RICS and KIT announce global shared professorship in property valuation and sustainability

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the leading global professional body in property land and construction and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have come together to provide property professionals with the skills they need to future proof property, infrastructure and the built environment across the globe. 

To meet the growing needs of the industry to develop skills in sustainable practice and investment, the RICS/KIT shared professorship aims to encourage sustainable development thinking amongst valuation professionals at the earliest opportunity by developing globally applicable and adaptable teaching and training modules for budding and practising valuation professionals and investment decision makers.

The appointment of Dr. David Lorenz, FRICS, as the new dedicated professor in Property Valuation and Sustainability comes as governments, bodies and organisations responsible for property and the built environment come under increasing pressure to deliver projects that meet sustainability and carbon emission targets and develop resilient and resource efficient communities across the world.

‘For RICS, education and training are absolutely key in fast tracking the take up of sustainability. With the establishment of a shared professorship in the field of Property Valuation and Sustainability RICS and the KIT are breaking new ground on a top priority issue for RICS,’ said chief executive officer Sean Tompkins.

‘We have had a long standing cooperation with the Chair for Sustainable Management of Housing and Real Estate at KIT in the field of integrating sustainability into the valuation of properties through a number of joint research projects and international conferences and are very pleased to formalise this fruitful cooperation,’ explained Tompkins.

‘The co-funding of the professorship in Property Valuation and Sustainability at the KIT will help RICS to meet increasing demand from both property professionals and their clients and to shape global standards in incorporating sustainability into valuation practice underpinning our ongoing commitment to developing professional standards in education, knowledge and ethics,’ he added.

KIT President Professor Dr. Hippler said that sustainable Development is a principle that underlies virtually all of the research activities of KIT. ‘We are pleased to have RICS as practice partner in the field of property valuation and sustainability. RICS will actively and directly participate in shaping the content and focus of the education and training programme through guest lecturing on relevant topics by qualified expert RICS members and staff thus facilitating a close industry/academia partnership,’ he explained.

‘The professorship also aims to establish networks with other international research institutions that are also committed to promoting sustainable building and investment practices. The official duration of the Shared Professorship between RICS and the KIT is four years, however, the KIT has decided to finance an additional two years to ensure continuity and impact of the new undergraduate and postgraduate courses bringing the overall duration up to six years,’ he added.