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Will the skills shortage derail the recovery? / 14

THREATNO EMPTY

THE FRONTIERS ISSUE

LAYER CAKE3D printing: the next big thing, or just hype? / 20

AFTER THE FLOOD How to adapt buildings for climate change / 26

DISINTERMEDIATE THIS Meet the first wave of proptech leaders / 30

@RICSnews

®#RICSmodus

rics.org/modus

ASK THE BIG QUESTIONS MARCH 2016

MARCH 2016_MODUS 03

14 COVER STORYHow do the UK’s rules on immigration have a bearing on the construction skills shortage?

20 3D PRINTINGWhat real applications does the technology have in the built environment?

22 READY FOR LIFT OFFProfiling the next investment hot spots

26 A SIGN OF THE TIMESConfronting the effects of climate change

30 COME THE REVOLUTIONProptech leaders challenge the status quo

38 SHOW ME THE MONEYWhy Switzerland is one of the world’s most expensive real estate markets

40 THE RIGHT ALTITUDELondon’s Summit House gets a green refurb

06 DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONFour years after its launch, is the National Planning Policy Framework achieving its intended aims? We hear two points of view

07-13 NEWS IN BRIEFEssential industry news, advice and information for RICS members

08 THINKING: DANIEL HAJJARThis year’s MIPIM offers us an opportunity to take a fresh look at what elements make a successful city

11 PRESIDENT’S COLUMNMartin J Brühl FRICS asks whether it’s time for the profession to push the boundaries in which it operates

“The biggest corporate investors in proptech last year were Google and Qualcomm – they’re coming after our sector and it

will look like a very different industry five years from now”JULIETTE MORGAN, CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD

PROPTECH, P30

Views expressed in Modus are those of the named author and are not necessarily those of RICS or the publisher. The contents of this magazine are fully protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without the prior permission of the publisher. All information correct at time of going to press. All rights reserved. The publisher cannot accept liability for errors or omissions. RICS does not accept responsibility for loss, injury or damage or costs that result from, or are connected in any way to, the use of products or services advertised. All editions of Modus are printed on paper sourced from sustainable, properly managed forests. This magazine can be recycled for use in newspapers and packaging. Please dispose of it at your local collection point. The polywrap is made from biodegradable material and can be recycled.

MODUS MARCH 2016 RICS.ORG/MODUS

Contents

42-43 CAREERSStop annual appraisals becoming a box- ticking exercise; Nonku Ntshona MRICS

44 BUSINESSGetting your advertising strategy right

45 LEGAL 101Cover yourself for pollution clean-ups

47 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTKeeping vigilant for conflicts of interest

49 SURVEYEDThe latest products for professionals

66 MIND MAPSavills’ Larry Brennan FRICS on how technology is changing retail

PLUS48 Benefits50 Events

51 Obituaries + Conduct54 Recruitment

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FOR SUNDAY Editor Oliver Parsons / Art Director Christie Ferdinando / Deputy Editor Andy Plowman / Contributing Editor Brendon Hooper / Senior Designer Jess Campe / Creative Director Matt Beaven / Account Director Karen Jenner / Advertisement Sales Director Emma Kennedy / Head of Display Advertising Marlene Stewart / Sales Manager Angus Sharpe / Production Manager Michael Wood / Managing Director Toby Smeeton / Repro F1 Colour / Printer Wyndeham Group / Cover photography Rowan Fee Stylist Sabrina Henry Props and clothes Protec Direct, Travis Perkins / Published by Sunday, 207 Union Street, London SE1 0LN wearesunday.com / For RICS James Murphy and Kate Symons, RICS, Parliament Square, London SW1P 3AD

@bridgetwhipsin A vintage edition of what became MODUS. Unearthed during our office move. @RICSnews A lot of it is still relevant!

@URBaNEregen Great #RICSModus article @andrew_brister digital laser scanning heritage buildings #HBIM @cadwwales @guardiancities

@evewilsonTT great article on #infrastructure in #ricsmodus Feb 16 @RICSnews

@QEDRoss #RICSModus @tomcopley yes to a stable rental mkt i’d support rental cap & landlord exodus may encourage institutional entry

@Vantagecon @RICSnews #informative article on #riskmanagement in Dec #RICSmodus #propertyinvestment now #global but this brings new #challenges #risks

@barrygilbertson RISK – insightful President’s column by @MartinJBruehl + realistic, helpful article both on risk issues in property + investment @RICSnews

@AshleyPerryUK Office-to-resi clearly helpful to housing supply, but what is the long-term impact on placemaking?

Join the

debateREACTIONS AND RESPONSES

FROM PREVIOUS ISSUES Do you have a comment about this issue of Modus? Email editor@ricsmodus.com,

or tweet us using #RICSmodus

TAKE THATSir, I was dismayed to read the caption at the bottom of your article on diversity (Intelligence, p06, February): “Surveying: boys’ zone, or girls allowed? What’s your view?” Inviting people into a discussion which is premised on the idea of a “boys’ zone” implicitly condones the view that men have a monopoly on the profession.

Perhaps a better title would be: “How do you think the industry could improve gender diversity?” I am a recent Cambridge graduate and have just entered the industry as a trainee surveyor. I am frightened by the prospect of a lifetime in a sector that considers it appropriate to discuss whether women should be “allowed” in. Surveying does not “belong” to men.Hannah Williamson, Deloitte, London

MEMBERSHIP BARDSir, Readers may be interested to know that in November 2012, the RICS awarded the title of Honorary Chartered Surveyor to the Scottish poet, Robert Burns, the only posthumous membership granted by the Institution so far.

As 2016 is the 400th anniversary of the death of the much greater English bard, William Shakespeare, it would be more than fitting for the RICS to grant him membership, too.Anthony H Ratcliffe FRICS, London

Thank you for your letter. Although Modus has no official position on the relative merits of both these great British bards, we can at least argue that Burns’ training as a land surveyor probably better qualifies him for honorary membership than dear old Bill.

Feedback

@RICSnews // #RICSmodus

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BEARING IN MINDSir, With the distressing statistic that men in Britain aged 20 to 49 are now more likely to die from suicide than any other cause of death, I wonder if there is room in the pages of Modus to bring attention to the issue of mental health and our profession. Mental health is something we hardly discuss – in public or private – which is a significant part of the problem itself.

I live with a mental health condition that was aggravated in 2015 by the stress of my APC final assessment. Deciding whether or not to tell your colleagues about your problems can be difficult, but the support of my employer, the Portman Estate, has been vital to my recovery.

Undoubtedly more needs to be done to raise awareness of mental wellbeing. LionHeart offers services including trained counsellors and legal advice, while Modus provides a way to reach RICS members and encourage them to talk about the issue. As a profession we should be standing together to end the stigma of mental-health-related problems.Greg Walsh MRICS, London

Thanks for your letter. We hope you will be pleased to learn that the issues of mental wellbeing and mindfulness are due to be addressed in Foundations later this year.

SECRET TO SUCCESSSir, I have just read the secret surveyor article for the November issue of your magazine and, although tongue in cheek, it does sound like the surveyor is in search of the type of job vacancy I am looking to have filled. If the writer was serious, I would be grateful if you would pass on my details.Harry True MRICS, True Associates, London

06 RICS.ORG/MODUS

CHRIS CROOK FRICS MANAGING DIRECTOR, KINGSGATE PROPERTY CONSULTANTS, CANTERBURY, UK

When the nPPF Was Published, i Wasn’t oPtimistic. every Piece oF planning legislation I’ve seen introduced has had the declared intent of

speeding up the planning process. Why should this one make any difference? For the last two generations, we have collectively underperformed in the provision of

housing and we are now reaping the consequences. We still have a slow and cumbersome planning system and it can take large sites many years to move from inception to delivery.

The NPPF enshrines a golden thread of logic that supports sustainable development against a background of housing need. Councils are not allocating sufficient amounts of development land. They are feeling the impact of cuts in resources on their ability to produce and discharge satisfactory local plans.

In situations where a local plan is in the course of preparation or going through a local plan inquiry, and where the landowner or developer wants to begin their scheme as quickly as possible, the NPPF provides a fall-back position to justify those proposals. It plugs a gap that would otherwise exist between plans.

The emphasis on viability introduced by the NPPF is also extremely welcome. The viability consultant now has as much to do with the pre-planning and consultation process for a scheme as any of the professionals from other disciplines working on it. The best part of the NPPF is that it facilitates the creation and presentation of a clear, persuasive and transparent financial case to support a development proposition.

HUGH ELLIS HEAD OF POLICY, TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ASSOCIATION, LONDON, UK

although the nPPF has increased the amount oF development that local authorities allocate, many other

issues have got lost along the way: integrated infrastructure provision, public health and wellbeing, biodiversity and climate change resilience and mitigation – features that make places successful.

That failure of placemaking is largely as a result of the way in which the viability test has been applied by local councils.

It sounds logical that there should be nothing in local plan policies that impacts upon the ability of developers and landowners to make competitive returns. However, since the NPPF was introduced, planning has been stood completely on its head. Planning is about achieving long-term public-interest objectives, not about meeting the needs of developers.

The result of this period of deregulation is that the planning system is now allocating tremendous amounts of land for housing, but the private sector is only marginally increasing production, which suggests that planning wasn’t the primary problem.

Traditionally, the ambition of planning has been much higher than where the NPPF has left us. We are now building lower-quality homes in less-sustainable communities. What is distinctive about sustainable development is its consideration of future generations and future use of resources. If the test of the NPPF is whether it has promoted sustainable development, then it has failed.

The National Planning Policy Framework has promoted sustainable growth. Discuss.

DIFFERENCE OF OPINION

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Intelligence News / Reviews / Opinions / Reactions

Beating the red tape or poorly planned? Join the debate at rics.org/linkedin, or tweet using #RICSmodus

MARCH 2016_MODUS 07

AIR SUPPLYWhat proportion of residential stock is available via Airbnb in Europe’s major cities?

Source: Savills Hotel Investment Report Q4 2015

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Help create a global, trusted set of ethics standards

The consultation to create a set of International Ethics Standards is now open. RICS is asking members, firms and their clients to feed back on the draft global ethics standard for land, property, construction, infrastructure and related professions.

RICS is one of 63 organisations that make up the International Ethics Standards (IES) Coalition, which collectively represents hundreds of thousands of property practitioners globally.

The consultation on the draft international ethics standards will close at the end of April 2016.

To submit your views, go to ies-coalition.org/consultation.

Join RICS on la Croisette at MIPIM 2016

RICS will again have a full programme at this year’s MIPIM, held in Cannes on 15-18 March.

During the three-day event, a series of free sessions will take place that position international best practice at the core of property markets.

This year, our programme will focus on urbanisation, responsible business, and RICS Futures.

The keynote conference looks at opportunities for venture capital in proptech and will take place on 17 March. Those not attending will be able to watch the film of the session after MIPIM.

RICS professionals are welcome to use the RICS stand at location R7.C34 to host client meetings.

You can book our free sessions and see our latest MIPIM activity at rics.org/mipim. Tell us what your plans are at mipim@rics.org.

GOING FORTHLarge projects

such as the replacement

Forth road crossing are

helping the UK to become

Europe’s top construction

market

STARTED BY Edward Harkins, knowledge and

research consultant

Intelligence

NEWS IN BRIEF

rics.org/modus

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Global construction output is set to increase by 85% to $15.5tn (£11tn) by 2030, with China, the US and India accounting for more than half of all global growth, according to the latest Global Construction 2030 report from Global Construction Perspectives and Oxford Economics.

The report notes that while India’s market will grow twice as fast as that of China, – overtaking Japan to become the third largest market by 2021 – construction growth in China will slow considerably due to a slump in housing output.

In the US, construction growth is expected to be at its strongest in the southern states, due to rising population numbers in the region,

while Europe’s construction market is not expected to recover to pre-crisis levels until 2025. The UK, however, is likely to be a standout growth market, overtaking Germany to become the largest in Europe and the world’s sixth largest by 2030.

At the same time, Brazil risks a “lost decade”, the report cautions, as excessive bureaucracy and the fallout from the Petrobras corruption scandal continue to hold back investment, which could lead to a stagnation in construction demand over the long term.

Jeremy Leonard, director of industry services at Oxford Economics, commented: “Although there is an interesting relationship between the top three countries, it is important not to forget that we see significant weakness in Brazil and Russia, while we see extraordinary growth in Indonesia. In Latin America, we expect Mexico to overtake Brazil, while Indonesia will overtake Japan by 2030.”

READ the report at bit.ly/GC2030 (content access fees apply)

GLOBAL OUTPUT TO SOAR: INDIA TO OVERTAKE JAPAN, UK TO LEAD IN EUROPE

CONSTRUCTION®

LINKING “Land banking is a curiously much-under- reported scandal in the UK’s housing crisis – one that has nothing to do with the more usual lazy, self-serving populist targets of supposed restrictive planning, council bureaucracy or ‘need’ to build on greenbelt” Should planning consent be even more time limited? Say

development within two years instead of five, otherwise withdrawn? Robert I Chapman MRICS

We also have a finite amount of skilled trades and managers: quantity surveyors, estimators and site managers. Craig Murphy

As smaller developers, once we have the land, we want to get on with

it ASAP so we can use the money for the next one. There are lots of reasons development may not happen, but to bank the land for future growth is rarely one of them.John Reeves FRICS

Local authorities and the lack of staffing and knowledge levels should also be considered.Darren Pearce FRICS

REVIEWING THE LATEST DISCUSSION POINTS AT RICS.ORG/LINKEDIN

Leaders in proptech, p30

08 RICS.ORG/MODUS

The approach of MIPIM presents a timely opportunity to predict the prevailing mood for the event, and

– given its importance in the property calendar – the year ahead.

Overall, I expect that the emphasis this year will be less about making flamboyant statements and more about taking a fresh look at practical issues. This includes exploring innovative solutions within the existing urban landscape.

“Housing the world”, the adopted conference topic, is timely. Savills’ 2014 research, The importance of placemaking, cites neighbourhood safety, greenery and amenities as more important to homeowners than buildings. If we use this as a benchmark, we need to address whether our existing urban fabric is sufficient to meet the challenges of home affordability, population growth or talent retention.

Great cities attract great talent, and this talent needs to flourish. It’s easy to celebrate increased land values or property prices but consider the implications for a city such as London if current and future talent is priced out. Empty investment properties would line our streets whilst human capital takes flight for other cities.

Although new development needs to create worth, it is the quality of the public spaces and amenities that draws people to cities. This is a common experience globally, where urban centres seek to integrate public and private housing, offering a strong urban form and public realm. A successful example is Copenhagen, which emphasises the importance of retaining the elements that attracted people to the city in the first place. Placemaking focuses on the long term, not quick returns.

We should also ask if the organic evolution of London’s Shoreditch can be deliberately engineered by developers and investors. Redevelopment projects such as Old Oak Common and King’s Cross appear to have progressed under direction. But is that all they need to succeed? Let’s not forget that the ability to attract human capital, thought and creativity is also a major contributor to the richness of urban centres.

These magic environments evolve through consensus and by the process of creative communities adopting particular neighbourhoods, often in pursuit of affordability. Authenticity happens organically over time and under the right conditions. It can’t be fully imposed, and places can’t have real character in the face of homogeneity and anonymity.

If we accept that an urban fabric of quality public spaces and amenities attracts people, and that more affordable homes are pivotal to securing talent, should government policy or the private sector be driving this? To derive the maximum use from assets, unique partnering solutions between the public and private sectors need to be explored. Vancouver’s False Creek project is a strong example of a combined social housing and privately owned development where residents live together as one community.

Beyond affordability and amenities, what else draws people to cities? Don’t underestimate the positive impact of intellectual capital. Look at what the Francis Crick Institute in London is currently creating within one urban block, and then consider the economic contribution that institutions such as University College London make to the city.

To ensure the longevity and success of our cities, we need to look to the elements that people have traditionally been drawn to: largely the quality of the urban fabric, public realm and amenities. Individual buildings are generally more temporal in nature, therefore it is the collective environment that is critical to the success of urban areas. Affordability is vital and in order to address this fundamental principle of urbanity, the public and private sector must look beyond traditional models of delivery to mutually succeed.

WHAT’S YOUR VIEW? Email your thoughts to editor@ricsmodus.com

“It’s easy to celebrate increased property prices but what if talent is priced out? Empty properties would line our

streets while human capital takes flight for other cities”

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Intelligence

MARCH 2016_MODUS 09

WE LIKE

What’s that? Open-data maps are incredibly useful tools for knowing exactly what is around us in the built environment – from the location of schools and leisure centres, to where gas, electricity or rail lines run. The data can help planners and developers weigh up the costs and benefits of building in a particular location. The Greater Manchester Spatial Framework map goes a step further, though, by also mapping out future housing and construction sites. It has been created to help ensure that land is available in the right places to deliver the homes and jobs the city will need up to 2035.How does it work? Users can display developments that might be delivered by 2019, 2024 or 2035, such as planned housing schemes, or new industrial and warehouse spaces. Although not all the sites shown have planning permission, the Greater Manchester Authority asked users to earmark sites of potential development to check against its long-term targets for homes and working spaces. Comments on individual sites were also welcomed, for example, on the number of new dwellings that they could accommodate.What’s next? The Greater Manchester Spatial Framework will be formally published in 2017. Moreover, the creation of a statutory spatial framework is also being lined up, under the strategic planning powers of Greater Manchester’s new directly elected mayor. It is hoped this type of interactive open-source map can be utilised by more city authorities to help plan for future growth and investment, and change in the best possible way.bit.ly/manchesterframework

The Greater Manchester Spatial Framework

SPATIAL AWARENESS

Users can tailor the map to

view sites that have been

earmarked for future

development

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ON RECORD WHO’S SAID WHAT… AND WHY THEY’VE SAID IT

At the root of this problem are cold, poorly insulated homesCAROLINE ABRAHAMS Age UK

Charity Age UK has calculated that over the last 60 years there have been 2.5 million avoidable deaths among older people in England and Wales due to the winter cold.

The easing of China’s decades-old one-child policy is expected to provide tremendous stimulus to the country’s housing market.

