealed in its 2025 Sustainability Report. Drawing on responses from more than 3,500 real estate and construction professionals across 36 countries, the organisation found that demand growth for sustainable buildings is weakening and that carbon measurement practices remain worryingly limited.

While interest in green and resilient real estate remains, RICS said the pace of growth has eased across most regions. Demand has fallen most sharply in the Americas, with Europe, the UK and Asia-Pacific also reporting softer sentiment. Only the Middle East and Africa showed improving momentum, bucking the global trend.

Investors continue to place value on certified and climate-resilient assets, but high upfront costs and uncertain returns continue to deter broader participation. The report also highlights low levels of investor awareness in parts of MEA and APAC as a key obstacle to progress.

The findings reveal that 46% of construction professionals are not measuring embodied carbon—an increase on the previous year. Just 16% said carbon measurement meaningfully influences material choices, pointing to a widening gap between sustainability goals and on-site action. RICS warns that without mandatory whole-life carbon assessment and reporting, global and national decarbonisation targets will remain out of reach.

Skills and knowledge gaps persist across the sector. More than 70% of respondents claimed some understanding of sustainable construction, yet awareness of circular economy principles and whole-life carbon remains limited.

To accelerate progress, RICS has called on governments to introduce compulsory whole-life carbon reporting, establish emissions limits aligned with net-zero targets, and expand financial support for retrofits and low-carbon materials. The organisation also urged greater harmonisation of international standards, investment in sustainability training, and stronger biodiversity legislation.

Nicholas Maclean OBE RD FRICS IRRV (Hons), Acting RICS President, said the report signals both progress and fatigue in the global effort to decarbonise the built environment. “The MEA region has emerged as a strong performer, with demand growth outpacing other markets,” he said. “Governments, industry and professional bodies must act together to unlock investment, strengthen policy and build the skills needed for a sustainable future.”