The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has published the findings of its latest future trends survey which reports on business and employment trends affecting the architect's profession. The results from April 2024 indicate confidence returning to the profession, with architects expecting workloads to increase and anticipating stable staffing levels over the next three months. In April, the RIBA Future Trends Workload Index rose to +2, which is the first time the Workload Index has been positive since June 2023. On the other hand, the RIBA Future Trends Permanent Staffing Index decreased to zero, showing that the same number of practices plan to increase staff numbers as reduce them.

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has published the findings of its latest future trends survey, which reports on business and employment trends affecting the architect's profession. Although the outlook has mellowed since June 2024, the July 2024 survey indicates that architects still expect higher workloads and staffing levels.

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has published the findings of its latest future trends survey which reports on business and employment trends affecting the architect's profession. The results from March 2024 indicate signs of an improving outlook among the profession, architects anticipate that staffing levels will rise and workloads will remain consistent during the next three months. The findings also show that the overall workload has improved but that while the Commercial sectors outlook held steady, the outlook for the private housing, public and community sectors fell since last month. After the longest period of negative outlooks for upcoming workloads since the survey's inception in 2009, this is the first time the Workload Index has dropped into positive territory since July 2023.

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has published the findings of its latest future trends survey which reports on business and employment trends affecting the architect's profession. The results from May 2024 indicate a positive and improving outlook among architects, with expectations that workloads will increase, and staffing levels will remain stable in the coming months. The upward trend in relation to workloads has been accompanied by a positive outlook for small practices of up to 10 staff members for the first time in over a year. The regional outlook for workload also improved, and no region reported a negative outlook.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has published its artificial intelligence (AI) in commercial property and construction report 2026, drawing on 3,148 responses from chartered surveyors globally. Around two-thirds of construction respondents now use AI in some capacity, up from just over half in 2025, while over three-quarters of commercial property respondents report some AI use. The RICS professional standard on responsible use of AI in surveying practice, which came into effect in March 2026, remains unknown to 26% of construction and 19% of commercial property respondents, with non-alignment standing at 43% and 32% respectively. Privacy and security concerns rose as a barrier from 22% to 30% and converting pilots into routine practice is identified as the central adoption challenge across both sectors.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and British Property Federation (BPF) have responded to the proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) announced by the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Angela Rayner.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) have issued harmonised guidance promoting the integrated adoption of two complementary carbon assessment standards for the built environment. The RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment (WLCA) Standard, 2nd edition, effective from 1 July 2024, provides a lifecycle methodology for measuring and reporting carbon emissions across building projects. It is supported by PAS 2080:2023: Carbon Management in Buildings and Infrastructure, which defines governance and management processes for reducing carbon impacts. Together, the standards embed carbon assessment and management into design, procurement, and construction workflows, supporting global decarbonisation objectives and reinforcing industry alignment ahead of COP30.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has welcomed the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)'s consultation on proposed reforms to the home buying and selling process. RICS supports the establishment of consistent upfront information for buyers, including property condition surveys conducted by qualified professionals. It also endorses proposals for a new Code of Practice and mandatory qualifications for property professionals, noting that it has developed a similar code with the Property Ombudsman and is willing to work with the government to incorporate it into future plans. RICS states that the use of new technologies will be key to improving housing market efficiency and reliability, highlighting that increased digitisation can improve record-keeping, accuracy and security, while wider adoption of AI in conveyancing could further accelerate processes. The reforms also include a separate consultation on material information in property listings, which RICS strongly supports, having previously called for a public consultation in this area.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has updated its Building Safety Act information centre to announce that it will hold the RICS Building Surveying Conference 2026 on 7 May 2026 in London, bringing together experienced surveyors, legal experts and regulators to address how fast the building surveying profession is changing. The in‑person conference will focus on building safety, fire safety, case law and compliance, defects analysis (including damp, mould and façades), professional risk management, and regulatory pressure, while also providing practical guidance on retrofit, EPCs, MEES standards, conservation, and the responsible use of AI under RICS professional guidance. The programme aims to strengthen professional judgement, reduce risk, support low‑carbon performance, and equip delegates to deliver clear, robust and defensible reports that clients can understand and trust.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has announced significant updates to its Valuation - Global Standards, known as the Red Book. The new edition, set to take effect on 31 January 2025, includes key upgrades such as: alignment with the latest International Valuation Standards; significant adaptations for fast developing areas such as technology and Environmental Social and Governance considerations; integration of new data on modelling and methods and a reformed format for Valuation Technical and Performance Standards.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has announced the appointment of an interim Standards and Regulation Board. The board, which officially came into position on 22 July 2023, is tasked with ensuring the continuity of RICS's independent regulatory functions in line with the Bichard review recommendations. The interim Chair, Nigel Clarke, brings extensive experience in regulation and from professional bodies. The board's responsibilities include overseeing professional standards, entry and admission to the profession, education and qualification standards, regulatory operations, dispute resolution services, and the Regulatory Tribunal.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has appointed Amanda Clack FRICS as the new Chair of its Dispute Resolution Appointments Board (DRAB). DRAB operates with delegated responsibilities to support the role of the Standards and Regulation Board within RICS, ensuring that the regulatory function remains independent and is committed to upholding the public interest.