RICS Modus, Global edition - November-December 2010

the future

issue

11.10 // 12.10

rics.org/modus

think ahead The technology changing the shape of building p16 city Limits Growth explosion in the world’s urban areas p26 deep impact Feeling the effects of UK public sector cuts p38

MODUS_Nov/Dec_P1_Cover.v2.FIN.indd 1 1/11/10 17:29:38

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forward

Peter HetHeringtonA regular contributor to Society Guardian, Peter specialises in local government, housing, planning, urban and rural affairs, and regeneration. He wrote about the UK government’s ‘Big Society’ for this issue.

nyta MannNyta is a freelance political journalist, and former politics editor for BBC News Online and assistant editor of the New Statesman. She interviewed key figures for the article on public sector property.

benedict caMPbellBenedict combines his skills as a digital artist and photographer to create bold, hyper-real images. He has worked with many of the world’s leading brands, and illustrated this issue’s futuristic cover.

11.10 // 12.10 // MODUS 03

Regulars

04feedbackYour letters, and the latest Modus poll

06intelligenceGlobal property and construction news, plus opinions, reviews and reactions

33law adviceNegligence claims are up; here’s how to protect yourself

37business adviceHow PI insurers are responding to rising overvaluation claims

Features

162020 visionA glimpse into the technological future

22Park HillReviving an unloved housing estate

26future citiesMichael Batty on the growth of urban areas

34big societyHow David Cameron’s vision is changing the UK landscape

38Public ProPertyIndustry figures talk about government cost-cutting

43rics newsNews and updates from RICS worldwide, plus a message from the RICS President

51eventsExhibitions, awards and conferences for your diary

55recruitMentThe latest job opportunities from across the industry

58tHe MeasureFacts and stats on the global trend towards urbanisation

As 2010 draws to a close, thoughts inevitably turn to the future. In this issue, we take an

imaginative leap forward to 2020, looking at some of the technologies being developed

now that could be commonplace in the buildings of tomorrow (page 16), and predicting

how the world’s cities will continue to sprawl, both outwards and upwards (page 26). This

year has been a challenging one for many in our sector, and the recent UK government

spending review signals more tough times ahead. On page 38, five industry figures give

their views on the impact of public sector cuts, while on page 34, we consider the political

backdrop of David Cameron’s vision for the future of the UK. Plus, on page 22 we take an

in-depth look at the revitalisation of the Park Hill housing estate in Sheffield, and on p58

round up some fascinating figures on the global trend towards urbanisation.

victoria brookes eDITOr

Information

Contributors//

Contents//:11.10 // 12.10

MODUS_Nov_Dec_P3-4_Content&Letters_v3.FIN.F1.indd 3 2/11/10 16:00:24

FOR SUNDAYEditor Victoria Brookes // Art Director Christie Ferdinando

Deputy Editor Brendon Hooper // Intern Isabella Fernandes

// Creative Director Matt Beaven // Account Director

Stephanie Hill // Senior Account Manager David Matthews

// Commercial Director Karen Jenner // Commercial

Manager Lucie Inns // Recruitment Sales Manager

Grace Healy // Managing Director Toby Smeeton //

Repro F1 Colour // Printers Woodford Litho //

Cover illustration Benedict Campbell

Published by Sunday, Studio 2, Enterprise House,

1-2 Hatfi elds, London SE1 9PG sundaypublishing.com

FOR RICSEditorial board Ian Fussey and Jaclyn Dunstan

Feedback//

SURVEYS AND STATISTICSIn 1959 I joined the Northampton Town and County Building Society (later Anglia, then Nationwide) as a regional staff surveyor. The staff surveyors – all chartered surveyors – fed housing statistics to head offi ce almost daily for collation by the chief surveyor to report and advise the society’s board.

