RICS comments on UK government's Grenfell report response

RICS comments on the UK government’s statement on the Grenfell Tower Phase 2 report, as well as the UK Climate Change Committee Budget.

"RICS welcomes the UK Government's statement on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report, and we look forward to continuing to support these crucial reforms going forward. A new, dedicated construction sector regulator and Chief Construction Adviser is welcome, and RICS will continue to offer its expertise to the government to support plans for the new regulator as it takes shape.

"New rules on product safety should further raise manufacturing standards, whilst new laws empowering tenants in the social housing sector will help protect some of the most vulnerable. It is reassuring that the government plans to provide updates every quarter and RICS will support the implementation of these reforms every step of the way."

-RICS Head of Professional Practice - Building, Gary Strong

"RICS is pleased that the UK's Climate Change Committee is focused on decarbonising the built environment and committed to supporting the transition from gas boilers to heat pumps for both residential and commercial properties. Reductions from existing residential and commercial buildings rely on heat pumps and energy efficiency measures like insulation. For these installations to reach their potential, we must uphold good installation standards through the greater inclusion of skilled professionals in government-backed installation programmes.

Delivery must also be scaled up. The committee highlighted in its 2022 report to parliament that 500,000 retrofits are required in 2025 and approximately one million each following year to meet 2030 decarbonisation targets. A comprehensive retrofit scheme would prove vital towards achieving this goal, among many other recommendations in the RICS Decarbonising UK Real Estate report.

"Further to these latest developments, RICS calls on the UK Government to introduce legislation requiring the measurement and reporting of embodied carbon in line with RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment (WLCA) standard, as recommended by the Environmental Audit Committee. Setting targets is crucial, but accurately measuring progress lights the path towards reaching them."

-RICS Head of Sustainability, Anil Sawhney