Driving Sustainability in Real Estate: RICS and the Next Generation
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03 December 2024
The collaboration between industry leaders and the next generation is crucial to drive sustainability in real estate. In a recent webinar, RICS Staff, students, and educators came together to explore how partnerships between the industry and academia can shape a more sustainable built environment.
Building Partnerships on Sustainability
“Partnerships with students and educational institutions are pivotal for fostering fresh ideas and innovative strategies in sustainable real estate"
RICS’ sustainability strategy aims to drive systemic change by standardizing carbon measurement, advocating for policies that promote climate resilience and decarbonization, upskilling professionals to meet sustainability challenges, and leveraging technology and data for informed, sustainable decision-making in the real estate sector. By collaborating with universities and involving students in hands-on projects, RICS bridges the gap between academia and industry, ensuring that sustainable practices are not only theoretical but also actionable.
One standout example of this collaboration is the Integrated Sustainability Assessment Project at Maastricht University. Through this initiative, students from the Master’s in Sustainability Science and Society program tackle authentic, interdisciplinary projects for clients. Ningna Xie, course co-coordinator and project coach, highlights the project’s value: “Students work on real-world sustainability challenges, providing innovative solutions for industry partners like RICS.” This collaborative framework not only prepares students for professional roles but also equips them to address pressing environmental issues in meaningful ways.
Graduates of the program, including Sonia Terekova, Alexander Schwarz, and Leonie Reick, showcased their research on leveraging energy labels to incentivize decarbonization in the Dutch housing market. Their findings provided actionable recommendations for using policy and market mechanisms to promote energy-efficient renovations. The full research can be found on this page.
Published date: 03 December 2024
Engaging the next generation
RICS recognizes that the next generation holds the key to shaping a more sustainable real estate industry. Through tailored initiatives such as workshops, speaker series, and competitions, RICS equips students with the skills and insights needed to navigate real estate challenges.
With partnerships spanning 35 accredited universities, RICS provides tailored support to each institution. These programs offer students exposure to real-world challenges and trends in sustainable real estate through workshops, webinars, and competitions.
Pia Kobal Snoj, University Lead at RICS, leads new initiatives to expand student engagement across Europe. Together with Valeria Sepe, EU Sustainability Specialist at RICS, they will provide expertise and guidance for embedding real-world sustainability projects into university programs. Universities will benefit from a customized approach that includes access to resources, student exposure to industry challenges, and support on key sustainability themes such as decarbonization, circular economy, biodiversity, and climate adaptation.
Empowering future leaders
Through these collaborative efforts, RICS ensures that the real estate sector is prepared to meet the demands of a changing world. As the industry faces mounting environmental challenges, this commitment to innovation, collaboration, and education sets a strong foundation for the transformation of our sector.
Collaborations like those with Maastricht University exemplify how academia and industry can join forces to drive knowledge and advocacy. The next generation, equipped with fresh ideas and forward-thinking strategies, is ready to lead the transformation toward a greener Built Environment.
For more information, please contact Pia Kobal Snoj at psnoj@rics.org and Valeria Sepe at vsepe@rics.org.