In 1970 I became deputy chief surveyor, and in 1977 chief surveyor and the society’s national spokesman on the housing market. Our regular press releases were regarded at the time as having the most reliable and up-to-date fi gures. I would thus just like to comment that I feel that our statistics could well have preceded those of RICS, which are stated in the September/October issue as having commenced in 1978. You may also be interested to know that the word ‘gazump’ originated from one of our bulletins!

It certainly is great to see that the RICS survey reports are now regularly acknowledged by the media at large.Peter Moreton FRICS, Northampton, UK

04 r ics.org

A BETTER IMAGEJust a quick line to congratulate you and your team on a much-improved journal. It is very up to the minute, has more technical content, an attractive layout and bite-sized information boxes. Also, I like the way you have moved away from using (mostly) stock images of grinning, presumably American, models in hard hats to illustrate articles.Simon Haste MRICS, Haywards Heath, UK

GET IN TOUCH //:ONLINErics.orgrics.org/modus

:[email protected]

The MODUS team//

A PROMISING STARTCongratulations to the Modus team for a great fi rst edition of our new magazine. They have pulled off the diffi cult task of marrying the range of content we know members look for with a fresh and modern design that wouldn’t look out of place alongside The Economist on a newsstand. Modus off ers something for members regardless of age, specialism and location, and showcases the profession to potential members and other professionals connected to the property industry. We now have a magazine that refl ects our aspirations as a professional body.Sean Tompkins, RICS CEO

PROS AND CONSI read with interest the new Modus magazine. The layout has clearly been refreshed. This fi rst edition seemed rather similar in content to its predecessor, which was something of a disappointment. My view is that the global socio-economic type articles seem, well, a little irrelevant. Articles on matters closer to home – whether valuation rules, new regulations or technical matters – would be of more interest and, even if country specifi c, will frequently be of critical interest elsewhere.

My other thought is that the magazine has suffered over the past 10-odd years from a lack of book reviews. A practitioner’s perspective on new publications would be valuable and, I believe, of worldwide interest. Ronan Champion FRICS, London, UK

JOIN THE DEBATE

:YOUR VIEWS ON RICS AND OUR LAST ISSUE

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. 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.

95,256 average net circulation 1st July 2009 – 30th June 2010

THE MODUS POLL :DO YOU THINK THE UK GOVERNMENT IS DOING A GOOD JOB IN DECIDING WHICH PUBLIC SECTOR PROJECTS TO CUT?

Log on to rics.org/modus now to vote in our next poll: ‘The UK offi cially emerged from recession in January, but 2010 has been a diffi cult year for many in the property and construction sectors worldwide. Are you optimistic about 2011?

YES27%

NO50.7%

DON’T KNOW22.4%

thisisconcrete: Modus magazine by @RICSsurveyors very good! Love the Herzog and de Meuron Lebanese tower with overhanging fl oor plates.

11thEnchantress: Is reading @RICSsurveyors your fantastic interview with architect Bill Dunster OBE, founder of ZEDfactory!

The ‘over 20% discount in the �rst year of your policy if you buy online’ consists of a 10% online discount and the 12.5% preferential rate for RICS members and is subject to minimum premiums. The 10% online discount is applicable in the �rst year of your policy only and will be taken from your premium before the 12.5% preferential rate. The offers only apply to 505 Home insurance and are only available via the speci�c telephone number and/or website. Cases that do not meet Hiscox’s underwriting criteria may be referred to a Hiscox recommended specialist insurance broker, where this offer will not apply. Policies are underwritten by Hiscox Underwriting Ltd on behalf of Hiscox Insurance Company Ltd both of which are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is an Appointed Representative of Hiscox Underwriting Ltd. Reference to standard policies is based on a typical level of non-high net worth cover as de�ned by the independent �nancial research company Defaqto Ltd. For UK residents only. 8216 10/10

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RICS members can benefit from over 20% discount in the first year of the policy when buying online, and 12.5% discount every year thereafter (Subject to a minimum premium).