The policy is expected to boost housing demand by 90 million m2 every yearNICHOLAS HOLT MRICS Knight Frank

Former Treasury Secretary to speak at Summit of Americas

Dr Lawrence H Summers, one of the US’ leading economists, will be the headline speaker at RICS’ Summit of the Americas, taking place next month from 3-5 April in Washington DC and incorporating the inaugural World Built Environment Forum.

Summers is the Charles W. Eliot University Professor and President Emeritus at Harvard University. He was Secretary of the Treasury during the Clinton administration and served as director of the White House National Economic Council under President Barack Obama.

Summers will deliver a keynote speech on the economy, and moderate a panel discussion on asset price dynamics.

For more information on the Summit, turn to p50.

RICS Research Trust invites entries for £20,000 grant

The RICS Research Trust is now accepting applications for its May round of funding and will be awarding up to £20,000 for successful entries. The defined call topics are: “New money in the countryside; good news all round?” and “Freedom to reuse property; a fiscal give-away?”

For more details on the topics, and to fill out an application form, go to rics.org/researchtrust. The deadline for entries is 25 March.

Coleman cuts mustard as new Chair for RICS Oceania

RICS Oceania has appointed Murray Coleman FRICS as the Chair of the Oceania World Regional Board.

Coleman is group head of operational risk at Lend Lease and has nearly 30 years’ experience in senior roles across the business. He is a professorial fellow at the University of Melbourne in the faculty of Architecture, Building & Planning.

NEWS IN BRIEF

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®

10 RICS.ORG/MODUS

SIBERIA COMES TO THE ANTARCTIC There are many flags in the frozen ground of Antarctica, but perhaps the most potent emblem amid the ice is the Church of the Holy Trinity, built from imported Siberian timber to service the needs of workers at Russia’s Bellingshausen Station. Several countries, including China and India, have an Antarctic presence, and competition for the continent’s resources will increase approaching the 2048 review of the current mining ban. At that point, the continent’s estimated 36 billion barrels of oil and gas will be up for grabs … but perhaps we can hope that demand for fossil fuels will have reduced significantly by then.

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Intelligence

We all knoW a frontier When We see one. i greW up in a country Whose borders had been in dispute for over a century, leading to decades of partition and ultimately unification. In Europe today, frontiers are again making the headlines for all the wrong reasons – notably mass migration, itself driven in part by conflicts beyond the continent’s shores. Wherever you are reading this, I expect there is a challenging frontier somewhere near you.

Are frontiers, then, a demarcation, a discontinuity, a boundary and a limit? Is their primary purpose to protect us, or to constrain us?

It is obvious that professionals benefit from clear boundaries, such as consistent entry requirements, defined codes of conduct and independently led regulation. Such boundaries set us apart from our competitors. RICS’ founders lived at a time when frontiers inspired ambition and adventure. For them, groundbreaking technology was extending the limits of the possible, paving the way for the industrial revolution.

North America was once the epitome of “frontierland”. That is all history now, but the characteristic pioneering spirit and unwavering self-belief lives on. RICS is well established in North America, where we have a thriving and highly engaged group of professionals whose clients increasingly recognise the value of the RICS qualification. So where better than Washington DC to hold our inaugural World Built Environment Forum? The gathering, which takes place next month as part of the Summit of the Americas, aims to become the premier showcase for leaders and best practices from across the property and construction professions.

It is an example of thinking beyond the limits of what we do today. We will be able to show employers and clients not only what makes us unique, but also the diversity of a profession that is built on deep expertise. At the same time we are acknowledging that the boundaries between professions are becoming increasingly blurred, in large part as a result of technology.

Our response has to be to lead the debate on the future. We must preserve that which has served us well for so long, but not at the cost of irrelevance to the next generation of young professionals and their clients. Some boundaries are for keeping, others have run their course. Follow Martin on Twitter @MartinJBruehl

GLOBAL GATHERING

For more information

about the inaugural

World Built Environment Forum at the

Summit of the Americas

2016, go to rics.org/sota

The global construction industry has committed to massive carbon emission reductions to help limit the sector’s contribution to climate change.

Announced during the December 2015 UN COP21 climate change conference in Paris, all green building councils from around the world, and their members in the private sector, have pledged to make greater reductions in carbon emissions from buildings and construction.

To limit a global temperature rise to 2ºC, it is estimated that the sector must reduce emissions by 84 gigatonnes of CO2 – the equivalent of taking 22,000 coal power stations out of existence – by 2050. All 74 national green building councils, under the umbrella of the World Green Building Council, have committed to “net zero carbon” new buildings and large-scale, energy-efficient refurbishment of existing stock. Green building councils also aim to register, renovate or certify 1.25bn m2 (13.5bn ft2) of green building space and train 127,000 green building professionals by 2020.

Meanwhile, the European Commission is drawing up a “common language” around green building, to help more governments and businesses adopt greener building practices. The goal is to ensure that more comparable data on building performance can be collected, to strengthen the case for low-carbon practices.

READ the World Green Building Council commitments at bit.ly/COP21reductions

CARBON REDUCTION TARGETS STEP UP

SUSTAINABILITY

MARTIN J BRÜHL FRICS RICS PRESIDENT

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“Is a frontier’s primary purpose to protect us, or constrain us?”

PARIS PLEDGEWorld leaders gather at COP21 in Paris, where pledges were made to reduce carbon emissions from buildings

FALLING BEHINDThe growth in English bare agricultural land values is slowing against a long-term picture, but still vastly outstrips UK inflation

Source: Knight Frank Farmland Index Q3 2015

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T wenty French speakers around the table stared at me expectantly while I shuffled the script I had

written to open the meeting. No more stalling was possible, so I ploughed ahead, chairing my first ever French-language meeting. Much to my surprise, after the meeting, most participants congratulated me on my command of the language, when in fact at least half of the meeting had gone completely over my head.

I realised with a sinking feeling that people now expect me to understand everything that is said in these meetings. Worse, the meeting minutes will state that I agreed to everything, including things I’d probably never have agreed to if I had understood exactly what was being said.

I found myself in this uncomfortable position, posing as a French speaker, when my French-speaking colleague suddenly left and I was nominated to lead meetings as the next-best, albeit basic, French speaker. I’d done one year of French at school and was currently doing French class for one hour a week.

It was a case of sink or swim: either chair the meetings in French or someone else would be employed to take over from me. Having just moved to Switzerland to work on this project, I saw my winters skiing in the Alps in jeopardy. So I buckled down, studied hard, and within six months found that I could not only rattle off key phrases, but could also understand 90% of what was going on around me.

I had a horrible sense of deja vu when, three years later, I found myself in a German-language meeting in Switzerland. I had been told that there was no need to speak German, as the client was American. Unluckily for me the client also speaks German. German class, here I come ...

ARE YOU INTERESTED in writing a future Secret Surveyor column? Send your musings on the profession to editor@ricsmodus.com

Intelligence

HOW LARGE IS THE AVERAGE VARIANCE IN BUILDING PROJECT COSTS DEPENDING ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU INCLUDE CERTAIN VARIABLES?

From homes to sports halls, we rely on accurate building cost data for every type of construction. But building costs aren’t always set in stone: for example, project costs will vary depending on whether you include preliminaries, contingencies and external works. This can cause a wide range of average variances in the cost of new building projects.

And because the construction sector is usually one of the largest contributors to a country’s total economic output, it is a discrepancy

that could have a significant distorting effect on a national level, too. Possible variances in total construction sector output mean that official GDP figures could be off by several billions of pounds. It begs the question: just how much are we under- or over-estimating the construction industry’s impact on the economy?

WHAT’S YOUR VIEW? Inevitable imprecision or dangerous data? Email editor@ricsmodus.com

26.1%

27.6%

35.8%

32.6%

36.6%

30.6%

Offices

Gymnasiums/sports halls

Nursery schools/creches

Estatehousing

Sports pavilions and club houses

30.4%Average*

If applied to official UK statistics on construction, this could mean that figures are out by billions of pounds. (Total new construction)

£25.8bnTotal

Source: ONS Construction output 2014, value seasonally adjusted, current prices by sector. *Based on BCIS data, using minimum sample of 100.

Purpose-built warehouses/stores

£9bnHousing

£29.7bn

£7.9bnPrivate commercial

£26.1bn

£85bn

NUMBER CRUNCH

SECRET SURVEYOR

“It was sink or swim: either chair these meetings in French, or someone else would take the job”

, across all building types.

14 RICS.ORG/MODUS

WHERE ARE THE MAJOR SKILLS SHORTAGES IN CONSTRUCTION?

Tom Hadley: Critical shortages cut across construction, engineering and technology sectors, including rail engineers, bridge engineers, quantity surveyors, architects, building surveyors and building services designers. It’s at all skill levels.

What’s happening in construction is symptomatic of the job market as a whole. Back in January 2013, our members said there were 31 specific roles for which they were finding it hard to find staff. By November 2015, the number had risen to 73. Brian Green: I’m hearing that the biggest shortage is with managers. To some extent you can always import the trades, they are quite transferable from overseas. Quality has suffered as a result of the skills shortages, particularly at management level.

WHAT CHANGES HAVE YOU NOTICED AS A RESULT OF THESE LABOUR SHORTAGES?

TH: There has been increased demand for temporary workers and interim managers as companies recruit more permanent positions. This extra demand is driving the flexible working market and starting salaries have been rising month on month over the past year.

It’s not just in London and the south- east that we’re seeing skills shortages. There’s also high demand in the Midlands and north-west.BG: Project managers are telling me there’s been a major difference in the construction skills base over the last decade. You are now more likely to see teams of migrant workers – from Russia, Poland, Lithuania – coming to the UK and working together as a unit. »

WAITING FOR THE MAN

Skills shortages at all levels are becoming a major obstacle for the UK construction industry. Are immigration policies up to the challenge… and could things get worse?Words Emma Crates Photography Rowan Fee Styling Sabrina Henry

Who’s in the discussion

TOM HADLEY director of policy and professional

services, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation

BRIAN GREEN construction consultant and author of

Building’s Brickonomics blogMADELEINE SUMPTION

director, the Migration Observatory,

University of Oxford

MARCH 2016_MODUS 15

“Critical shortages cut across construction, engineering and technology sectors” TOM HADLEY Recruitment and Employment Confederation

Labour mobility

16 RICS.ORG/MODUS

Labour mobility

“There’s a big bulge in the workforce that is about to disappear over the next 10 years” BRIAN GREEN construction consultant and author

MARCH 2016_MODUS 17

WHAT ARE THE PROJECTIONS FOR FUTURE SKILLS SHORTAGES?

BG: Two million people are employed in construction. That’s a lot of people. But we lost 200,000 or so in the last recession and you can’t quickly replace them.

If you look at the profile of the current construction workforce, there is a large lump of people approaching retirement age. There’s a big bulge in the workforce that is about to disappear over the next 10 years.TH: It’s going to get worse before it gets better, even though people are trying to do something about it. This is because of the number of building and infrastructure projects that have been green-lit recently, as well as workforce demographics.

As the jobs market picks up, there’s rising demand across all sectors. So people now have a choice about what they do. We talk to a lot of people who left the construction industry during the recession and who are reluctant to return to the sector, partly because the work is more arduous and partly because of the cyclical nature of the industry.BG: The fact that we lost huge numbers of skilled people during the recession – and therefore face a crisis now – was totally predictable. At the onset of the recession, we knew there would be a severe shortage of housing. If the government had intervened, becoming the housing developer of last resort, it could have saved the skills base and now be selling off houses at a net profit. It missed a massive opportunity.

HOW IMPORTANT IS IMMIGRATION TO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY?

BG: Migration is integral to construction in almost any advanced nation. You have to remember that construction is very volatile at a local level. The workplace is mobile so there will inevitably be migration to projects, either regionally, nationally or internationally.

As a short-term fix, migration gives you the workforce you need. But how much labour do we need from abroad? How much does it provide for the volatility of the market, and what is the minimum amount required in the workforce?

HOW HAS IMMIGRATION TO THE UK CHANGED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS?

Madeleine Sumption: Migration to the UK was traditionally from Commonwealth countries. But a much higher share of immigration has started to come from the EU since its enlargement in 2004. Roughly half or more of the net migration to this country now appears to be from Europe.

This is important, because there are no restrictions on EU citizens working in the UK. It means that employers can recruit people from these countries at any skill level. EU migration has become a major contributor to the UK’s low-wage workforce.BG: Figures on the UK labour market in 2013 from the Office for National Statistics show that the share of non-UK nationals in the workforce was just less than 10%.

HOW HAVE POLICIES CHANGED FOR NON-EU WORKERS?

MS: Since 2010, the UK government has significantly tightened its policies for non-EU citizens. With the exception of family migration, most people outside the EU now require a bachelor’s degree or equivalent to work in the UK. Even for people with degrees, policies are stricter than they used to be.TH: Student work visas for non-EU citizens have also been tightened up. If someone studies architectural engineering in the UK, for example, it might be harder for them to stay and subsequently get a job. We think this is problematic. It’s an area we’re encouraging the government to look at.

WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND IMMIGRATION POLICY?

MS: The Migration Advisory Committee, which advises the Home Office, is currently reviewing policies towards non-EU skilled worker migration. Its report is expected to be published this year. The committee’s goal is to advise government on how to significantly reduce work migration from outside the EU. This implies that the system will become more selective, so the level of skill needed to qualify will go up.

TH: What we and other organisations are trying to do is encourage the government to take a pragmatic approach: we’re using data to de-politicise the discussion and highlight the need for some flexibility in recruitment from abroad.

We’re continuing to make the case for a range of construction-related roles in architecture, design and engineering to be included in the government’s shortage occupation list. The committee has taken on board quite a few of our comments.

WHAT HAPPENS IF BRITAIN LEAVES THE EU?

MS: The biggest difficulty in predicting this is that we don’t know what the policies are going to be. So, there are different scenarios. An important question is what would replace EU membership? It’s possible that there would be no change if we adopted a similar approach to Switzerland and Norway. Both have an association agreement with the EU that includes freedom of movement.

You could also imagine a system where the government softens the impact of new immigration restrictions on EU citizens, introducing transitional programmes for filling certain jobs where there is a greater demand for labour.

However, if the government applied the same rules to EU citizens as non-EU citizens, with no transitional measures, that would represent a sudden change that could significantly reduce migration.TH: If the government replaced free movement of labour with a points-based system, similar to Australia, it would significantly lengthen the recruitment process and add to the administrative burden for companies. This could have a big impact on business.

Also, if rules were tightened, we could lose a lot of potential talent. We get a lot of positive feedback about overseas workers that enter the UK with relatively low-skilled jobs, but gain skills and progress up the profession. This route could be lost if people can only enter the UK at a certain level of qualification or experience.BG: The scenario of the government suddenly shutting the door to migrant labour coming into the UK would be a big »

18 RICS.ORG/MODUS

shock that would almost inevitably raise wages and slow activity. But construction is highly adaptable. It would find ways of designing structures that were less labour intensive over the longer term.

IF WE TIGHTEN UP IMMIGRATION POLICY IN EUROPE, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO UK CITIZENS WHO WANT TO WORK ABROAD?

MS: Again, that depends. If the UK was to leave the EU without an association agreement negotiated at EU level, it could well become a question of individual states making independent decisions on how to treat British citizens. One would expect that if the UK was introducing more restrictive policies for Europeans, other countries would reciprocate.

However, most EU countries tend to have much more open policies at high- skilled level than in lower- and middle- skill jobs. So Brits moving abroad in high-skilled jobs could find it easier than people moving for lower-paid work. BG: One of the great opportunities the UK has is to export its brains. Over the past decade there has been a significant internationalisation of the construction services sector, and the skills of surveyors and cost consultants are in high demand globally. The growth markets are abroad, particularly in developing countries.

We have a massive opportunity to create a global hub of construction. So when we start looking at politically tricky issues such as migration, we have to ask how that plays out in trade generally. I suspect that we have a lot more to gain from sending our construction expertise out into the world than worrying about migrant labour here.

ARE WAGES A BIG DRAW TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO WORK IN THE UK?

MS: If you’re looking at the east European countries, the differences in average wages are still significant, especially with Romania and Bulgaria. But it’s not just about wages, it can also be about employment.

Eurozone countries with high earning potential still send significant numbers of

people to the UK. Levels of unemployment can be an influencing factor, as well as the fact that the UK is a prestigious centre for many types of economic activity. People also want to improve their English.BG: It’s important to remember that social mobility has also been an important part of UK construction. A lot of people who run big companies came up through the trades. Take [Laing O’Rourke chairman] Ray O’Rourke. He was a labourer, and now runs one of the UK’s biggest companies.

WHAT CAN THE UK DO TO ADDRESS THE SKILLS GAP?

TH: In the short term, using immigration policy to bring in the skills we need is an important part of the strategy. The business community needs collectively to make the case for roles that need to be added to the government’s shortage occupation list. We need to produce examples of why certain job shortages are hurting business.BG: Migrant labour will always be an important part of construction. It’s the very nature of our volatile industry. But if

firms end up using migrant labour as a way to save on training costs because there are not enough trained people at home, we are denying the opportunity of UK folk to be part of the construction industry. TH: As well as recruiting from abroad, the business community needs to work harder to promote careers to the next generation, going into schools and showing young people the wealth of opportunities.

We also need to look at regional skills strategies, using our influence to ensure that education and skills training is reflective of local needs, to help us deliver the big infrastructure projects.BG: We have to get people into management positions. We should take this opportunity to use the talent that lies within the trade, particularly among older workers, to train them up and get them into more senior roles. Industry should be introducing mentoring and support schemes and incentivising workers to make this transition.

As well as encouraging them to stay longer in the sector or delay retirement, this will ultimately improve construction’s image. It’s a good signal to send out about the industry. n

NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET ITLabour shortages have been quoted as a major impediment to growth in the most recent RICS UK Construction Market Survey, with demand for bricklayers and quantity surveyors outstripping supply

Source: Q4 2015 RICS UK Construction Market Survey

BY NUMBERS

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60%reported shortages of quantity surveyors

15%reported shortages

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62%reported shortages

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15%reported shortages

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1%reported shortages of

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1%reported shortages of

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The idea that 3D printing could one day transform construction has been circulating since the technology’s invention in the 1980s, but it is only in the last

few years that real-life applications have started to emerge.

