Anil Sawhney
Head of Sustainability, Data and Technology
The UK’s sustainability goals will depend on surveyors creating long-term value across the built and natural environment for communities and future generations.
The UK has set ambitious goals to reduce emissions, improve energy performance, strengthen climate resilience and protect nature. Delivering these outcomes will require moving from ambition to action through development decisions that create long-term value for people, places and assets.
Looking beyond the upfront cost
In a challenging market, sustainability and viability are sometimes presented as competing priorities. Yet successful development depends on taking a whole-life approach. The value of a building, infrastructure asset or place is determined not only by what it costs to deliver, but also by how it performs, adapts and serves communities over time.
Creating better outcomes
Long-term value extends beyond financial returns. Homes, workplaces and infrastructure shape quality of life, support economic growth and prosperity and influence environmental outcomes.
Developments that improve resource efficiency, strengthen resilience, support nature and create healthier communities can generate benefits that last for decades. As extreme weather events become more frequent, resilience and adaptability are increasingly important for maintaining value and reducing future risks.
Delivering a better future is not about choosing between sustainability and viability
A whole-life approach helps make these trade-offs visible, enabling decision-makers to consider social, environmental and economic outcomes together.
Better decisions for the future
Surveyors play a vital role in helping clients navigate these decisions across the built and natural environment. By balancing cost, risk and value over the long term, they help ensure that development remains both viable and sustainable.
Professional expertise, supported by robust data, recognised standards and consistent measurement, is essential to this process. Looking beyond upfront costs allows organisations to make more informed decisions and unlock greater value over the lifetime of assets.
Delivering a better future is not about choosing between sustainability and viability. It is about creating places and assets that continue to deliver value for people, communities and the environment for generations to come.