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The ‘over 20% discount in the �rst year of your policy if you buy online’ consists of a 10% online discount and the 12.5% preferential rate for RICS members and is subject to minimum premiums. The 10% online discount is applicable in the �rst year of your policy only and will be taken from your premium before the 12.5% preferential rate. The offers only apply to 505 Home insurance and are only available via the speci�c telephone number and/or website. Cases that do not meet Hiscox’s underwriting criteria may be referred to a Hiscox recommended specialist insurance broker, where this offer will not apply. Policies are underwritten by Hiscox Underwriting Ltd on behalf of Hiscox Insurance Company Ltd both of which are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is an Appointed Representative of Hiscox Underwriting Ltd. Reference to standard policies is based on a typical level of non-high net worth cover as de�ned by the independent �nancial research company Defaqto Ltd. For UK residents only. 8216 10/10

AS GOOD AS OUR WORD

RICS members can benefit from over 20% discount in the first year of the policy when buying online, and 12.5% discount every year thereafter (Subject to a minimum premium).

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Intelligence// :news :reviews :opinions :reactions

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MODUS_Nov/Dec_P06-7_Intel_opener.FIN.indd 6 1/11/10 10:05:24

Welcome to the bright new sustainable future of the humble car park. In a refreshing leap from the gloomy, exhaust-filled concrete mazes found in most urban centres, architecture and engineering firm HOK has created one of the world’s most environmentally friendly garages. The 11-storey structure, in the River North neighbourhood of Chicago, features electric car plug-in stations, rainwater collection systems and an array of 12 vertical wind turbines on the building’s south-west corner. These twirling turbines generate electricity from the Windy City’s famous gusts of air, while a reversible meter measures the power and returns any surplus back to the city’s grid. To help expel exhaust fumes, HOK has also installed a naturally ventilated external wall featuring a glazed screen of ‘breathable’ glass channels. Currently pursuing LEED certification from the US Green Building Council, the car park even helps educate Chicagoans on how to be more sustainable and protect the environment, via a way-finding information system in each elevator lobby.

:Greenway Self ParkCHICaGO, US

MODUS_Nov/Dec_P06-7_Intel_opener.FIN.indd 7 1/11/10 10:05:48

2 4 www.rics.org

Intelligence//

08 r ics.org

GEORGE OSBORNESocial housing received a 50% budget blow in the CSR, but the chancellor promised a more ‘fl exible’ system, 150,000 aff ordable new homes built over the next four years and improvements to existing stock

Opinion

SPENDING REVIEW: THE CHALLENGES REMAIN THE SAME

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Governments around the world should do more to protect local land rights as rising food and fuel prices create incentives for large-scale land acquisitions, according to a new study from the World Bank. Strong and clear land rights help owners negotiate with investors, and ensure

investments benefi t the public and the local economy, says the study. A number of countries asked the World Bank to help deal with large-scale acquisitions, as measures to improve smallholder productivity will be critical to food security and poverty reduction in less developed nations.

Professionals and others involved in the planning process must expand their understanding of development economics, recommends a report backed by a consortium including RICS. The report, carried out by Roger Tym & Partners, with support from the Department for Communities and

Local Government, stresses that better training is needed not only for planners, but also others who need to understand factors that can aff ect the viability of schemes. These include councillors who take fi nal decisions, and those who advise on aff ordable housing, education and health provision.

LAW OF THE LAND UK TRAIN FOR CHANGE

The UK government’s Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) has certainly given us the fl esh to put on the bones of the budget cuts announced in

June. In terms of headline numbers, though, little has changed, and the key challenge for the economy remains undiminished: can the private sector move in to fi ll the gap left by a smaller state?

I would like to believe that this will prove to be the case and, indeed, would put only a relatively low probability on the economy slipping back into full-blown recession. However, not even the most ardent of government supporters would claim that the next few years will be anything other than challenging. And it would be wrong to ignore too readily the altogether more gloomy prognostications of the Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman. His assertion that the planned cuts show that nothing has been learnt from the 1930s may seem melodramatic, but identifi es the very real dangers implicit in a debt-constrained world.