In 2014, Chinese firm WinSun announced it had 3D-printed 10 concrete houses in a day using a giant printer. Since then, an array of ambitious additive manufacturing technologies have hit the headlines, including a Dutch scheme to print an ornate steel bridge using robots.

The buzz around 3D-printed construction is so loud, it is tricky to predict which fledgling projects and technologies will take hold in the longer term. The latest Gartner Hype Cycle for 3D printing – a barometer used to track the stages of new technologies from initial concept to widespread adoption – suggests that industrial 3D printing is close to the “peak of inflated expectations”. In other words, early publicity has produced some success stories, but also many failures.

It’s been hailed as a solution to the housing shortage, a rapid response for disaster-stricken communities and even a way to build off-world habitats. But what real applications can we expect from 3D printing?

Gartner forecasts it will take up to 10 years for 3D printing to reach the plateau of productivity, when adoption is widespread and market applicability and relevance are clearly paying off. The same graph predicts that the printing of “macro” structures is more than 10 years from reaching this point.

Printing large structural parts has the potential to make construction faster, more geometrically complex and more accurate. It could reduce waste, by using only the precise amount of materials required, and enable construction in harsh or dangerous environments not suitable for humans.

“If 3D printing is not going to be a fad, you have to look at how it can be used to create real advantages, either making construction cheaper, faster or better quality than existing technologies,” says Xavier de Kestelier, partner in Foster & Partners’ specialist modelling group. “We can learn a lot from industries such as medical science, where 3D printing has been used to create small parts, each one unique and designed to fit the body of a specific individual.”

20 RICS.ORG/MODUS

Words Stephen Cousins

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3D printing

This idea is supported by a recent collaboration between Arup, design software company WithinLab and 3D-printing specialist CRDM/3D Systems. The joint venture has produced 1,200 unique steel “nodes” for a street lighting scheme in the Hague, using the additive manufacturing technique direct-laser sintering.

The complexity of the scheme meant that each node had to be produced with a unique geometry. By designing the nodes for 3D printing, researchers demonstrated they could be formed faster, to higher-quality standards and with less wasted material than cutting and welding each by hand.

But if 3D printing is really going to change the way we build, it will have to overcome several technical

hurdles. Scaling up is a significant barrier – volumetric calculations show that doubling the size of an object takes around eight times as long to print and increases cost eight-fold, too. And the process is already expensive.

A potentially cheaper and faster alternative is being explored by firms such as WinSun and California-based Contour Crafting, using robots supported on giant gantries to extrude buildings in layers of concrete.

WinSun caused a sensation in 2014 when it used a 3D printer measuring 6.6m high, 10m wide and 150m long, to create 10 houses in one day, costing £3,200 each. It followed that in 2015 by printing an entire villa and five-storey apartment. The walls and other

components were produced using a specially formulated “ink” made of construction waste including concrete, fibreglass and sand, combined with a hardening agent.

Although fast and cheap, it is uncertain whether this approach can outmode traditional building techniques. At present, it can only extrude concrete structures, not the other materials and systems needed to form a building, such as insulation, fire-proofing or building services. WinSun’s ribbed-finish printed walls would also likely face issues meeting stricter international building codes, such as British Standards.

Kevin O’Brien MRICS, executive director of Gammon Construction, one of the first firms in Hong Kong to use 3D prototypes, says: “Most of the buildings here are high-rise, therefore the structural strength and fire resistance of printed elements are a major concern. The biggest challenge is the printed material and its bonding mechanism. We are still printing layer by layer, which is mechanically relatively weak.”

O’Brien points to the technique known as continuous liquid interface production as a potentially more robust solution. The process, developed by scientists at the University of North Carolina, involves lifting objects, fully formed, from a pool of liquid resin. It is up to 100 times faster than

current 3D-printing methods and produces objects that are considerably stronger.

A more immediate use for 3D printing in construction is the creation of discrete elements or sections within a building. At the end of 2014, Loughborough University’s Innovative Manufacturing and Construction Research Centre signed a collaboration agreement with Skanska, Foster & Partners, robotics manufacturer ABB, and others to develop its lab-based concrete 3D-printing technology to a commercially viable scale. Trials of the printing robot have produced curved cladding panels, architectural features and complex structural components.

Some of our tests looked at treating the surface of a wall acoustically or printing in cavities to run services

through,” says de Kestelier. “[The technology] enables you to design a concrete wall differently because there is no extra cost to making something geometrically complex.”

In a similar move, Zaha Hadid Architects is now talking to software companies about developing 3D-printed cladding.

But although the process appears to have already begun its march on the industry, how deeply embedded will it be in 20 to 30 years?

“Construction today is inefficient. Unlike car manufacture, each building has to be built one by one, it involves a lot of manual labour and component standardisation,” says Hadid senior associate Michele Pasca di Magliano. “In the future, 3D printing could enable a much faster, accurate and ad hoc process. I can imagine a time when architects provide clients with a simulation of their building, then simply send them digital files to 3D print on site themselves.”

Conversely, the innate complexity of buildings could mean that it just becomes one tool among many in a contractor’s kit. “It is ultimately just a manufacturing technique, which is good at certain things, and not so good at others,” says de Kestelier. “It is not the solution to all the world’s problems.” n

llI can imagine a future in which architects simply send clients digital files to 3D print on site themselvesll

MICHELE PASCA DI MAGLIANO Zaha Hadid Architects

MARCH 2016_MODUS 21

LAYERS SPECIALIn 2014, Chinese firm WinSun printed 10 houses in one day (opposite). The walls were formed using an “ink” made from concrete, fibreglass and sand (below)

22 RICS.ORG/MODUS

MYANMARThe past few years have brought a period of economic growth and stability to the country formerly known as Burma, as its economy opens up to the world. Foreign investment in real estate soared from $440m (£311m) in 2013-14 to almost $781m (£552m) in 2014-15, reports the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration. Myanmar held its first civilian government election last November, after nearly 50 years of isolation under military rule.»Key figure Yangon needs at least 8.6m ft2

(800,000 m2) of office space to support the growing influx of foreign companies, claims local developer Yoma Strategic Holdings. »Projects Completed in the first half of 2015, the earthquake-resistant, 237,000 ft2 (22,000 m2) Vantage Tower features offices, apartments and even its own data centre. »Skills in demand Myanmar is still very much a developing real estate market, so better regulation, consistency and common market practices are required, as well as real estate professionals who have the necessary experience to provide accurate advice. »The pitfalls Although there is an urgent need for more infrastructure and housing across the country, current laws protecting legal ownership of property are inadequate, JLL notes, and foreigners – at present – cannot own real estate.

»Surveyor’s view Hugo Slade MRICS, managing director of Slade Property Services in Yangon, arrived in Myanmar in August 2013. “It is an extremely interesting market in which to operate, and I’m glad I made the move when I did. However, it is a difficult one in which to provide accurate valuations and advice, as the business environment changes so rapidly. The National League for Democracy’s (NLD) landslide victory demonstrates that the country is going to see progress on humanitarian and democratic issues, but many uncertainties remain about what the business environment is going to look like. It is likely that many will wait until the new government takes power in April before making significant investments in Myanmar.”

COLOMBIAWhile growth has been slowing in other large, Latin American economies, Colombia is proving resilient, thanks to its massive housing and infrastructure programmes. The construction industry is contributing hugely to this growth. The Colombian Chamber of Construction (Camacol) reports that construction contributed around 16% of GDP in 2014. The capital Bogotá is also emerging from the shadow of its notoriously violent past, as growth improves the city’s security and living conditions.»Key figure Around $100bn (£71bn) will be invested in transport infrastructure by 2021, according to Timetric’s industry forecast.»Projects A massive $5.9bn (£4.2bn) is being allocated to build 440,000 social housing units across the country. Private companies have also partnered with the government on flagship projects such as the Mi Casa Ya (My House Now) scheme to build 100,000 social housing units.

»Skills in demand International construction expertise is increasingly sought after. In a 2014 interview with the Oxford Business Group, Luis Felipe Henao Cardona, minister of housing and social development, said: “We need to develop public-private partnerships that allow the construction of affordable homes for new professionals … and enhance housing infrastructure in cities, which will require support from countries with broader expertise such as the UK, France and Spain.” »The pitfalls Despite the opportunities that come with its fast-growing market, Bogotá’s real estate sector has its fair share of problems – large-scale urban development plans have stalled and development land is scarce. Meanwhile, violence linked to drug trafficking continues to affect parts of large cities and some rural areas.»Surveyor’s view Bryan Dragoo MRICS, managing partner of Bogotá-based property consultancy Logan Valuation, arrived in Colombia in 2011. “Colombia has emerged as one of the most attractive Latin America markets and has really opened up over the past five years. One of the most immediate concerns is the fluctuation in the exchange rate against the US dollar – as Colombia’s exchange rate is closely tied to the price of oil, this fluctuation has been one of the most drastic in the world. This translates into elevated costs of imported goods, construction costs and inflation. As the market becomes more institutional, the demand for higher-quality professionals is increasing, particularly as there continues to be a lack of ethical standards and a licensing framework to move the brokerage industry forward. It is going to take time.”

TURKMENISTANIndependent since 1991 following the break- up of the Soviet Union, Turkmenistan’s vast natural gas and oil resources are attracting a new wave of interest from foreign companies. Predicted by BMI Research to be “a construction industry outperformer” in the central Asian region over the next decade, with estimates of $42bn (£29bn) of large construction projects in development. Corruption and a lack of transparency remain barriers to international business.»Key figure Turkey invested around $32bn (£22.6bn) in 2013 alone, accounting for one-fifth of all foreign-direct investment in Turkmenistan, according to Turkey’s Development Ministry. »

As property markets become more internationalised, investors are having to venture further off the beaten path to find real value. Which countries could be next to go stratospheric? Words Brendon Hooper Illustration Dan Matutina

Frontier markets

24 RICS.ORG/MODUS

Frontier markets

»Projects Notable infrastructure projects to be built over the next five years include the $1.5bn (£1.06bn) Türkmenbaşi Seaport facility on the Caspian Sea, part of “the New Economic Silk Road”, and an international airport for the capital, Ashgabat. Work also began in December on a Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline.»Skills in demand BMI Research predicts that infrastructure and construction industry growth will ramp up over the next decade, averaging 7.7% annually, but qualified employees are scarce. The hydrocarbon sector is the country’s largest industry, so opportunities exist for oil and natural-gas service providers, as well as related industry, such as freight and logistics firms. »The pitfalls Sweeping reforms are needed to create an inviting business climate for foreign investment and foreign investors, according to the US Department of Commerce. Private ownership of land is forbidden and most of the country’s industries are state owned – a serious concern when corruption is reported to exist at all levels of the government. »Surveyor’s view Sergey Mineyev MRICS is a partner at Ashgabat-based appraisal company TurkmenExpert. As he explains: “Turkmenistan is a very specific country. The government manages three-quarters of the economy, and approves all real estate and construction projects. But approvals are very complicated and available at a high level only. Steps towards fiscal decentralisation will be key to improving the accountability and

efficiency of public services, and to attract private investment into municipal and other infrastructure developments. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development recently commissioned a study for identifying and preparing municipal infrastructure projects in Turkmenistan but, as yet, no projects have been initiated.”

PAKISTANConstruction is booming in a country that, according to Bloomberg, is “the best undiscovered investment opportunity in frontier markets”. Despite ongoing political turmoil and security challenges, the economy is expanding at its fastest pace since 2008. Prime minister Nawaz Sharif has also taken advantage of cheap borrowing costs to inject large sums into infrastructure spending – up 27% to R1.5tn (£10bn) in the second half of 2015. »Key figure In 2014, the State Bank reported that the construction industry grew by 11.3%, against an original target of 5.7%.»Projects China in particular is ploughing huge amounts into Pakistan – the $45bn (£32bn) China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project will include new roads, railways, power plants, dams and gas and oil pipelines.

Iran: back in the foldWith government measures to bring the economy back on track, such as slashing inflation from 40% to 15% in less than two years, the outlook for the infrastructure sector has improved. Significant challenges remain, including elevated political risk, macroeconomic weaknesses, social tensions and a lack of transparency.

Botswana: low-risk option One of Africa’s most stable countries, Botswana topped Cushman & Wakefield’s 2015 Emerging Markets Risk Index, scoring highly for transparency in the market. After 20 years of growth, the construction sector was badly hit during the global downturn, but is now being revived under a new economic stimulus programme.

Ethiopia: watershed momentFuelled by major investment in infrastructure – such as the Grand Renaissance hydropower dam – Ethiopia’s construction sector is primed for huge growth in the next 10 years, according to BMI Research. The government also plans to construct 700,000 homes to help solve the country’s severe housing shortage.

Sri Lanka: safe harbourA fast-developing logistics hub, container port traffic into Sri Lanka has more than doubled in the last decade. Furthermore, investment in infrastructure and increasing availability of educated labour in the capital, Colombo, is strengthening the economy. Consequently, there is growing demand from multinationals for office space.

Which countries are next on the launchpad?FURTHER AFIELD

llThere is great potential for developers in Pakistan … but terrorism and militancy remain huge problemsll

ABDUL NIAZI MRICS Arco International

»Skills in demand Housing is an ideal opportunity for developers. Figures from the State Bank suggest there is a shortage of around nine million homes in Pakistan, and to kick-start housebuilding, the government offers a three-year tax exemption to developers and builders, as well as tax breaks on bricks and gravel.»The pitfalls Violence remains a persistent problem in many parts of the country, particularly from Taliban-linked insurgents. “There is great potential for international developers in Pakistan – for example, China’s interest in developing an economic corridor to Gawadar Port,” says Abdul Niazi MRICS, a geomatics surveyor at Arco International in Mianwali. “But terrorism and militancy continue to be huge problems for the region, scaring off investors.”»Surveying firm’s view Last June, investors rushed to sign up to Pakistan’s first real estate investment trust (REIT) – the Dolmen City REIT, a shopping centre and office complex in Karachi. Muhammad Hussain Khan, research manager at Colliers Pakistan, believes a robust REIT regime could do much to boost the development of commercial projects. “REITs would enable small investors to invest in real estate, which the current market does not permit. Moreover, because of the transparency afforded by REIT schemes, foreign investors will gain exposure to Pakistan’s real estate market. However, the government must take steps to ensure that adequate land-related laws are implemented to accommodate REITs and increase transparency.” n

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26 RICS.ORG/MODUS

A SIGN OF

MARCH 2016_MODUS 27

Climate change

Has such a small number ever held such significance? Even if global warming is held to the 1.5°C limit set by nearly 200 world leaders at COP21

in Paris last December, this still represents a radical change to the global climate.

Humankind faces its greatest challenge yet in adapting to a future where storms, flooding, droughts, cyclones and landslides are more frequent and more intense. But climate change is not a concern for the medium or long term: it is already happening. The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, released in 2013, said that warming of the climate was now unequivocal, with many of the changes observed since the 1950s unprecedented over “decades to millennia”.

Attention has only recently turned to adapting to climate change, as distinct from mitigating it. The Paris conference devoted more attention to adaptation than any

previous climate talks, but it stopped short of setting specific targets or funding mechanisms. The bill is potentially huge. To adapt to a 2°C rise, the World Bank estimated that we would have to spend $70bn-$100bn (£49bn-£70bn) each year between 2010 and 2050. This has far-reaching implications for property at every level, from protecting individual homeowners against heatwaves and flooding, to future-proofing real estate funds worth billions of dollars.

The challenge for property professionals is that climate change is a moving and unpredictable target. Assessing the risks means getting to grips with vast, unfamiliar climate data-sets encompassing many variables. This is why Sven Bienert MRICS, head of sustainable real estate at the University of Regensburg in Bavaria, has been developing tools to help translate climate data into usable metrics for valuers, focusing on extreme events. Since the 1980s, the number of extreme events globally has doubled to an average of more than 800 per year over the last decade, an escalation that is likely to continue at least until the end of the century. “These events have far greater relevance for real estate investors than rising mean temperatures,” says Bienert, “but it’s not yet a core topic in boardrooms.”

This is a serious oversight. Financial losses in real estate and infrastructure due to severe weather events have tripled globally over the last decade. Reinsurers recorded direct losses of $150bn (£105bn) a year, reaching up to 8% of GDP in the worst- hit regions, but this is a substantial underestimate, warns Bienert. It does not include consequential losses, a reduction in tourism for example, or indirect losses, such as reduced turnover and rental income. »

Climate change has already created a “new normal” of frequent, severe natural events. Why is it taking us so long to adapt our built environment?Words Katie Puckett Illustration Emiliano Ponzi

THE TIMES

28 RICS.ORG/MODUS

Climate change

To redress the balance, Bienert’s methodology combines data from climate scientists and insurers with property valuations to calculate the annual expected losses from extreme events. He is also developing a geographical information system, covering Europe, to show the likely impact at an individual building level.

The homeowners of Cumbria in north-west England are all too aware of the impact of extreme events on property values; the flooding in December 2015 is estimated to have caused £500m of damage. The key metric for flood protection is return period: how often an event of a certain magnitude will occur. In 2005, Cumbria was hit by a one-in-250-year flood. In 2009, there was a one-in-100-year event, and another in 2015.

Laurence Waterhouse MRICS, technical director of flood resilience at Pell Frischmann, installed barriers in the Cumbrian town of Keswick after the 2009 floods. “We used the level that the Environment Agency said was the peak maximum flood – the biggest ever,” says Waterhouse. “But in December, it was exceeded by half a metre. All the modelling is going to have to be revisited.”

Waterhouse has noticed the difference over a long career. “In the 1950s, we used to get major floods every 10 years. From 2000 onwards, we’ve had major events every three or four years. At the moment, we are up to one a year. It’s going to be twice a year soon.”

It is not just the modelling that needs to be revisited. “We can’t go on building barriers,” says Waterhouse. “We are

moving towards resilient homes, as opposed to resistant homes.”

