Energy Supply and The Bottom Line Top Sustainability Issues Among Property Pros Worldwide: Sustainability Survey

05/20/2009 18:00

Protecting the Environment Still Low on the List of Concerns NEW YORK – May 20, 2009 – Energy supply, transportation and waste management are the top three sustainability issues for clients of property professionals worldwide, according to the first Sustainability Survey conducted jointly by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and Commercial Property News. The survey, which was conducted as a supplement to RICS’ quarterly Global Commercial Property Survey, asked an international slate of property professionals their opinion on the most pressing sustainability issues among their clients and at their firms. Air and water pollution, use of natural resources and land contamination followed as some of the more significant concerns for property professionals. The survey also asked what was the primary driver of the sustainability agenda within a firm. To that, most respondents noted that the business bottom line and adhering to legal guidelines were the two most important concerns. Competitive advantage and moral or ethical reasons were still significant reasons for making business decisions but were not nearly as important as the first two categories. The survey is conducted every quarter and is sent to property professionals worldwide. To read the survey report, click here. About RICS & RICS Americas RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors), with headquarters in London, is the leading organization of its kind in the world for more than 100,000 professionals in property, land, construction and related environmental issues. RICS Americas, based in New York and covering North, Central and South America and the Caribbean, has more than 3,000 members in commercial and residential development, construction management, brokerage, planning and finance, valuation and fine arts appraisal. For further information visit www.ricsamericas.org or e-mail ricsamericas@rics.org. About Commercial Property News Commercial real estate publishing leader Commercial Property News combines a wide array of print, online and face-to-face products to serve and interact with the industry. For more than 20 years, Commercial Property News has established a brand name that promises in-depth, objective national coverage of the commercial real estate industry's key trends, issues and concerns through a wide variety of media. CPN's editorial team complements extensive journalistic experience with well-developed relationships with industry experts to provide news and information on the people and dollars behind the deals across the commercial real estate world. Commercial Property News is published by Nielsen Business Media, a part of The Nielsen Company, a global information and media company.