For many working in the area of land and property, the big picture might not seem quite so threatening if the micro environment were a little more comfortable. But,

with some notable exceptions, this is not the case. The resumption of plans to build the ‘Cheesegrater’ (Leadenhall Building) and ‘Walkie Talkie’ (20 Fenchurch Street) buildings in London may, it’s true, be a testament to the resilience of the capital’s offi ce market. Elsewhere, though, the story, whether it is to do with residential development or public sector-inspired projects, is rather more downbeat.

Which bring me back to the CSR. It would have been highly risky to take on the ratings agencies, which, for all their faults, have the power to determine the standing of the UK as a borrower in the international financial markets. Signifi cantly, they have responded positively to the package announced by the chancellor, George Osborne, and indicated that they will ensure the UK can hold onto its prized AAA status; this enables it currently to borrow money for a 10-year period at around 3%. (By way of contrast, Spain has to pay 4%, Portugal close to 6%, Ireland 6.5% and Greece a fi gure approaching 10%.) When there is a need to fi nance a budget shortfall of something in the region of £150bn, these percentages really matter.

Simon Rubinsohn RICS Chief Economist

MODUS_Nov/Dec_P08-13_Intel.v4.FIN.indd 8 1/11/10 10:07:47

2 5

:ONE BIG QUESTION HOW ARE GOVERNMENT MEASURES TO ADDRESS DEBT IMPACTING ON SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY?

Source: RICS Global Property Survey Q2 2010

Abu Dhabi The government has shown a willingness to integrate sustainability features into property development, but the market still needs to see how these regulations will be realised.

US There is a growing market awareness of the necessity for sustainability in the construction and operation of commercial properties. The government, particularly Federal, is lagging behind.

France The government has delayed the implication of the RT 2012 regulations, which shows that lobbying is diluting the impact and eventual fi nancial penalties for owners of non-conforming buildings.

Colombia Sustainable construction is increasing – the government and the Colombian Green Building Council are in the process of designing regulations and inducements to builders.

South Korea The ‘low carbon, green growth’ law passed in the plenary session last December. Energy target management will also have a signifi cant infl uence on the general business sector.

Michael Neal Arnold MRICS, Hammock Arnold Smith & Co, California

Bill Beauclerk MRICS, BG Carré, Paris

Aurora Turriago, Colliers International Colombia, Bogotá

Miles Ryu, Colliers International Korea, Seoul

Richard Foulds MRICS, CB Richard Ellis

11.10 // 12.10 // MODUS 09

Imag

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A new skyscraper is dividing New Yorkers over how Manhattan’s skyline should be developed. The 371m-tall, mixed-use tower, designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli for Vornado Realty Trust, has recently been granted planning permission. Once completed in 2014, 15 Penn Plaza will be just 10m shorter than the Empire State Building. Its height and proximity to the famous landmark has pitted locals and the Empire State Building’s owners against its supporters, among them Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who believes the scheme will benefi t the city’s economy. The 80-year-old Empire State Building was voted the most beloved building in the US in a survey by the American Institute of Architects in 2007.

£775bnThe total property wealth of retired UK homeowners

£3.6bnThe cost of the proposed 20-mile

Thames Tunnel, designed to prevent raw sewage fl owing into the London river during

periods of heavy rainfall

:BUILDING THE FUTUREGLOBAL CONSTRUCTION MARKET 2009-2020

2009 2020

Japan7.9

Germany4.0

Spain3.9

France3.6

UK3.2

Other45.1UK2.6

Germany2.9

South Korea3.2

Japan5.1

India5.1

China19.1

Other45.1

US16.9

Other46.3

US17.4

China13.7

Source: Global Construction Perspectives and Oxford Economics

MODUS_Nov_Dec_P08-13_Intel.v4.FIN.F1.indd 9 2/11/10 16:02:29

Cities have to be sustainable in economic and environmental terms. But they have to be more than that. They have

to be able to generate more attractive lifestyles for their citizens as well as reducing their environmental footprint on the planet.