At a community level, resilience means installing features such as sustainable drainage systems to manage heavy rainfall.

For the individual house, it means refitting properties so that they can be easily dried out. This includes stone or tiled floors, rendered walls with tanking to prevent water ingress, raised plug sockets and solid wood furniture rather than MDF or chipboard.

This is what Waterhouse did after his own home was flooded. “If we are ever flooded again, there would be a few hundred pounds of damage,” he says. “You have to accept that every so often you’re going to flood. I’m afraid that’s the future.”

An alternative is to build three-storey homes in the Dutch style, with garages on the ground floor and living spaces upstairs.

Overheating presents another potentially lethal threat. According to EM-DAT, the international disaster database, the 2003 heatwave across Europe was the deadliest in history, killing more than 70,000 people. Research from the Met Office, published in 2014, shows that the chance of a repeat event has increased from once in 1,000 years to once in 100.

Buildings will therefore have to be designed to remain comfortable under much hotter conditions. One possible solution is Passivhaus, the ultra-low-energy building standard. Passivhaus buildings

According to the UK Met Office, the global mean temperature passed the 1°C benchmark above pre-industrial levels in September 2015. The UN’s analysis of all the national carbon reduction pledges made by October 2015 puts

the world on track for a rise of about 3°C. What are the consequences for the planet if that figure is reached?

1°C RISE: 10% of land species face extinction. Fresh water supplies eliminated from one-

third of the earth’s land surface by the end of the century. 2°C RISE: 15%-40% of species face extinction and a further sea level rise of 40cm by 2100. 3°C RISE: Up to 50% of species face extinction, up to 170 million more people affected

by coastal flooding each year. Serious droughts occur every 10 years in southern Europe.BEYOND 3°C: The Greenland ice sheet could begin melting irreversibly, committing the world to an eventual sea level rise of 7m.

What kind of world do we need to adapt to?THE FUTURE

llIn the 1950s, we used to get major floods every 10 years … At the moment, we are up to one a year ll

LAURENCE WATERHOUSE MRICS Pell Frischmann

are tightly sealed with high levels of insulation and sophisticated ventilation systems to keep the air fresh. This keeps them warm with little heating during winter.

But, as Günter Lang, engineer and CEO of Passivhaus Austria, explains, it also works the other way round. “It’s like a Thermos flask – you can use it to keep drinks cold as well as hot,” he says. “We know the weather will become more extreme and this can help.” Lang’s own house remained a pleasant 21°C last summer, without air-conditioning, while temperatures outside hit 38°C.

This is one example where a strategy to mitigate against climate change also works for adaptation. But there

might also be dangerous clashes. A survey of overheating in London homes carried out by engineering consultant WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff found that more than 80% of people had suffered from uncomfortably hot homes in summer 2015. Residents of newer homes with better insulation were significantly more affected. A further 8% of those affected installed air-conditioning as a result – a sign that if we fail to address adaptation in time, we will also struggle to mitigate further climate change.

So, what will be the tipping point? What will make owners, developers and investors prepare for something for which there are a lot of scare stories but not yet a robust business case? Unfortunately, research indicates that the worst has to happen – and perhaps more than once. Bienert says that property sales in one flood-prone area of Austria only increased when the region was flooded for a second time.

“Without that, people don’t change their behaviour – not their personal behaviour and not their investment behaviour.” n

MARCH 2016_MODUS 29

yors, our skylines

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30 RICS.ORG/MODUS

Proptech

“The surveying industry needs to actively push

for proptech innovation” Dominic Wilson

From left: Jonny Britton Land Technologies, Michael Marciano MRICS Shared Property Data, Dominic Wilson

Pi Labs, Nick Katz FRICS Splittable, Juliette Morgan

Cushman & Wakefield, Ian Thomas MRICS LendInvest

MARCH 2016_MODUS 31

“Some of the big ideas at the moment

are remote visualisation and immersive reality”

Juliette Morgan

PROPTECH HAS COME OF AGE, AND IS TRANSFORMING THE INDUSTRY. WE MEET THE INNOVATORS AT THE

FOREFRONT OF THE REVOLUTION

“Crowdfunding is a huge deal. In a few years it will be a real alternative to traditional funding”Nick Katz FRICS

32 RICS.ORG/MODUS

DATA COMMANDER MICHAEL MARCIANO MRICS, FOUNDER AND CEO, SHARED PROPERTY DATA

The floodgates are open in residential proptech, which has led to better access to data, capital and a wider

pool of users. The commercial sector now needs to catch up. Innovation has flourished and consumers now have access to more services, on more devices, at a lower cost than ever before. What’s needed in the commercial sector is leaders to improve efficiencies in processes, accuracy in data and automation of tasks, leading to a better service for clients.

Shared Property Data is designed for both industry professionals and the wider public. For the former it provides a full marketing service and a comparables platform, enabling members to share data in a controlled manner. Public members benefit from a platform that enables them to search for space to let and investments to buy.

From a residential perspective, we are already seeing the next big things in terms of disintermediation, transparency and the price adjustment of services. On the commercial side, however, something needs to happen before the next great idea can evolve. This evolution will come when the sector as a whole embraces change by seeing it as a tool for progress.

Surveyors should consider what their jobs will look like in five to 10 years’ time and evaluate whether the infrastructure is there to support it. If not, what can be done today to secure that position for tomorrow?

“The Land Insight app will be a big help to surveyors – they will be able to access data

quickly and easily” Jonny Britton

AGENT OF CHANGE JULIETTE MORGAN, PARTNER, CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD

My role at Cushman & Wakefield is to work in the global tech team, advising developers, investors and

occupiers on the tech sector. One of the team’s greatest successes has been introducing Rialto, which provides software solutions linking commercial managers and agents. Rialto has been adopted by Silvertown, the £3.5bn scheme to create a new area of the city in London’s Royal Docks, as its tech platform.

Surveyors should be looking at what aspects of their work could be automated and expecting them to be [in the future]. There are proptech products now that produce particulars, track viewings, and host transaction and valuation data, all of which should make jobs easier.

One of the big ideas at the moment is immersive reality. Companies such as Visualise use headsets and augmented reality to view space virtually. You download an app and can use a mobile phone mounted into a Google Cardboard headset, and be looking around a new building or floorplate.

The biggest corporate investors in proptech last year were Google and Qualcomm – they’re coming after our sector and it will look like a very different industry five years from now. What happens when Google Street View meets lease and transaction data in an open-source way? Anticipate companies listing sublets or available space via Google Street View.

GET INVOLVEDProptech has been

identified as an emerging field in RICS’ 2015 Futures

research (rics.org/futures). We are now seeking

contributions from members who work in the sector. If you are interested in

opportunities to contribute, such as providing case

studies or participating in industry roundtables, email

us at futures@rics.org

MARCH 2016_MODUS 33

Proptech

COMING INTO LAND JONNY BRITTON, CEO AND CO-FOUNDER, LAND TECHNOLOGIES

Perhaps the most exciting thing about proptech is that it can change patterns of behaviour across the whole industry.

You only have to look at Rightmove and Zoopla to see how searching for property has been revolutionised. We set up Land Insight because we felt that sourcing a plot of land to build on – whether you’re a developer or single self-builder – is unnecessarily difficult and time-consuming. Ultimately, the more land that is found, the more houses can be built, and the more house prices will reduce.

We started with a simple question: how can we use data to help people find land? We began developing our app in 2014, using high-quality mapping and various layers of data and launched the product in December 2015. We’re still in the lean start-up stage, constantly listening to customers and changing the product based on feedback.

We’ve added Ordnance Survey’s MasterMap, the highest-quality map you can get in the UK, free ownership record data and boundary lines from Land Registry – there could be a whole range of covenants and leaseholds on some land. People can search for specific types of ownership, such as council-owned land. Another important big data set we’re working on is planning applications – we’re mapping all the planning applications in the UK since 1997.

Because all the data is in one place, you can narrow your search by size, value, whether the site has planning permission or a specific type of ownership. Our algorithms help us understand users’ criteria for sites and to suggest new ones to them.

If the data we have flags up an issue, then the developer may need a surveyor to investigate. Something we’ll be working on in the future is a link to surveyors in specific areas so users can find one quickly. There’s a lot of trial and error in start-ups and we’d like more engagement with the industry. We want people to tell us what they need.”

We wanted to make commercial real estate available to small investors directly online. We still have to pay lawyers and accountants but we’ve cut out investment bankers, brokers and fund managers so we can give investors higher returns. Technology speeds up the process and allows us to cast the net for projects more widely. For investors it’s no more complicated than buying something on Amazon.

It means they can build a low-fee portfolio of high-yielding real estate, with a minimum investment of $1,000.

We started in 2012 and now have more than 77,000 investors. What surprises me is our current waiting list of 30,000 people. We open up a window once a week with our latest projects on a first- come, first-served basis, which is sometimes filled in 15 minutes. In the first quarter

of 2016 we’re expanding into different domestic markets, including Dallas, Boston, Salt Lake City and North Carolina. The natural expansion after the US would be Canada, which has a similar real estate market.

The next big thing in proptech could be drones. They are already used to get real-time information on sites but they could be used more in monitoring construction activity, and for surveying. If I had a

software team and infinite money I could get a drone to take a 3D survey of anything; the technology’s already there. Surveyors could use them to get work done more quickly, as architects have done with design software. One day drones will be as common as CCTV.

BEN MILLER, co-founder and CEO, Fundrise, the US’ first crowdfunded online equity offering for real estate

“It’s no more complicated than buying on Amazon”VIEW FROM THE US

MARKET SHARE NICK KATZ FRICS, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, SPLITTABLE

Splittable is a free app to help renters manage all shared household expenditure. Falling out over money is

a common problem, nearly everyone has had a bad housemate experience, including myself, which is why I set up the app. All shared data is entered, from council tax to utilities to takeaways, and automatically split between the number of sharers.

We launched in April 2015 and we’re now improving the design to make it even clearer and adding extra functionality. Our next big project is to enable people to pay back what they owe and also pay for household goods and costs directly through the app.

There is a lot happening in proptech right now and some really interesting technology is being built around the “sharing economy”. One of these is looking at crowdfunding deposits for first-time buyers.

Proptech is also evolving beyond residential. One example of this is Hubble, an online marketplace matching unused office space with those who need it. The focus is on co-working and shared offices in various London locations and it works like We Are Pop Up does for retail. Commercial real estate space is starting to get a lot more attention.” »

3 4 RICS.ORG/MODUS

Proptech in Asia is lagging behind the US and Europe but following a similar route, increasing the number of platforms in estate agency, creating real estate databases and crowdfunding. There are real estate crowdfunding start-ups in China, Japan and Singapore, and estate agents’ platforms maturing in Hong Kong, such as OneHouse and Spacious,

which aim to disrupt the traditional agency industry.

We aim to build a platform providing affordable debt- free real estate opportunities, allowing investors to choose projects, investment amount and period. Developers could bypass banks and raise capital from an investor pool. There would be a rapid legal due diligence process through standardisation. We hope to

build a Google-like platform allowing both institutional and retail players free flow of information about development projects in the region.

The shared economy will play an important role in proptech in terms of physical space sharing, data sharing and networking connections. Augmented reality and virtual reality site inspection on properties may speed up the development of

estate agency and real estate crowdfunding platforms.

In terms of real estate crowdfunding, surveyors should play an important role in a project’s due diligence, while institutions need to help develop benchmarks and best practices.

LEO MING-YAN LO MRICS, founder and CEO, PropertySeeding, and director, Crowe Horwath (HK) Consulting and Valuation

“The shared economy will play an important role”VIEW FROM ASIA

Proptech

THE KICK-STARTER DOMINIC WILSON, PARTNER, PI LABS

Pi Labs is a venture capital platform that invests in start-ups that can scale quickly. We work with them for three

months, bringing in our network and aggressively building their businesses. More than three-quarters of our companies have gone on to raise capital at a higher valuation – one was looking to raise £400,000 and had offers totalling £3m.

One of the most significant things that’s happened over the last 12 months is that proptech has been recognised within the venture capital community. We are now seeing more investors in this space.

There are many ways the surveying profession can adopt innovation for the benefit of their clients, such as in data analytics or property management services. We’re looking at a company working on technology to monitor how energy is used in a serviced building, down to detail about when a swimming pool is used to show how running costs can be efficiently apportioned. Think how that will benefit landlords.

There’s a lot of opportunity in commercial real estate for owners, investors and occupiers with big balance sheets. We’ve seen the first wave of innovation in the residential sector, but the real game change will take place when commercial real estate fully embraces technology. n

WITHOUT PEER IAN THOMAS MRICS, CO-FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, LENDINVEST

R eal estate funding is pretty backward in terms of how things are done. Estate agents, banks and building

societies have been used to high fees relative to the value they add to transactions. With little accountability for a poor customer experience, this is changing and new technology-enabled competition is coming into the market. We believe these new market entrants will mean property and specifically property finance will evolve quickly over the next few years.

We set up LendInvest as a peer-to- peer mortgage lender in 2012. By building technology into every part of our process, we can offer investors much better returns, and borrowers can receive finance that is fast, transparent and fair. For us it’s all about speed, delivering to the borrower quickly while managing the underwriting risk, so we are facilitating the market in a better way.

“Disruption of traditional methods of property financing is going to accelerate over the next five years”Ian Thomas

Our core product is bridging finance. Traditionally, mortgages take three to six months to arrange but we can supply funds within two weeks. We also now offer three-year buy-to-let loans and development finance products for new-build projects.

We are using technology to improve the customer experience and strip out a lot of the unnecessary bureaucratic processes that exist in banks. Investors can sign contracts on the platform and deposit capital in less than an hour. For borrowers, the application process is substantially automated.

The key to what we do is transparency. If you have money on deposit at a bank, you have no idea what it’s being used for. Our lenders know exactly where their money is going because they select the loan they want to invest in online and receive annual returns of 5%-8%. Our investors are generally property savvy and like the secured returns we provide. Our minimum investment is just £100 but we also have individuals investing millions.

MARCH 2016_MODUS 35

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36 RICS.ORG/MODUS

THE NEW MINI COOPER D CLUBMAN.

With a stylish exterior design, unique interior features and high levels of standard equipment, including MINI Navigation and Bluetooth®, the new MINI Clubman is set to become a fleet favourite. The thrifty Cooper D diesel engine offers competitive fuel economy thanks to efficient MINIMALSIM technology.

CO2 EMISSIONS FROM 109g/km | BIK FROM 19% | MPG (COMBINED) UP TO 68.9

To find out more visit www.minibusinesspartnership.co.uk

MONTHLY RENTAL FROM £189 (PLUS £1,134 INITIAL RENTAL*).

Official Fuel Economy Figures for the new MINI Clubman Range: Urban 35.3-60.1mpg (8-4.7 l/100km). Extra Urban 52.3-76.3mpg (5.4-3.7 l/100km). Combined 44.8-68.9mpg (6.3-4.1 l/100km). CO2 Emissions 147-109g/km. Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions.

Business users only. *Price shown for a MINI Cooper D Clubman excludes VAT at 20% and is for a 24 month Contract Hire agreement, with a contract mileage of 8,000 miles and excess mileage charge of 9.96p per mile. Applies to new vehicles ordered between 1 January and 29 February and registered by 30 June (subject to availability). At the end of your agreement you must return the vehicle and vehicle condition, excess mileage and other charges may be payable. Available subject to status to UK residents aged 18 or over. Guarantees and indemnities may be required. The amount of VAT you can reclaim depends on your business VAT status. Terms and conditions apply. Offer may be varied, withdrawn or extended at any time. Hire provided by BMW Group Corporate Finance. BMW Group Corporate Finance is a trading style of Alphabet (GB) Limited, Alphabet House, Summit Avenue, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 0FB. MINI (UK) is a trading style of BMW (UK) Ltd. BMW (UK) Ltd, Summit ONE, Summit Avenue, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 0FB. Registered in England and Wales 1378137. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for credit broking activities.

33870_MINI_Clubman_Q1_DPS-274x202.indd All Pages 05/02/2016 13:08

MARCH 2016_MODUS 37

THE NEW MINI COOPER D CLUBMAN.

With a stylish exterior design, unique interior features and high levels of standard equipment, including MINI Navigation and Bluetooth®, the new MINI Clubman is set to become a fleet favourite. The thrifty Cooper D diesel engine offers competitive fuel economy thanks to efficient MINIMALSIM technology.

CO2 EMISSIONS FROM 109g/km | BIK FROM 19% | MPG (COMBINED) UP TO 68.9

To find out more visit www.minibusinesspartnership.co.uk

MONTHLY RENTAL FROM £189 (PLUS £1,134 INITIAL RENTAL*).

Official Fuel Economy Figures for the new MINI Clubman Range: Urban 35.3-60.1mpg (8-4.7 l/100km). Extra Urban 52.3-76.3mpg (5.4-3.7 l/100km). Combined 44.8-68.9mpg (6.3-4.1 l/100km). CO2 Emissions 147-109g/km. Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions.

Business users only. *Price shown for a MINI Cooper D Clubman excludes VAT at 20% and is for a 24 month Contract Hire agreement, with a contract mileage of 8,000 miles and excess mileage charge of 9.96p per mile. Applies to new vehicles ordered between 1 January and 29 February and registered by 30 June (subject to availability). At the end of your agreement you must return the vehicle and vehicle condition, excess mileage and other charges may be payable. Available subject to status to UK residents aged 18 or over. Guarantees and indemnities may be required. The amount of VAT you can reclaim depends on your business VAT status. Terms and conditions apply. Offer may be varied, withdrawn or extended at any time. Hire provided by BMW Group Corporate Finance. BMW Group Corporate Finance is a trading style of Alphabet (GB) Limited, Alphabet House, Summit Avenue, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 0FB. MINI (UK) is a trading style of BMW (UK) Ltd. BMW (UK) Ltd, Summit ONE, Summit Avenue, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 0FB. Registered in England and Wales 1378137. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for credit broking activities.

33870_MINI_Clubman_Q1_DPS-274x202.indd All Pages 05/02/2016 13:08

38 RICS.ORG/MODUS

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PerhaPs no other country is as closely associated with finance and wealth as Switzerland. So, it should come as no surprise that Swiss building costs are also among the most expensive in the world.

Last year’s international construction costs report, prepared by consultant Arcadis, identified Switzerland as the priciest market in which to build, ahead of Denmark, Hong Kong and Sweden. The 2016 report focuses on cities rather than countries, but Geneva still takes fourth place, only surpassed by New York, London and Hong Kong.

“Hong Kong is a very small territory, so if you look at national construction markets, Switzerland is still probably the most expensive large country,” says Simon Rawlinson MRICS, Arcadis’ head of strategic research.

David Duffy FRICS, chairman of Swiss construction economist Ecas, says that building costs are on average 20%-25% higher – and in some cases up to 40% higher – than neighbouring countries. That is despite a value added tax rate of 8%, more than 10% less than in the surrounding EU countries.

Why is construction in Switzerland so expensive? A large part of the explanation rests with the Swiss franc. The strength of the currency is such that it easily tops the Economist’s Big Mac index, which measures whether currencies are overvalued or undervalued by comparing how much a McDonald’s burger costs in each country. In January 2015, the index suggested that the Swiss currency was overvalued by 33%, even before the Swiss franc shot up against the euro last year because the country’s central bank abandoned its currency peg to the euro.

“In an international price comparison, the exchange rate adds an extra 10% or even 20% to the cost of construction in Switzerland,” says Duffy.

ROUND NUMBERSThe Circle (1) is a mixed-use development currently under construction next to Zurich airport. The 2m ft2 (180,000 m2) scheme has a projected cost of CHF1bn (£703.4m)

DRAG ON FINANCESJapan Tobacco International’s new Geneva headquarters (2) took three years to build and costs exceeded its CHF150m (£105.5m) initial budget, reports Swiss magazine Bilan

SHOW ME THE MONEY

1

If you want to get anything built in Switzerland, you’d better have deep pockets, says Stuart Watson

2

MARCH 2016_MODUS 39

to use foreign casual labour and it is closely monitored,” says Chiovetta. “We use a lot of external subcontractors and if their workforce is not properly registered we are responsible for it; so the bigger companies need to be guardians for the compliance of the smaller ones.”

Chiovetta argues that foreign firms find it difficult to compete except for very basic jobs, reducing competition that might otherwise help to keep prices down.

Not surprisingly, you need deep pockets to compete. “Pension funds play a huge part in purchasing and constructing new buildings,” says Derek Hill MRICS, Ecas benchmarks manager. “A small developer probably wouldn’t survive here. To own one block of apartments you would need to have several million behind you.”

Inward migration of highly paid professionals has helped to keep Switzerland’s economy competitive despite the strength of its currency, says Duffy, but it has also driven demand for high-quality housing, increasing prices further still: “A German buyer or tenant expects perfection,” says Duffy. “But a Swiss occupier expects perfection-plus.”

The high value of the franc makes it cheaper to import materials and equipment from abroad. However, “materials

are only a fraction of the cost of labour and there is still loyalty to local products and manufacturers from contractors and clients”, says Chiovetta.

Swiss inflation was negative throughout 2015 and, together with lower materials prices and slightly increased competition, that has helped to subdue further cost increases over the past year, suggests Hill. Nevertheless, Switzerland will continue to be a very expensive market in which to build.

There is a silver lining, though, for property developers. “Finding savings in the construction cost is not the most critical factor to the success of a property development,” says Chiovetta. “The prices here are justified in part by high construction quality. Also, the development will have a higher rental income and investors accept lower yields on projects in Switzerland because the economic environment is safer. It is a lower risk, lower return business environment.”

Like a Swiss watch, the country’s property market is pricey, but quality and reliability never come cheap. n

Paris

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123 145

103 137

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Another contributory factor is the country’s status within Europe. “Switzerland is this little, semi-protected island, despite signing up to all the EU’s free trade agreements,” says Duffy. “That affects Switzerland in every respect, not just construction. The Swiss consumer is forever complaining about having to pay 10%-20% more for the same goods sold over the border. If a building products manufacturer wants to sell its products in Switzerland, inevitably it will set a slightly higher price than it would in Germany.”

Although construction companies from outside Switzerland are free to operate within its borders, they have to pay their workers as much as their Swiss equivalents and abide by the same rules on employee training and benefits.

“The cost of living is higher, which translates into higher labour costs; the labour market is highly regulated and unions are extremely powerful,” says Sylvain Chiovetta MRICS, head of development for west Switzerland at construction company, Implenia.

Luciano Gabriel, CEO of investor-developer PSP Swiss Property, adds: “In general, salary levels are higher, but the biggest difference is for unskilled labour. In Switzerland, people are sometimes surprised when buildings don’t have a doorman or valet parking. Hiring the people to do those jobs costs significantly more here. The lowest salaries are CHF22-CHF23 [£15-£16] an hour.”

Labour regulations are strictly and efficiently enforced. Building sites violating the rules are shut down. “It is illegal IM

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SWISS TOLLSGeneva is now the second most expensive European city in which to build. The index covers 13 different building types and the range represents differences in specification as well as the cost of labour and materials

Source: Arcadis

NEW HEIGHTS Zurich’s Prime Tower office development was completed in 2011 and is the tallest building in Switzerland. The property cost CHF380m (£267.4m) to build

International construction costs report 2016 Prepared by consultant Arcadis bit.ly/Arcadis2016CRB Provides pricing information for construction and maintenance costs in Switzerland (German/French/Italian) crb.ch

Swiss Federal Statistical Office Provides an index for various types of construction (German) bit.ly/Swiss_statsZurich Wohnbaupreise Index Tracks the price of constructing a typical Zurich residential apartment building (German) bit.ly/stadtZurich_ZIW

REFERENCE POINT REPORTS AND RESOURCES

Briefing

BY NUMBERS

40 RICS.ORG/MODUS

THE RIGHT ALTITUDE

PEAK DEMANDThe property is being refurbished to meet high sustainability standards and take advantage of pension funds’ demands for more responsible investment opportunities

Summit HouSe iS a refurbiSHment witH a difference. The £21m project will create nearly 108,000 ft2 (10,000 m2) of commercial space in the City of London but, more significantly, it will have a BREEAM excellent rating and Energy Performance Certificate B. A pretty impressive makeover for what was an energy-hungry, 1980s office block.

This is the latest project financed by Low Carbon Workplace (LCW), a partnership between the Carbon Trust, developer Stanhope, and Columbia Threadneedle Investments, which converts old buildings into modern, energy-efficient offices. It has built four so far, and Summit House, which started on site in March 2015, is number five.

“Ethical investment is on the rise, with big public-sector pension funds, for example, keen to invest responsibly,” says Rob Watts, operations director, Stanhope. “At the same time, developers want to reduce their exposure to environmental legislation, and get rid of obsolete buildings, while their tenants want offices with low running costs.”

A low-carbon investment fund is transforming ageing commercial buildings into energy-efficient, modern offices. Will Mann looks at its latest project in the City of London, Summit House

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Client Low Carbon Workplace Project manager/cost consultant Gleeds Main contractor Willmott Dixon Architect AstudioDeveloper StanhopeLetting agents Gryphon Property Partners, Hall Kemp

MARCH 2016_MODUS 41

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However, achieving high energy efficiency ratings on refurbishment projects is far from straightforward. “The main challenge is understanding the building’s limitations,” says Shane Broad MRICS, quantity surveyor for Gleeds on Summit House. “You have to work out how the new features will interact with the existing. Fortunately, we are adding lots of new elements – the facade and two floors – so it is easier to achieve the environmental ratings.”

Originally five storeys high, the top floor of the property is being removed completely with two new floors being added. These will sit at oblique angles, connected internally by a freestanding spiral staircase. All floors are being reconfigured to increase space, with the risers located in new lift cores, and an infill has been added between Summit House and a neighbouring property.

To meet the environmental targets, Summit House will have an intelligent building management system (BMS) and many passive design features. On the upper

HIGH EXPOSUREThe interior will have an industrial finish, with steelwork and services left exposed. This is the favoured look of the tech firms located nearby who are the target tenants

TOPPING UPThe £21m refurbishment will create more than 100,000 ft2 of office space in a tight site on the edge of the City of London, aided by the addition of two new floors

FRESHLY WRAPPEDThe copper cladding includes vents that link to the building’s ventilation system. Passive design features include shading on the glazing to prevent solar gain

floors, shading on the glazing prevents solar gain, while on lower floors, low emissivity coating keeps warmth inside. Internally, infrared sensors will adapt temperature, light and ventilation in occupied areas. Water pipes will transfer heat from parts of the building that need cooling to areas that need heating, and vice versa.

Delivering all this within budget was a challenge. “The cost of the building services increased significantly over the last year,” says Broad. “It was important to understand the requirements of the BMS from the first estimate and manage expectations during development of the cost plans and through to tender stage.”

The most visually striking aspect of Summit House will be the copper facade – which also plays an important role in the building’s environmental performance. The panels, which are treated with an acid wash to prevent discolouration, feature hidden vents which connect to the ventilation system, and draw in air from the outside.

The facade package also put pressure on costs. “We had to work closely with the architect Astudio, main contractor Willmott Dixon, and its subcontractors to rationalise the design and still hit the required specification and performance,” says Broad.

Whoever occupies the office can expect substantial reductions in their energy bills. “Our unique selling point is intelligent metering and monitoring of the building’s energy use,” says Watts. “We will share data on the building’s performance so [tenants] can adapt their behaviour.”

A further environmental plus is the office’s high level of public transport accessibility. LCW looks for sites with good transport links to lower the carbon footprint of the building when in operation.

The property is scheduled for completion this August and is being marketed as 70 Wilson – a reference to the street on which it sits. LCW, which has set aside £175m for future developments, has another four projects in the pipeline. nIM

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Who enjoys an appraisal? Plenty of HR folk certainly do not. Business research firm CEB found that 90% of HR leaders felt performance reviews fail to provide accurate information. Psychologists at Stanford University – studying 607 appraisal processes – found that ranking employees on a performance scale actually worsened staff performance in many cases. Earlier last year, Accenture said it would ditch annual appraisals completely, while Deloitte has already done so.

One criticism of appraisals is that their infrequency, and limited time, means well-meant constructive feedback is left out, or poor behaviour is glossed over in the interests of keeping staff motivated.

“Either managers are too lazy and everyone gets the same rating, or appraisals create false rankings by inventing a bottom 10% – even if everyone is actually succeeding,” says Tim Taylor, director of training provider Making Great Leaders. “Ill-prepared managers can also unfairly focus on goals made 12 months ago that might not now be relevant.”

At project manager Clarkson Alliance, founder Graham Clarkson seeks to eliminate these concerns by scheduling reviews every six months. He also ensures they do not overly concentrate on the past. “We ask what three things people enjoyed doing the most, and what their strengths were, but mostly it’s about the future,” he says. “Most organisations use appraisals to focus on what people aren’t good at. We want the right people in the right positions, doing more of what they like to do, so we ask what they want to do, where they see themselves, and how we can accommodate it.”

Clarkson’s approach to appraisals is far removed from the chastising nature in which they are often conducted. “A good appraisal must ensure everybody understands their contribution to the business and agree on a development plan aligned to objectives,” says Jo Parker, senior business development manager in the HR consultancy division of EEF – the manufacturers’ organisation.

Clarkson is so keen to get this right, he has brought in behavioural scientists and a former HR director from Marks & Spencer to act as consultants. Their advice was to let employees do 70% of the talking. “It’s about people’s personal development, so we give them the chance to say what they think and how best they can use their strengths.”

Even when staff are given greater control, many are not always confident enough to raise issues they feel are important. One solution is to introduce crowdsourced feedback – where views of colleagues can be used to start a conversation. “We’re all used to feedback – whether we shop on Amazon or eBay, or use TripAdvisor,” says Paul Barnes, UK managing director of online survey company Questback. “All this points to a new form of staff appraisal, focused on creating a stream of two-way feedback supported by technology.”

Better still, though, are processes where everyone is clear what is happening. “We have a clear structure to ensure nothing is left to chance and that reviews are consistent,” says Peter Cummings MRICS, global head of retail at Turner & Townsend. “Everyone is briefed on what areas we’ll be talking about well in advance of the meeting. This way, employees know it is a constructive conversation, and it’s about how we can help them.”

FoundationsCareers / Business / Legal / Training

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How to ask your boss for some honest feedback. For this and much more careers advice, go to ricsrecruit.com

ON RICSRECRUIT.COM

WHAT NOT TO DO

It pays to discriminate

Do not confuse appraisals with pay

reviews. They are different, and should

be held separately. Otherwise, all that is in an employee’s

mind is whether they are getting a pay rise.

Be sincere Do not underestimate that appraisals are still important

encounters. Avoid flippant answers in the form-filling.

Do your homework Do not arrive unprepared. What you get out is a

product of what you put in.

APPRAISE YOUR GAMECAREERS Taking a more collaborative approach can prevent the dreaded review process from becoming a negative experience

MARCH 2016_MODUS 43

Foundations

NONKU NTSHONA & ASSOCIATES QUANTITY SURVEYORS, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

MY WAY

Nonku Ntshona MRICS

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TIMELINE

1999 Quantity surveying degree, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.

2005-6 Masters in property development and management, University of the Witwatersrand.

2005 Joins Turner & Townsend, becomes an RICS member.

2007 Sets up Nonku Ntshona & Associates in Johannesburg.

2010 Wins Young Black Entrepreneur of the Year, Oliver Empowerment Awards.

THE BEGINNINGGrowing up in Durban, construction was always in my family – my father is a contractor and my brother a development manager – but it took me a while to also follow their path. I started out studying for a finance degree, but I realised in my first year of study I didn’t actually enjoy accounting. By chance, I got talking to someone on campus about their degree in quantity surveying. It really convinced me it was a better career option, so I enrolled for a degree in quantity surveying the following year at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) in Port Elizabeth. THE BREAKTHROUGH After gaining a few years’ experience at a couple of smaller surveying firms, a big turning point came when I joined Turner & Townsend in 2005, where I would later become an associate director within cost management. Quite often I would work with RICS professionals who would tell me about their work all over the world, and I realised that being a member would help me gain international work and experience. At the time, I was already a member of the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS), which

“RICS professionals would tell me about their work all over the world and I realised that being a member would help me”

had a reciprocal agreement with RICS for a route to RICS membership, so I applied and was very happy to be accepted.

THE PRESENT Although I had a great time at Turner & Townsend, I always had an urge to start a practice. But I was determined to first get as much experience as possible and market myself in the industry before taking the step. In 2007, I felt the time was right and I started my own firm. My day to day consists of managing the practice of 17 staff, planning our growth strategy and marketing the firm, as well as performing quantity surveying services for clients around Johannesburg. THE FUTUREOur plan is to diversify further, and we are already growing the business in other provinces in South Africa. We’re also undertaking projects in the wider African market, beginning with a scheme in Zambia. RICS is a great platform for those who have the urge to broaden their horizons.rics.org/nonkuntshona

44 RICS.ORG/MODUS

“I’ve written books on advertising – cheque books.” It’s one of the Apprentice star Lord Sugar’s funnier quips, perhaps because it contains a kernel of truth. Advertising campaigns can be outrageously expensive and, unless there is a return on investment (ROI), they can have a negative impact on the bottom line. But advertising does not sit alone as a promotional activity – it is best combined with a mix of online marketing, social media and PR. Businesses about to embark on a campaign need to define their aims, then select the best channels to achieve them.

Jonathan Mountford MRICS is a partner at Andrew Grant, an estate agent based in central England. The business spends regularly with local and trade media for recruitment, brand awareness and property sales. “You have to spend to get your brand and name out there,” he says. “We tend to advertise for jobs in Estates Gazette and Property Week and it’s a bit hit and miss. However, they are better value for money than a recruitment agent.”

Mountford says the market is split between older people, who still use and respond to traditional media, and a younger audience who prefer online. “In five years’ time, everything will be online,” he predicts. “The younger end of the market have been brought up on computers, and that’s how they are going to look for property.”

As a result of this shift, the business hired a social media manager, who keeps the company’s Twitter feed, Facebook page and LinkedIn page busy. Social media enables the business to comment on industry developments, promote its brand and highlight events and developments in the company. “We use it to talk about things that are interesting, things that are short and snappy,” says Mountford.

CAMPAIGN AND GAINThe nature of any advertising or media campaign must be dictated by the type of business. Consumer-facing businesses tend to need to invest more in their brand and image. Business-to-business (B2B) companies, meanwhile, will rely more on long-term relationships with clients, referrals and reputation.

Tim Garratt FRICS, managing director of Nottingham-based Innes England, is very much on the B2B side, handling surveys for corporate clients. He says his top 30 clients are predominantly repeat business and referrals and, as a result, he is sceptical of the importance of advertising. “Print media doesn’t work well for us and our reliance on it is less and less. On property sales and letting, they have some limited value.”

Nevertheless, Garratt still feels he has to spend “tens of thousands” on advertising per year, as tracking ROI is difficult. “It’s as the marketing man says: ‘If we knew which 5% was working, we’d cut the other 95%.’” But we don’t, so we keep spending 100%.”

Cathy Hayward, MD of PR agency Magenta Associates, handles the media spend for clients in the built environment sector. She says it is possible to track ad spend, particularly when it is designed to generate a call to action. “If you want people to click through to your website, set up a special landing page for the advert so you can see activity, or a new phone number for phone enquiries,” she recommends.

She also has some words of caution when it comes to negotiating with advertising sales people. “[They] will tell you anything to get you to sign on the dotted line. Don’t be wowed by magazines offering free editorial next to an advert. Chances are, they aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on,” she says.

Midlands-based Allcott Associates’ stock in trade is residential surveys. Co-founder Tim Allcott MRICS has tried numerous advertising techniques over the years. Now, most of his efforts are focused on

COMMERCIAL BREAKTHROUGH

BUSINESS Advertising can be a budget- burner. Getting a return is essential

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All in the mix The best campaigns are a blend of advertising, social media and PR.

Be web savvy Online engagement is essential, as your

future customers will have grown up on it.

What is your market? If your business is more client facing,

is spending on advertising strictly necessary?