There is a huge shift of world population towards cities happening now, the largest movement that has ever occurred in the history of our species. We are not particularly aware of it in the developed world because it is happening in the emerging economies, particularly in Asia, Latin America and Africa. It has been calculated that half the world’s population now lives in cities, and within a generation half may live in mega-cities, those with a population of more than 10m.

Fortunately, big cities can be remarkably energy efficient. New Yorkers use less than half the energy per head of average Americans, for example. And they can be good at recycling resources. Mumbai, India’s largest city, is also

one of the most successful at recycling its waste. Other lower-density cities are less efficient; sprawl – in LA for example – requires people to travel further to work and makes the provision of services more costly.

Cities are generators of great wealth. They create millions of jobs, which is why people flock to them. Such growth inevitably leads to a sense of pressure, even apparent chaos. But appearances can deceive. The slums of Mumbai may look a mess, but they provide a much higher standard of living than the countryside could supply, and are a remarkably stable, safe and supportive society. So the challenge for the world’s mega-cities is that they should develop in ways that are economically efficient, socially balanced and environmentally sustainable.

news bites

TransformersCanada’s state electricity company Hydro-Québec has created a maintenance robot that can perform inspections and repairs on live high-powered transmission lines. Operated remotely, the Linescout crawls along sending images back to workers on the ground, who can view damaged components and conduct simple repairs.

Free heatA building in Paris is being renovated to use a unique heating system – capturing warm air from the Métro below. the building will draw air up from the Parisian subway system – where temperatures are consistently higher than above ground – via an existing staircase to heat its 17 apartments.

Shower spaceshowers, lockers and bike racks could be made compulsory in new office buildings in Queensland, Australia, to encourage people to ride or walk to work. Under changes to the development code, commercial buildings greater than 2,000m sq would be required to include such facilities for staff and clients.

Housing queuethe small Gulf state of bahrain plans to spend almost £1bn over the next two years to tackle the country’s shortage of affordable housing. with more than 50,000 applicants on the waiting list, the government plans to deliver 7,000 housing units subsidised by at least 70%.

10 r ics.org

€15bn The amount Central

European road construction will grow to by 2013

Opinion

GrOwinG Cities MUst beCOMe MOre sUstAinAbLeHamish Mcrae Economist, futurologist and associate editor of The Independent

fOr MOre on the trend towards urbanisation, see pages 26 and 58

Shortlisted designs for

the West Kowloon Cultural District

ChinaCulture Clash

It’s a close call between three proposals for Hong Kong’s £1.7bn West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) development. Postponed in 2006 because of financial difficulties, the 400,000m sq WKCD, located on a wedge-shaped area of reclaimed waterfront land, will feature a new modern art museum, numerous theatres, concert halls and other performance venues. The three shortlisted designs are by (from top) OMA, Foster + Partners and Rocco Design Architects. The winner will be announced in late November.


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11.10 // 12.10 // MODUS 11


10.7GWThe capacity of all the photovoltaic cells produced in the world last year

– up from 7.1GW in 2008

Since the Second World War, housebuilding in the UK has evolved into a diverse and complex industry, continually trying to respond to multiple demands

for quantity, quality, sustainability and affordability. Its future is likely to be driven by a combination of government policy on sustainability, legacy of the economic downturn and the fast evolution of innovative technology, including offsite production, modern methods of construction, renewable energy, new materials and ICT.

In the longer term, UK housebuilding will be subject to a more complicated profile of forces, including demographic shifts, policy evolutions and climate change. Issues such as global competition, in particular the consequent foreign entries, and aspects of sustainability other than energy, such as water, waste and ecology, may become more dominant.