Word play In a competitive marketplace, it pays to spend

money on keyword association.Follow the money A good

analytics package will help you track return on investment.

FIVE-POINT PRIMER

MARCH 2016_MODUS 45

pay-per-click advertising (PPC), which involves buying keywords or search terms from Google. Allcott spends £150,000 a year on PPC and a further £12,000 ensuring his website is fully optimised.

“We use a digital marketing company for PPC and search-engine optimisation [SEO] and we are in the market space for certain keywords,” says Allcott. “It can be expensive. When you’re spending £20 per click, you’ve got to get a conversion. Unless you know what you’re doing, you’re just wasting money. Google Analytics shows you what the traffic is and measures conversions, too.”

Allcott is impressed with how trackable the Google system is and how quickly spend is converted into business. “It has a fast impact on the number of surveys we do,” he says. “And if I know I am going to have a surveyor on holiday, then we can turn down the ad spend so we don’t have work we cannot do.”

Little wonder this is how Allcott sees his business growing in the future. “The domestic survey market is very competitive and, unless you’re on the first page of Google, you don’t really exist,” he says.

LEGAL 101

Marketing effort is a limited resource for most practices, so it is vital to concentrate effort by focusing attention on specific potential targets.

In marketing your professional services, it is highly likely that you will be trying to displace or

supplement an existing adviser. When identifying a target, you should consider three questions: ››What are the target’s buying criteria likely to be? ››To what extent can you match this criteria? ››How strongly in place is the current adviser?

This is an extract from the Business Development factsheet, part of the RICS Small Business Toolkit. To download the factsheet, go to rics.org/smallbusiness

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Clearing up some facts on pollutionJOHN LANNING, director, Robinson Buckley

Most standard public liability insurance policies typically cover indemnity for sudden and unforeseen instances of pollution. What is not covered is protection for the clean-up and rectification costs; third-party bodily injury liability; surrounding property damage or nuisance; potential business disruption; legal and reputation-building costs; or where the pollution has been gradual or historic. For these instances, specialist insurance cover is recommended.

What are the sources of pollution? There is sometimes a misplaced assumption that only heavy manufacturing or gas- and chemical-utilising businesses face pollution-related risks. In fact, pollution into the local environment can occur from a variety of sources, such as construction and redevelopment work, heating or cooling systems, machinery, equipment and waste systems. In addition, pollution may also be inherent in the land from the site’s past usage.

Who pays? In the UK the statutory position is very much that the “polluter pays” and finances the rectification and related liability costs. However, with historic pollution, the original polluting business may no longer be trading or able to be traced. In such circumstances, the new owner of the site is liable. For those surveyors’ clients looking to redevelop or

make use of brownfield sites, this means that a full assessment of the land’s pollution risk from its past usage is important to ensure liability is not a likely issue in the future.

What else should be taken into account? In looking at the financial implications of site pollution, it is not just the clean-up costs that have to be taken into account. With more than 250 pieces of legislation with environmental implications, there may be liability and legal costs relating from the event. If the business has to shut down during an investigation or clean-up, then this will have a serious bearing on its bottom line. In the long term it may have to invest in professional advice and activities to rebuild its reputation.

Who can help? Specialist insurance policies that address these issues are available. Your clients should ensure they have the right insurance to cover their property or site’s development plans and business operations. Surveyors are, of course, well placed to alert their clients to seek specialist insurance advice if they feel the premises, the business operations, processes and equipment may warrant pollution risk cover. Few, however, realise that cover for gradual and historic pollution is not a common feature of standard policies. The key is to encourage clients to check their policies and seek specialist cover for potential risk.robinsonbuckley.co.uk

TARGET YOUR MARKETING EFFORTS

“In five years’ time, everything will be online. The younger end of the market have been brought up on computers, and that’s how they are going to look for property”

JONATHAN MOUNTFORD MRICS Andrew Grant

46 RICS.ORG/MODUS

Ad to come

Ad to come

Ad to come

RICS Small Business HubEssential tools for managing and growing your business

rics.org/smallbusiness

Running a business can be both rewarding and challenging. The Small Business Hub is a free resource for sole practitioners and small firms. From compliance to growth strategies the Hub provides tools to support you in all aspects of setting up and managing your practice.

MARCH 2016_MODUS 47

survey for the buyer of the vendor’s property. In addition, another person in the same firm might be helping to arrange a mortgage for the buyer by acting on behalf of a bank. This is particularly common in residential estate agency, where a whole range of services are being provided for different parties in a series of connected transactions, by firms that could all be owned by the same group.

Surveyors should ensure they have proper compliance procedures and understandable systems that record the clients for whom the firm is acting, and carry out necessary checks before taking on instructions. Be open and honest, ensure you advise your client of a potential – or even perceived – conflict of interest, and make sure it is all in writing. Furthermore, when advising a client, be careful not to disclose any confidential information of which you might be aware.

Bear in mind that what is applicable in one part of the world may not be in another, so surveyors working internationally should always adhere to the laws of the country in which they are operating.

SIMON WAINWRIGHT FRICS is managing director of JPeiserWainwright and Chair of the RICS Commercial Property Board jpeiserwainwright.com

It is common practice to avoid conflicts of interest wherever possible, but it is never quite that simple. A conflict might not occur at day one of a transaction, but further down the line. Although all parties may believe conflicts of interest have been dealt with, surveyors should always be aware of how a transaction might change and evolve, and whether they can spot the potential for a conflict of interest to occur at a future date. If a situation goes wrong, your professionalism could be questioned.

Simplistically, the focus has been on conflicts of interest in the “double running” scenario, where an agent might act for both buyer and seller. In fact, this is quite rare, because most people can sensibly avoid such a situation. Furthermore, there is nothing illegal about this under the current guidance, provided all parties are fully aware of the situation and consent to it in writing.

Conflicts of interest more commonly occur through secondary services. On such occasions, one party might be acting for a vendor, while someone else in the same firm is providing a building

The CPD Foundation offers UK members a convenient and comprehensive way to meet their CPD goals for one annual payment. Sign up at rics.org/cpdfoundation

CPD: ON DEMAND

PROFESSIONAL ETHICS AND CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITYFree-to-view seminar with RICS’ Peter Bolton-King (above) and Skanska UK’s Adam Crossley. Watch at cpdfoundation.com/webcasts/224 ››CPD hours: 1

THE HARRIS DEBATE – ETHICS AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST: WHO, WHEN, HOW AND WHAT?Watch last November’s debate, chaired by Lord Bichard, the National Audit Office chair (above), free at cpdfoundation.com/harris-debate››CPD hours: 1.5

COMMON CONFLICTS OF INTEREST IN COMMERCIAL BUILDINGSWebcast led by Simon Wainwright (above), Chair of the RICS Commercial Property Board. Watch at cpdfoundation. com/webcasts/215 (subscription required)››CPD hours: 1

CPD boosterRelated content from RICS

DON’T BE CONFLICTED

Foundations

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Always be aware of your business’ circumstances to avoid questions of impropriety

48 RICS.ORG/MODUS

BENEFITSTo view the latest offers, new partners and promotions, visit rics.org/benefitsplus

Advertorial

Businesses of every size rely to an extent on information technology and data. This could expose both you and your clients and contacts to a potential financial loss if data is mislaid, stolen or rendered inaccessible.

Cyber liability insurance is designed to help businesses respond rapidly and effectively in the event of data breach and ensures they are covered for any subsequent losses. So why should you buy cyber liability cover? Immediate response team In the event of a cyber- or data-related incident, rectifying the situation quickly is critical to ensuring your clients’ data is safe and your business can continue operating. Do you have the technical skills, finances or relationships with IT

suppliers to do that? A good cyber liability policy will provide you with access to industry experts, including PR, legal and IT specialists operating under prenegotiated rates, to help you respond as quickly as possible.

Mitigation costs Professional indemnity (PI) policies are designed to respond to a “demand for damages or compensation” by a third party. In the event of a data breach, your clients probably will not know they have been affected. Therefore, a claim, under the definition of the PI policy, will not be made and the policy may not respond. This is important, as your business is likely to start incurring costs as soon as you become aware of the breach but a PI may not cover these costs.

Covering the cost of notifying affected parties At the end of 2016 it will become mandatory, in the UK, to notify individuals who are potentially affected by a breach. As well as the administrative costs of handling this requirement, companies could also incur other costs from obtaining specialist legal advice, or providing credit monitoring services to those affected. A comprehensive cyber liability policy would – subject to excess – cover these costs.

PI policy inner limits Some PI policies contain limits for loss of documents or electronic records. These will often be set at around £25,000. Is this enough to resolve a situation in which an employee inadvertently deletes key files or your customer database is corrupted with no recourse to back-ups?

Cyber extortion Imagine you receive a communication from a third party threatening to disclose confidential information held by your business unless you pay a ransom of £50,000. This payment would not be covered by a conventional PI policy, but would be covered by a cyber liability policy.

Cover for the unprofessional accidentA PI policy is designed to respond to claims that arise in the conduct of professional business. They might not, therefore, respond to a claim arising due to an employee losing a laptop at the coffee shop on a Sunday morning.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION on cyber liability insurance, please call Greg Harrison on +44 (0)20 7133 1505

Insuring your data is as important as covering your physical assets

BE CYBER SMART

MARCH 2016_MODUS 49

Booksrics.org/shopSURVEYED

Is there a book, website, or app you could not be without? Email editor@ricsmodus.com

A-Z of Housing Provides an accessible and up-to-date overview of the current debates and discussions in housing policy and practice. £14.99

A Practical Guide to Construction Adjudication Identifies all the key issues in statutory adjudication in a highly practical way, so that the reader can quickly get to grips with key issues. £64.95

A Practical Guide to the NEC3 Engineering and Construction Contract Written specifically for people using and administering NEC contracts.£75

Foundations

“I COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT” CRAIG MACDONALD MRICS

Commonly known as drones, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is growing in the industry. From inspecting high roofs to surveying hard-to-access mines or masterplanning development sites, UAVs can help surveyors get a bigger picture of the built environment.

One of the latest UAVs on the market that can quickly capture reliable aerial data for aerial mapping or inspections is the ZX5 Multirotor from Trimble. Fast to set up and easy to operate, it has a durable chassis made from light, fracture-resistant carbon, and can fly in strong winds for up to 20 minutes and as far as 2km.

Its on-board 16-megapixel Olympus camera can capture high-quality, georeferenced aerial imagery with an image resolution down to 1mm, while a live video feed option is ideal for inspecting civil infrastructure, utilities, and oil and gas pipelines.

Data can be subsequently be imported into Trimble’s software package to create detailed orthophotos, digital elevation models, point clouds, 3D models and more.

TRIMBLE ZX5 MULTIROTOR £20,000 (prices may vary depending on region). Learn about the ZX5 at this online webinar: bit.ly/trimbleZX5 and read Roy Emmerson MRICS’ advice on the benefits and drawbacks of using UAVs at rics.org/drones4surveyors

ALSO THIS MONTH››Landmark’s free Flood Risk app (Apple app store) is essential for advising clients on the risk.››Read thought-provoking stories on the world of real estate and its impact on the wider business world at JLL’s Real Views blog: jllrealviews.com››With the drop in commodity prices and the potential for a UK exit from the EU, Savills’ 2016 predictions suggest the future for farm incomes remains uncertain: bit.ly/Savills_2016

EYE IN THE SKY

ZOOM WITH A VIEW

ZX5’s 16- megapixel

camera takes georeferenced

images down to a resolution

of 1mm

EQUIPMENT

Beyond ConditionIt is: A browser app to help you collate site inspection photos from

your computer, phone or tablet. It’s ideal for building consultants, project and facilities managers and other auditing professionals for creating customised photographic reports. How does it work? Once you upload your photos and fill in data relevant to each image,

the key thing it does is save time by streamlining the boring data entry. You can then export it as a customised Excel or Word document, with images in place if required. I use this a lot for my condition surveys dilapidation reports. It’s brilliant for eliminating on-site form filling and

gives me an opportunity to reflect on my findings.Price: Free one-month trial (further purchase options available). beyondcondition.com

CRAIG MACDONALD MRICS is a senior building consultant at KPMG Australiacraigjlmacdonald.com

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Notices

EVENTSFull RICS events listings online at rics.org/events For enquiries, call +44 (0)20 7695 1600. All prices are +VAT

››RICS Rural Mid-Session Conference, Scotland12 May, SNH BattlebyIndustry professionals from across the rural sector will come together to discuss, debate, and learn how emerging policies and changes to current practices can impact on your clients’ business. CPD: 5.5 hours £75 rics.org/scotlandrural

››RICS Residential Property Conference6 July, London Unpicking the changes introduced by the Housing and Planning Bill 2015-16. Expert speakers examine its impact on the future of affordable housing and the private-rented sector. Personalise your CPD whatever your specialism. Technical breakout sessions for survey, valuation and agency will provide best-practice examples to improve and enhance your business. CPD: 6 hours £138 early bird rate rics.org/residentialconference

UNITED KINGDOM››RICS CPOs in Practice RoadshowApril–May, various locationsThanks to the UK government’s plan to boost infrastructure to unlock growth potential, there will be a huge demand for surveyors who understand the compulsory purchase order (CPO) process. This roadshow will guide you through CPOs so that you are fully equipped to advise clients. CPD: 3.5 hours £80 rics.org/cporoadshow

››RICS Environment and Resources Conference14 April, NottinghamExplore new opportunities for land management and valuation of ecosystems. Refresh your knowledge on environmental law and ensure you are compliant to minimise any risks to your clients’ business. Further sessions delve into fracking and the Infrastructure Act 2015 and issues around minerals ownership.CPD: 3.5 hours £80 rics.org/envandresources

››RICS Building Surveying Conference 19 April, LondonThe theme at this year’s flagship conference focuses on “fit for the future”, making reference to the increasing need to embrace change in the profession, market, government policies and with your clients.CPD: 6 hours £220 rics.org/bsconference

››RICS Commercial Management in Infrastructure Conference26 April, LondonFocusing on the role of the commercial manager in delivering infrastructure projects, while managing costs and risk and delivering promised value. The programme will address the key aspects of commercial management, covering cost planning, dispute avoidance, supply chain management risk mitigation and BIM.CPD: 5.5 hours £245 rics.org/infrastructureconference

››RICS QS & Construction Conference, Scotland28 April, Glasgow This annual conference assembles leading figures to debate, address and solve the issues affecting the industry. Topics include addressing the skills shortage, increasing diversity and meeting BIM and infrastructure demands. The conference also provides technical sessions that will equip you to meet the challenges to your business in today’s market. CPD: 5.5 hours £125 rics.org/scotlandqs

The summit brings together leaders and best practices from across the full range of property and construction professions: capital markets, tax assessment, quantity surveying, facilities management, institutional investment, real estate and business, development, and personal property valuation. Join RICS members for exclusive opportunities to connect with delegates from around the world and participate in market-leading discussions across a variety of summit tracks. Delegates will hear from prominent speakers covering the full real estate life-cycle. Former Treasury Secretary Dr Laurence H Summers and Jim Fetgatter FRICS, chief executive of the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate, are among the keynote speakers.CPD: 13 hours $1,195 (£827), single-day rates and student rates also available rics.org/sota

3-5 April, Washington DC

WORLD BUILT ENVIRONMENT FORUM AT THE SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS

INTERNATIONAL››MIPIM15–18 March, Palais des Festivals, Cannes, FranceRICS will have a full programme at this year’s MIPIM, the world’s largest real estate conference and exhibition. The focus will be on urbanisation, responsible business, and RICS Futures. To see the full range of activities, visit rics.org/MIPIM, and to register for the event, go to mipim.com

MARCH 2016_MODUS 51

Bill (Brian) Perry grew up in Bexleyheath and was able to recall living through the dark days of the blitz. After World War II, he served as a surveyor with the Royal Artillery.

Following Army service, he worked for Bexley Borough Council where he met his first wife, Shirley. They moved around the country as he developed his career in local government. Sadly the marriage ended in 1973. He married

his second wife, June, and they remained together until she passed away last year.Bill qualified as a chartered surveyor, which led to him becoming deputy engineer

and surveyor at Chelmsford Rural Council, and then assistant director of technical services at Chelmsford District Council, until he retired in the late 1990s. Following retirement, Bill took up a second career as a consultant surveyor, which took him all over London on various surveys, including the Underground network.

Bill had many pastimes, including sailing his boat, Amphora, and building model ships and steam engines. He was a very loving father to his children, Gwen – now sadly passed away – and David, and grandfather to Zoe and Alexa. Recently he had become a very proud great-grandfather to Archie.

Bill sadly departed on his final voyage on 28 November. His family and friends miss him enormously but draw comfort from their many happy memories of him.

Notices

“BILL” (BRIAN) PERRY, 1928-2015

››Warren Austin Lapper MRICS, 1956-2015Wallington››Dean Terence Locke MRICS, 1969-2015Sutton››Alan John Meek FRICS1949-2015, London››Jonathan Daniel Merrick Miller MRICS1977-2015, London››Keith David Reader MRICS, 1956-2015Orpington››John Andrew Thompson FRICS1947-2015, London

NORTH EAST››Donald Yeowart Mitchell FRICS 1931-2015 Chester-le-Street

NORTH WEST››Adrian Banks MRICS1970-2015, Penrith››Barry Ernest Cresswell FRICS, 1917-2015Southport››Anthony David Evanson FRICS1929-2015, Clitheroe››Donald Harold Green MRICS, 1927-2015Altrincham››Michael James Hodge FRICS, 1946-2015Lancashire››Herbert Holland FRICS1930-2015, Rossendale››Mark Anthony George Jones MRICS1965-2015, Macclesfield››Allen Lees FRICS1931-2015, Oldham››Alan John MacKay MRICS, 1946-2015Chorley››Kevin Mitchinson FRICS, 1955-2015Wirral

››Ian Bell Perry FRICS1950-2015, Oldham››Geoffrey Winton Smith MRICS, 1926-2015Stockport

SOUTH EAST››Richard Allden FRICS 1920-2015, Pulborough››John Gilbert Anderson FRICS, 1937-2015Burford››Lord The Rt. Hon. Beaulieu HonRICS1926-2015Brockenhurst››Herbert Edward Bellas MRICS, 1923-2015Guildford››Merrick Maurice Blake AssocRICS, 1928-2015Lightwater››Trevor Laurance John Burfield FRICS 1926-2015 Haywards Heath››David William Croser FRICS, 1928-2015Amersham

››Sir Brian Cubbon HonRICS, 1928-2015Tonbridge››Hugh Ashton Elphick FRICS, 1947-2015Henley-On-Thames››Ronald John Garlick FRICS, 1919-UnknownReading››Parke Thomas Peyton Hamilton MRICS1927-Unknown, Fleet››Peter Dorney Hart FRICS 1925-2015, Surbiton››Christopher Morton Jolly MRICS, 1946-2015Virginia Water››Geoffrey Maddock FRICS, 1930-2015South Croydon››John Edward McMillan FRICS, 1928-2015Folkestone››Ian Alexander McRae MRICS, 1941-2015Chichester››Peter Thomas Mortimer MRICS1930-2015, Dartford

››John S O’Halloran1952-2015Beaconsfield››William George Paynter MRICS1943-2015, Bedford››John Richard Port FRICS, 1958-2015, Deal››Derek Henry George Randell MRICS1928-2015Kingswood››Michael Saltmarsh FRICS, 1942-2014Westerham››John Lionel Sampson FRICS, 1922-2015Bexhill-on-Sea››Kenneth John Sansom MRICS, 1922-2015Wallingford››Peter Richard Tyler MRICS, 1954-2015Eastbourne››Eric Arthur Vallis1923-2016, Canterbury››William JC Webber MRICS, 1927-2016Southampton »

OBITUARIES

EASTERN››Eric George Bullock MRICS, 1923-2015Dunstable››Charles Francis Cator MRICS, 1959-2015 Norwich››Alan Duchars FRICS1927-2015, Chelmsford››Peter William Eaves MRICS, 1944-2015 Ipswich››Brian Alfred Charles Perry FRICS, 1928-2015Chelmsford››Norman Henry Ventris FRICS, 1930-2015Southend-on-Sea››Mark Adrian Watterson FRICS 1953-2016, Ely

EAST MIDLANDS››Warren Stanley Vernon Bevan FRICS1920-2015, Bourne››James R Howes FRICS1924-2015, Boston››Ian Robert McKinlay FRICS, 1956-2015Nottingham››Michael William John Smith MRICS 1988-2015 Loughborough

LONDON››Ian Rutherglen Beith FRICS, 1939-2015Beckenham››Sir Sydney Chapman HonRICS, Unknown-2014London››Michael John Fisher MRICS, 1926-2015Beckenham››Ronald Robert Hills FRICS, 1923-2015London››Carol Anne Kubbinga MRICS, 1960-2015 London

Please email obituary notifications to contactrics@rics.org or call +44 (0)870 333 1600

52 RICS.ORG/MODUS

Notices

Ian Bell Perry was born in Oldham in 1950, and qualified as a Fellow of RICS in 1988. For 27 very successful years he served as chief executive and director of affordable housing specialist Harvest Housing Group. After merging Harvest with Arena Housing in 2012 to form Your Housing Group, he led a transition to integrate the two businesses into a firm of 1,200 employees and more than 32,000 properties.

Ian brought a wealth of expertise and skills to the RICS Management Board. Jim Carter FRICS, previous Chair of the board, said: “His love for the Institution meant he was an enthusiastic volunteer for anything that suited his skills. Ian was a consummate professional, widely respected by both his peers and staff. He was a wise counsellor: passionate, supportive, loyal and always offered friendship and companionship. He is a great loss to RICS and the profession, and I will miss him.”

Over recent years, Ian gave a substantial amount of time, focus and energy to supporting the RICS School of Built Environment in India and he was Chair of its Executive Committee. Mark Powell, RICS Executive Director of Product Development, commented: “This is a very significant venture for RICS and Ian brought the right mix of challenge and support to the team who have worked to build the school into the success it is today. Now in its third year of operation, it is in a stable and steady state, growing a new generation of property professionals in India. I think Ian can be proud of the legacy he has helped to shape.”

Ian loved walking, cars and was a fanatical Liverpool FC supporter. He will be sadly missed by all those who collaborated with him at RICS.

IAN BELL PERRY FRICS, 1950-2015

››John Palfrey Mann MRICS, 1959-UnknownStratford-Upon-Avon››David William Skene Middleton MRICS1961-2015, Birmingham››Simon James Mountjoy MRICS1975-2015, Worcester››Geoffrey Alan Wyer MRICS, 1935-2015Sutton Coldfield

YORKSHIRE & HUMBER››Derek Paul Baird MRICS, 1947-2015 Leeds››Brian Patrick Moore MRICS, 1929-2015Sheffield

SCOTLAND››James Francis Delury MRICS 1951-2015, Ayr››Stephen Tait Henning MRICS, 1948-2015Edinburgh››Alan MacKie MRICS1961-2015, Dundee››Earl Mansfield HonRICS, 1930-2015 Perth››James M Small FRICS1933-2015, Perth››Julia Sutherland McVean FRICS1966-2015Haddington››Malcolm Thomas Walker MRICS1954-2015, Glasgow

WALES››Richard Dilwyn Hughes MRICS1948-2015, Ruthin››Vincent Anthony Kenneally FRICS1935-2015, Usk

EUROPE››Christopher Percy Gore FRICS, 1938-2015 Daya Vieja››Simon Ronald Hawgood MRICS1965-2015, Tatlisu

MENA››Francois Senekal MRICS, 1952-2015 Tygervalley

EAST ASIA››Man Fai Francis Lee MRICS, 1961-2015 Kowloon››Tat Ming Lee AssocRICS 1956-2015, Kowloon

OCEANIA››Anthony Michael Roger Dean FRICS1941-2015, Auckland

››Lester Dudley John Martin FRICS1951-2015, Mittagong

If you are facing hardship after the loss of a family member, or if you are considering leaving a legacy, please contact LionHeart, the charity for RICS members and their families. Call +44 (0)24 7646 6696, email info@lionheart.org.uk, or visit lionheart.org.uk.

SOUTH WEST››Geoffrey Holborow FRICS, 1929-2015Truro››Patrick Charles Lennard-Payne MRICS1923-2015Shepton Mallet››Stuart Henry Murray Newham FRICS 1930-UnknownShaftesbury››Caroline Anne Saunders MRICS1963-2015, Winscombe››John Frederick Saunders FRICS1920-2015Moreton-In-Marsh››David Stott MRICS1960-2015, Verwood››Gordon AF Swift FRICS, 1928-2015, Bath››Godfrey Lancelot Turner FRICS1927-2015, Faringdon››W Joseph Weld FRICS1934-UnknownWareham››Michael Windsor Wilkes MRICS1920-2015, Salisbury››Michael John Wiseman MRICS1933-2015, Poole

WEST MIDLANDS››Joseph Frederick Boyce FRICS1926-2015, Shrewsbury››Barry John England FRICS, 1941-2015Bridgnorth

CONDUCT rics.org/conductcases

Timothy Norris-Jones, Bucks, HP17Disciplinary Panel – 09.12.15A Disciplinary Panel considered whether Mr Norris-Jones was liable to disciplinary action under RICS Bye-Law 5.2.2(d) having been convicted of two offences of actual bodily harm. The Panel found he was liable to disciplinary action and imposed a Reprimand and

ordered him to contribute towards the costs of the hearing.

Robertson CommercialErrol, PerthshireDisciplinary Panel – 27.01.16The Panel heard a case against the Firm Robertson Commercial in accordance with Rule 14 of the Rules of Conduct for Firms 2007.

Robertson Commercial failed to submit to RICS its completed Annual Return form, due by 17 July 2015, with up-to-date details about the Firm’s activities.

The Panel imposed a Reprimand and Conditions on the Firm’s continuing registration with RICS. Robertson Commercial was ordered to pay a contribution towards RICS’ costs.

MARCH 2016_MODUS 53

Places are limited. Applications close 13 May 2016. e executiveeducation@rics.org t 024 7686 8584 w rics.org/executiveeducation

Transform your worldExecutive Education: The International Certificate in Leadership for Property Development

In today’s global market place, organisations are looking for new ways to transform their business, seize new opportunities and support long-term growth. Our unique course is dedicated to helping forward-thinking leaders combine the industry-specific technical knowledge, skills and insight necessary to achieve this.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a motivated surveyor wishing to specialise in Development and Valuation, playing an active role in our ambitious growth plans across the Surrey and the South East. The purpose of the job is to help the team deliver professional advice, to a variety of commercial, private, and public sector clients.

The team currently focuses on residential development covering both small and large scale schemes and deals with valuation, grant and exercise of Option Agreements,negotiation of access and covenant issues as well as viability and disposal.

Bruton Knowles is looking for applications from surveyors seeking the next step into a role where

delivering high quality valuation and development work will be key. Supporting two Partners in the Guildford office you will have had experience of providing valuation advice on various property types to a range of clients.

If you want to find out more and apply please visitbrutonknowles.co.uk/developmentsurveyor

We are also expanding the Guildford Team further and are recruiting for the following roles:

General Practice SurveyorGraduate Surveyor

For an informal discussion on any of these roles pleasecall Steven Drennan, Partner on 07808 904479

For more details about these roles and for all other opportunities visit brutonknowles.co.uk/careersWe welcome speculative applications please visit brutonknowles.co.uk/speculative Bruton Knowles is a leading independent Property Consultancy, with 13 offices throughoutEngland and Wales. Strictly no agencies.

Want a better future?We can help you shine.

Development & Valuation Surveyor - GuildfordCompetitive Salary, Company Car/Car Allowance, Pension, Bonus and Healthcare

Recruitmentricsrecruit.com / To advertise, email angus@wearesunday.com or call +44 (0)20 7871 2667

Just One Call Will Cover AllRESIDENTIAL SURVEYOR VACANCIES(AssocRICS/MRICS/FRICS)... Full and Part-Time. Greater London particularly W,SW,N,E,EN,RM,SE,BR,CR,TW,SL,UB,HA,WD, codes. Plus: Bath, Beds, Berks, Bishops Stortford, Bolton, Bournemouth, Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff, Cambridge, Cambs, Cardiff, Chelmsford, Cheltenham, Chichester, Coventry,Crewe, Dartford, Derby, Doncaster, Dorking, Epping, Essex, Exeter, Guildford, Harrogate, Herts, Horsham, Hull, Kent, Kingston, Leeds, Luton, Maidstone, Manchester, Mansfield, M.Keynes, Medway, Northampton, Northants, Norwich, Oldham, Oxford, Oxon, Penzance, Peterborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading, Redhill, St Albans, Saffron Walden, Sevenoaks, Sheffield, Slough, South Hams, Southampton, Southend, Staines, Stoke on Trent, Swindon, Thurrock, Torbay, Truro, W.Midlands, W.Sussex, Wigan, Woking, Worcester, Worksop,York. Also: Prestige Staff Surveyor positions, Reigate/Crawley, Oxford.

Experience of undertaking mortgage valuations, HBR’s or building surveys ideally. Employers include many smaller local practices through to all the major surveying organisations and lenders. The current high demand for surveyors is reflected in outstanding remuneration and benefits packages.

Please call Jeff Johnson on 07940 594093 or email your CV in confidence to: jjohnson@mlarecruit.com

NEW VACANCY INSTRUCTIONS DAILY. We have 20 years expertise finding the right job for you in residential surveying. www.mlarecruit.com

The April issue will be published on Tuesday 5 April Recruitment copy deadline

Wednesday 2 March

0203 817 0000 info@carriera.co.uk www.carriera.co.uk

Specialists in Recruitment and Search & Selection within the Construction and Property Industry

Recruitment – Search & Selection – Market Intelligence – Benchmarking

5 4 RICS.ORG/MODUS

Recruitment

MARCH 2016_MODUS 55

Following a very successful 2015, we are looking for qualified residential surveyors (both experienced and recently qualified) as well as surveyors

from other RICS disciplines wishing to transfer their skills, to carry out residential valuations and surveys in the following locations:

London South East • London East • Bristol/Bath • Cambridge • Reading • Lancashire • Slough/Uxbridge • Essex

For the right people we will consider any location in England and Wales and also offer flexible/part time working arrangements.

If, for you, quality comes ahead of quantity and you like the idea of working with us in a culture of partnership, please email your cv to our Operations

Manager, Jon Charlesworth FRICS, JCharlesworth@landmarksurveyors.co.uk or give him a call on 07825 634137

DISCOVER THE LANDMARK DIFFERENCE; IT’S JUST A PHONE CALL AWAY…

OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONSULTANTS

Our newly formed Professional Services Division is also looking for surveyors who have specialist knowledge in Leasehold Reform, Party Wall Matters, Expert

Witness or Landlord and Tenant. This is an excellent opportunity for those who wish to add an additional revenue stream to their business.

To discuss working in a partnership with us please call Martin Geoghegan, MRICS on 07484 039321 or email MGeoghegan@landmarksurveyors.co.uk

56 RICS.ORG/MODUS

To view more jobs online visit ricsrecruit.comTo view more jobs online visit ricsrecruit.com

All good things come to those who wait

That’s what they say. Well, maybe you have waited long enough and now it is time to find out how good a sensible working regime could be?

We are looking for contract/consultant chartered surveyors to join our nationwide team of professionals undertaking residential valuation, homebuyer and building survey work. We expect the highest professional standards so this

is no easy ride, but we respect quality, respect professionalism and respect the fact that you want a work-life balance.

If you’re interested and want a chat, then please email me your CV:

sean.king@metropolis-surveyors.com

Perhaps the time has come to stop waiting?

Estate ManagerFarley Estate, Berkshire

An outstanding opportunity for a dynamic manager to continue the growth and expansion of this beautiful, diverse, in-hand estate.

The successful candidate should be familiar with:• commercial and residential landlord and tenant matters• arable, livestock and dairy farming systems• planning and development, including mineral extraction• equestrian, leisure, conservation and sporting enterprises

Essential attributes include:• exceptional financial and business skills• excellent communication abilities• good IT literacy, at all levels• outstanding HR and staff management skills• a willingness and ability to learn and progress

A salary commensurate with experience is offered. Expressions of interest, to include CV and covering letter, should be submitted to james.del.mar@knightfrank.com by 15th March 2016.

For more information please visit farleyestate.co.uk

MARCH 2016_MODUS 57

RecruitmentRecruitment

To find out more about life at e.surv, contact one of our Directors today for a confidential chat:Russ Hewitt 07775 544842Paul Marcus (North) 07775 544866Tim Wood (South) 07800 705547David Blagden (Consultants) 07968 932017

Alternatively, email your CV to matthew.siddons@lslps.co.uk or call Matt on 07794 392858.

For a full list of our opportunities, visit www.esurv.co.uk/jobs

We’ve never shied away from change at e.surv. It’s the reason why we continue to be able to respond to evolving needs of our market, and the reason why we’re the market leader. But we refuse to change the important things - things like placing people at the heart of everything we do; listening to our clients, customers and colleagues to understand what matters to them. It’s why we’re here, after all.

In 2015, we listened to our surveyors and as a result, we’ve introduced iPad technology to their toolbox, together with improvements to our company pension scheme, surveyor incentive scheme, and our rewards and benefits package.

The recipe for our success is not a closely guarded family secret - we only select the best. Yes, it takes a certain something to be able to join our team. But we’re always happy to welcome experienced and enthusiastic surveyors who share our passion for change.

Right now, we’re looking for employed and consultant surveyors across the UK, particularly in the following locations:

SurveyorReadingOxfordKingstonMedway TownsSevenoaksBatterseaGuildfordEbbsfleetWokingBromleyDorking/RedhillSloughSwindonEalingWest LondonBishops StortfordCambridgeNorwichSheffieldChesterfieldSouth Manchester/CheshireInvernessAngleseyLeicesterWelshpool

It’s nearly 30 years since e.surv started carrying out residential valuations and it’s fair to say we’ve seen a lot of change in that time. Mobile phones are a little smaller these days for a start. And a tablet is no longer simply a cure for a headache.

with age

Simply getting better

Celebrating success since 1997

58 RICS.ORG/MODUS

To view more jobs online visit ricsrecruit.com

Global and local recruiters to the Property and Construction Sector

Quantity Surveying - Project Management - Building Surveyingt: 0203 245 2550 / 01494 44 06 80

To view more jobs online visit ricsrecruit.com

Do you want to work for a private firm with a corporate attitude - a firm that is quality driven and that has a strong tradition of VALUING its surveyors as INDIVIDUALS.

Valunation is part of one of the country’s largest independent and privately owned Estate Agency groups with over 200 branches and we’re looking to further expand and strengthen our national team of residential valuation surveyors.

This is your opportunity to make a positive and rewarding change to your working life and join a leading name in the residential surveying marketplace where we pride ourselves on the emphasis we give to the quality, rather than the quantity, of what we deliver.

We have vacancies for RICS qualified and registered experienced residential surveyors, who are highly motivated. You must be familiar with undertaking valuations and surveys for both lenders and private clients

There are immediate vacancies in London and the South East, North Leeds and Derby but new vacancies are being added all the time, so send us your CV and we will contact you when a vacancy comes up.

We offer a competitive benefits package including private medical care, life insurance, BMW car scheme or car allowance, together with a generous bonus scheme. We are also happy to consider part-time or flexible working.

If you are interested in joining us we would be delighted to hear from you. Please email your CV directly to kimberley.stockley@valunation.com or call Paul Lancaster on 07974 090 113 or David Atter on 07973 543 010 for a confidential chat.

Residential Valuation Surveyors

Vacancy For Qualified Surveyor Lively IndependentEast Sussex Practice

Based in Uckfield, East Sussex

Variety of Professional Work& Commercial Management.

Good Landlord & Tenant knowledge essential.Must have sense of humour & like dogs.

Applications with c.v. to Chris Lawson

chris@lawsoncommercial.co.uk

For more info.Tel: 01825 764488

www.lawsoncommercial.co.uk

RURAL SURVEYOR – SCOTLAND

Small dynamic rural surveying practice which is dedicated to giving a high quality professional and personalised service to individual clients seeks a

Rural Surveyor to help develop an expanding office based on the Black Isle just north of Inverness. The role includes both rural estate management

and professional consultancy work.

Salary and package will reflect experience. Full time or part time working would be considered.

Please apply in confidence to teresa.tait@petergassoc.co.uk.

Peter Graham & Associates LLP, Coneloch, Longmorn, Elgin, Moray, IV30 8SN

MARCH 2016_MODUS 59

RecruitmentRecruitment

MB19678_Modus_Training_Director_ad_FP_aw.indd 1 02/02/2016 11:47

60 RICS.ORG/MODUS

To view more jobs online visit ricsrecruit.comTo view more jobs online visit ricsrecruit.com

With a two decade sector association, wide ranging (and often exclusive) client base and in-depth knowledge of each company through years of close working, we welcome enquiries (in confi dence, without obligation and however speculative) from: • Residential surveyors already

working in the sector • Residential surveyors who left the

sector post 2008, but would like to return with refresher training

• Semi-retired surveyors (with residential experience) keen to keep active on a part-time/fl exible basis

• MRICS-qualifi ed surveyors with relevant – although perhaps not direct – inspection or valuation experience.

• Staff Valuers/ Residential Surveyors keen to work client side

We can help you achieve: • An improvement in earnings, be

that basic salary or a bonus scheme that offers greater incentives

• A reduction in hours or a move to part-time or zero hours working

• A reduction in the volume of work that you are expected to handle

• An improvement in the general quality of your instructions

Current vacancies include:

Opportunities for experienced Residential Surveyors within corporate environments: All London postcodes (N, NW, W, SW, SE & E), Essex (SS, CM, RM, CO, IG & E), Hertfordshire(AL, SG, WD, EN), Bedfordshire/Luton (LU, MK), M4 Corridor generally (SL, RG, OX, SN), East & West Sussex (BN, TN, RH),

Dorset, (DT, BH), Hampshire (SO, PO), Surrey (CR, TW, KT, SM, GU), Kent (ME,TN, CT, BR, DA), Plymouth, Gloucestershire (GL), Bristol (BS), CB, S, NR, Cardiff/South Newport (CF, NP), Chichester, Basingstoke Aberdeen, Northants, Uxbridge, Harrow, Twickenham, Swindon, Leicester. Remuneration includes a basic salary of £40-55k (depending on location), bonuses (based on fee income), a car (or allowance), healthcare and pension.

Opportunities for fi rst time entrants / Trainee Residential Surveyors nationally Our client is an independent, well-established and growing fi rm of chartered surveyors undertaking the full range of survey and valuation services for main lenders and private clients. They are able to train enthusiastic chartered surveyors from most backgrounds so previous residential surveying experience is not essential. Opportunities currently exist in N/NW, SL/HP, BS/BA, LS/WF, BN, IG, E, WD, GU, RG, SO, OX, LU, PE, NR, SN, B, LS, EN, RM, LE, CV, NG, DE, ST, NR, PL, NE, with additional vacancies following weekly. Basic salary to £50k + Bonuses +Car allowance

Opportunities within panel– appointed, non-corporate practice-based environments Our clients are traditional, independent private practices who service main lender, private client and in-house (agency) instructions undertaking the full

range of residential reports for high average fees. Their ethos is quality over quantity (but not at the expense of security) and, as such, surveyors working for them are not put under the same pressures as they might be elsewhere in the sector. Vacancies exist in the following locations immediately with additional needs following on a near weekly basis: South London, South Hampshire (Portsmouth/Southampton/ Winchester), Chilterns, North West London, North East London/Essex, Kent, Oxford, Bristol/Bath. Chichester, North London, Reading, St Albans, Bromley, Dartford, East London, SW London, Loughton/ Chigwell, Romford, Colchester, Chelmsford, Milton Keynes. Basic salary circa £50k+ with excellent “zero threshold” bonus scheme, quality car and benefi ts.

To fi nd out more or apply, contact:

James Irving0208 514 9120Jamesi@bblproperty.co.ukwww.bblproperty.co.uk

We are recruiting nationally for both high street and specialist lenders who require experienced Valuers to work in-house in the following locations (with additional following on a weekly basis):

Croydon (CR)East London (E)North Northampton (NN)Watford (WD)Slough (SL)Surrey (KT) & (TW)MidlandsAberdeenHullEssexKent

Would you like to focus on quality over quantity with a single reporting format, a workload comprising mostly Mortgage Valuations (no Building Surveys), a tight-knit patch, market leading tablet technology and an outstanding remuneration package that isn’t commission led?

Opportunities for Staff Surveyors / Valuers UK wide

Opportunities for Residential Surveyors UK wideWith pay reviews completed, withheld bonuses paid and 2016 well and truly underway, how does your current deal stack up against the various other opportunities out there? You could respond to a variety of adverts and run the risk of someone discovering your curiosity… or…you could speak to the agency whose client base makes up the bigger picture and explore the market discreetly with no obligation or risk…what have you got to lose?

To fi nd out more (without obligation), apply for one of our immediate needs or register (in confi dence) for future vacancies in your patch please contact:

Greg Coyle 0208 514 9116GregC@bblproperty.co.ukwww.bblproperty.co.uk

Suitable Surveyors will need to meet the following criteria: • MRICS/FRICS qualifi cation (though

AssocRICS may be considered with suffi cient levels of experience)

• VRS accreditation• PII claim free• Strong track record

in their chosen patch • A stable career history demonstrating

strong commitment to past and present employers.

As well as the obvious workload, lifestyle and team benefi ts, successful Staff Surveyors can expect a remuneration package comprising: • High basic (up to £65k)

depending on location • Profi t share or bonuses based

on multiple (quality) factors as opposed to volume only

• High quality prestige company car• 6 weeks holiday to start • Market leading Pension• A wide range of health, lifestyle

and wellbeing benefi ts• Preferential staff mortgage rates

MARCH 2016_MODUS 61

RecruitmentRecruitment

With a two decade sector association, wide ranging (and often exclusive) client base and in-depth knowledge of each company through years of close working, we welcome enquiries (in confi dence, without obligation and however speculative) from: • Residential surveyors already

working in the sector • Residential surveyors who left the

sector post 2008, but would like to return with refresher training

• Semi-retired surveyors (with residential experience) keen to keep active on a part-time/fl exible basis

• MRICS-qualifi ed surveyors with relevant – although perhaps not direct – inspection or valuation experience.

• Staff Valuers/ Residential Surveyors keen to work client side

We can help you achieve: • An improvement in earnings, be

that basic salary or a bonus scheme that offers greater incentives

• A reduction in hours or a move to part-time or zero hours working

• A reduction in the volume of work that you are expected to handle

• An improvement in the general quality of your instructions

Current vacancies include:

Opportunities for experienced Residential Surveyors within corporate environments: All London postcodes (N, NW, W, SW, SE & E), Essex (SS, CM, RM, CO, IG & E), Hertfordshire(AL, SG, WD, EN), Bedfordshire/Luton (LU, MK), M4 Corridor generally (SL, RG, OX, SN), East & West Sussex (BN, TN, RH),

Dorset, (DT, BH), Hampshire (SO, PO), Surrey (CR, TW, KT, SM, GU), Kent (ME,TN, CT, BR, DA), Plymouth, Gloucestershire (GL), Bristol (BS), CB, S, NR, Cardiff/South Newport (CF, NP), Chichester, Basingstoke Aberdeen, Northants, Uxbridge, Harrow, Twickenham, Swindon, Leicester. Remuneration includes a basic salary of £40-55k (depending on location), bonuses (based on fee income), a car (or allowance), healthcare and pension.

Opportunities for fi rst time entrants / Trainee Residential Surveyors nationally Our client is an independent, well-established and growing fi rm of chartered surveyors undertaking the full range of survey and valuation services for main lenders and private clients. They are able to train enthusiastic chartered surveyors from most backgrounds so previous residential surveying experience is not essential. Opportunities currently exist in N/NW, SL/HP, BS/BA, LS/WF, BN, IG, E, WD, GU, RG, SO, OX, LU, PE, NR, SN, B, LS, EN, RM, LE, CV, NG, DE, ST, NR, PL, NE, with additional vacancies following weekly. Basic salary to £50k + Bonuses +Car allowance

Opportunities within panel– appointed, non-corporate practice-based environments Our clients are traditional, independent private practices who service main lender, private client and in-house (agency) instructions undertaking the full

range of residential reports for high average fees. Their ethos is quality over quantity (but not at the expense of security) and, as such, surveyors working for them are not put under the same pressures as they might be elsewhere in the sector. Vacancies exist in the following locations immediately with additional needs following on a near weekly basis: South London, South Hampshire (Portsmouth/Southampton/ Winchester), Chilterns, North West London, North East London/Essex, Kent, Oxford, Bristol/Bath. Chichester, North London, Reading, St Albans, Bromley, Dartford, East London, SW London, Loughton/ Chigwell, Romford, Colchester, Chelmsford, Milton Keynes. Basic salary circa £50k+ with excellent “zero threshold” bonus scheme, quality car and benefi ts.

To fi nd out more or apply, contact:

James Irving0208 514 9120Jamesi@bblproperty.co.ukwww.bblproperty.co.uk

We are recruiting nationally for both high street and specialist lenders who require experienced Valuers to work in-house in the following locations (with additional following on a weekly basis):

Croydon (CR)East London (E)North Northampton (NN)Watford (WD)Slough (SL)Surrey (KT) & (TW)MidlandsAberdeenHullEssexKent

Would you like to focus on quality over quantity with a single reporting format, a workload comprising mostly Mortgage Valuations (no Building Surveys), a tight-knit patch, market leading tablet technology and an outstanding remuneration package that isn’t commission led?

Opportunities for Staff Surveyors / Valuers UK wide

Opportunities for Residential Surveyors UK wideWith pay reviews completed, withheld bonuses paid and 2016 well and truly underway, how does your current deal stack up against the various other opportunities out there? You could respond to a variety of adverts and run the risk of someone discovering your curiosity… or…you could speak to the agency whose client base makes up the bigger picture and explore the market discreetly with no obligation or risk…what have you got to lose?

To fi nd out more (without obligation), apply for one of our immediate needs or register (in confi dence) for future vacancies in your patch please contact:

Greg Coyle 0208 514 9116GregC@bblproperty.co.ukwww.bblproperty.co.uk

Suitable Surveyors will need to meet the following criteria: • MRICS/FRICS qualifi cation (though

AssocRICS may be considered with suffi cient levels of experience)

• VRS accreditation• PII claim free• Strong track record

in their chosen patch • A stable career history demonstrating

strong commitment to past and present employers.

As well as the obvious workload, lifestyle and team benefi ts, successful Staff Surveyors can expect a remuneration package comprising: • High basic (up to £65k)

depending on location • Profi t share or bonuses based

on multiple (quality) factors as opposed to volume only

• High quality prestige company car• 6 weeks holiday to start • Market leading Pension• A wide range of health, lifestyle

and wellbeing benefi ts• Preferential staff mortgage rates

62 RICS.ORG/MODUS

To view more jobs online visit ricsrecruit.com

Global and local recruiters to the Property and Construction Sector

Quantity Surveying - Project Management - Building Surveyingt: 0203 245 2550 / 01494 44 06 80

To view more jobs online visit ricsrecruit.com

Work is offered on a non-exclusive, Ltd Co or Self-employed basis with FULL PI Cover provided by our client enabling suitable surveyors to enjoy all the financial benefits of consultancy working with none of the usual drawbacks (i.e. not being able to service existing clients, expensive

PI premiums & run off cover etc..). Whether you seek supplementation of existing workload, your first consultancy agreement or simply an improvement on the terms you currently work under we would like to hear from you.

To express your interest in confidence or discuss further without obligation please contact: Jamie DaviesDirect TEL 0208 911 1079JamieD@bblproperty.co.ukwww.bblproperty.co.uk

Our client, a top tier national panel manager URGENTLY seeks Freelance Residential Surveyors for high quality fee sharing opportunities in the following locations IMMEDIATELY

Scarborough • Thames Valley • Cumbria / South Lakes • Essex • All Kent postcodes • All London postcodes • Cambridge • Norfolk & Suffolk • Yeovil/Somerset • Carlisle • Peterborough • Northants • Essex • Winchester • Chester/ North Wales

Freelance / Consultant Residential Surveyors required nationally (LTD Co and Self Employed)

MARCH 2016_MODUS 63

RecruitmentRecruitment

WE’VE LEARNT A FEW NEW TRICKS.

Shepherd Chartered Surveyors (England & Wales) has now become SDL Surveying.

Join our growing team to benefit from bespoke iPad software, your own dedicated booker and excellent bonus earning potential.

www.sdlsurveying.co.uk

If you’re part of the VRS

scheme, email your CV to

hr@sdlgroup.co.uk

64 RICS.ORG/MODUS

To view more jobs online visit ricsrecruit.com

GRADUATE/PART QUALIFIED GP SURVEYOR/VALUER - GUILDFORD

EXPERIENCE PART QUALIFIED OR JUST QUALIFIED

THE BUSINESSWe are a multi-disciplined firm of Chartered Surveyors and commercial property consultants.

We offer a wide range of services within the Home Counties and London. Services include commercial and residential surveys, valuations, residential lease advisory, commercial agency and property management.

THE ROLEThe role will be centred on General Practice disciplines, focusing residential surveys and valuations for lease extension / enfranchisement.

There will be an opportunity for a supporting role in the commercial

property department, assisting in the delivery of valuations, agency and property management.

The successful candidate will be expected to take responsibility for their actions within the company, where entrepreneurial flair is encouraged.

An ability to build and develop client relationships will be essential, nurturing existing contacts as well as assisting in development of new strategic alliances.

Candidates will be required to travel. A full driving license is essential.

THE PERSONThe ideal candidate will have a property based degree, with relevant work experience. Candidates without

formal qualification, but extensive experience may be considered.

An entrepreneurial approach to business is a key requirement, along with an ability to manage caseload. Candidates must have proven communication skills, both in the written word and verbally.

Remuneration will be dependent upon experience and qualification.

Please call in the first instance, Michael Aldous on 07436 281 338 or email mja@perryhill.co.uk. For further information as to Perry Hill, please review our Vison, Mission and Culture Statement at www.perryhill.co.uk

To view more jobs online visit ricsrecruit.com

RESIDENTIAL CHARTERED SURVEYORS WANTED

Butfield Ltd is a focused and friendly team of Chartered Surveyors concentrating on Residential Surveys and Mortgage Valuations along the M4 corridor.

Due to our consistently increasing number of High Street lender contracts, and our expanding geographical areas, we are looking for AssocRICS/MRICS

Registered Valuation Surveyors with at least two years post qualification experience, to work across the OX and RG (and associated) postcode areas.

Home based positions are available with a basic salary of up to £50,000 pa plus income related bonus giving OTE of between £60,000 and £80,000 pa, company car or mileage allowance, company pension scheme and 25 days holiday a year

If you are interested in joining an ambitious and expanding private company please contact Chris Cockell on 07867 988878 for an informal chat or send your CV to chris@butfieldltd.co.uk

MARCH 2016_MODUS 65

RecruitmentRecruitment

ASSOCIATE QUANTITY SURVEYOR / PROJECT MANAGER (REF QS1)

Salary - Up to £75k per annum plus package depending on experience.

You should be MRICS or similar with over 10 years pqe. The successful candidate will have a solid background in all aspects of pre and post contract Quantity Surveying and ideally will have latterly developed an expertise in Project Management / Contract Administration/ Employers Agent roles. You should therefore be fully conversant with the operation of Standard Forms of Building Contract and have an excellent track record of operating in Client facing roles. In summary an experienced “all-rounder” is required, who is able to work to tight deadlines whilst delivering a highly professional service to our clients.

SENIOR QUANTITY SURVEYOR / PROJECT MANAGER (REF QS2)

Salary - Up to £65k per annum plus package depending on experience.

Applicants should be MRICS and be able to deliver all aspects of pre and post contract services with minimal supervision. Ideally previous experience will include the preparation of detailed cost plans and bills of quantities and sound knowledge of all aspects of post contract commercial management. The successful candidate should demonstrate an aptitude for increasing their range of skills including for example contract administration or project management.

ASSISTANT QUANTITY SURVEYOR / PROJECT MANAGER (REF AQS1)

Salary - An excellent salary will be offered to the right candidate.

As a minimum the successful candidate should have a Degree in Quantity Surveying or similar and ideally be working towards professional qualifications (full APC support will be provided). The role requires a self-motivated individual who possesses excellent verbal and written communication skills and has a desire to excel in the Quantity Surveying / Project Management field. A ‘can do’ attitude will be a must.

In order to take advantage of new

opportunities and as part of our on-going

succession planning we require the

following motivated professionals to join our

long established and successful company.

Fancy a slice?

NO AGENCIES PLEASE

To apply, please send your detailed CV indicating your current salary to d.dignan@ttpp.co.uk

www.ttpp.co.uk

HOW IS TECHNOLOGY CHANGING RETAIL?

Staff will, of course, still be a key part of this,

but perhaps in a higher order capacity, collecting

data and up-selling products to drive and

maximise sales returns.

Technologies such as near-field

communication and facial recognition will

enable retailers to offer real-time personalisation in stores, tailoring the product

offer against purchase history and social

media activity.

However, consumers still desire

the physical experience of a shopping trip, meaning that people of all ages will

become “omni-consumers” – switching back and forth

between the online and offline world.

We estimate that in 10 years’

time, 20%-25% of the total European

retail spend will be generated

online.

Enhancing the in-store experience

will become essential. Shops will become walk-in

web stores, with their purpose being not to sell

products but to offer solutions, services

or experiences.

Mind map

Larry Brennan FRICS director of European retail, Savills, Dublin

ILLU

STR

ATIO

N G

IAN

MAR

CO

MAG

NAN

I

of course, still be a key part of this,

but perhaps in a higher order capacity, collecting

data and up-selling products to drive and

maximise sales

history and social media activity.

or experiences.

66 RICS.ORG/MODUS

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