Homes need to be adaptable to changing ways of living, working and operating. Increasingly blurred boundaries between work and home, and the growing complexity of people’s lives, mean that homes will need to imitate this fluidity and be adaptable to changing identities and ways of living.

The beneficiaries of a move towards the long-term perspective are not only clients, society and the public (where it is a ‘no-brainer’ in terms of sustainable development) but also the housebuilding sector itself. The industry needs to better prepare for its own future, through the creation of a more informed and forward-thinking industry, accumulating and capturing the

knowledge of its diverse participants in order to stimulate innovative and creative thinking.

While looking ahead systematically, housebuilding stakeholders – including government and consumers – need to be sufficiently adaptable, responsive and flexible to keep up with, if not capitalise on and take advantage of, the rapidly forming futures that lie ahead.

the future of uK housebuildinG, an RICS-commissioned report by Dr Chris Goodier and Dr Wei Pan of the University of Plymouth, is published in December. rics.org/research

Opinion

uK housebuilders must prepare for their oWn future

12 r ics.org

looKinG ahead UK homes must adapt to changing ways of living and working

SantiagoCalatrava’s

Museum of Tomorrow

A disused pier in Rio de Janeiro is to be regenerated into a sleek museum as part of an urban revitalisation project launched by the city in preparation for the 2016 Olympic Games. Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, the Museu do Amanhã, or Museum of Tomorrow, on Pier Maua aims to transform the historical waterfront into a

thriving cultural and residential community, and will feature futuristic interactive exhibitions. A striking array of photovoltaic panels on the roof will tilt to follow the sun’s course during the day, while rainwater-capture pools and seawater pumps to cool the interior will all contribute towards the building’s targeted LEED certification.

BrazilSuStainability ShowcaSe

dr Chris Goodier Loughborough University

MODUS_Nov/Dec_P08-13_Intel.v4.FIN.indd 12 1/11/10 10:09:15

2 5

Books :reviews

paul symsA readable overview of the principles and practice of the regeneration of brownfield sites.18613 // £49.99

Order from ricsbooks.com

peter BrandOn & patrizia lOmBardiIdeal for those looking for a structured, systematic approach to evaluation.18614 // £59.99

michael Jenks & cOlin JOnesExamining the relationship between various aspects of sustainability. 18615 // £44.99

cyril chern The history of disputes and their resolution through common law, civil and Sharia law.18600 // £290

UKPrevailing windsNearly 10% of the UK’s electricity is now being generated by wind farms, the National Grid has revealed – a figure set to increase with the opening of the world’s largest offshore wind farm 12km off the coast of Kent. Operated by Swedish power company Vattenfall, the £750m facility has 100 turbines producing up to 300MW of electricity – enough to power almost 200,000 homes – and will boost the UK’s offshore wind capacity by more than 30%. Taking just over two years to construct, Thanet Offshore Wind Farm is expected to operate for at least 25 years. Spread over 35km sq, it will be the largest of its kind until the London Array, which has a goal of installing 340 turbines in the Thames Estuary, opens at the end of 2012. Meanwhile, the UK Energy Research Centre has predicted that the cost of wind turbines could fall by 25% by 2025 – but warns this may not happen if the government cuts funding for research and development into wind power.

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FranceParisian flareCommercial real estate in France has emerged from a two-year slump, according to the IPD French Bi-Annual Property Index. Over the two years to the end of 2009, French capital values declined by 18%, driven by yield expansion and rental decline, but recently recorded a 1.6% capital appreciation. The IPD index, which measures 1,480 commercial properties worth around €33.9bn (£29bn), saw the strongest capital appreciation in the Paris Central Business District, which grew by 2.8%. ‘French property has finally turned the corner after a steep yield-driven capital re-pricing cycle, which has seen real estate shed a fifth off their values,’ said Christian de Kerangal, managing director of IPD Southern Europe.

Brazilsustainability showcase

11.10 // 12.10 // MODUS 13

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100mThe number of passengers

expected to be handled each year by the expansion of the

King Fahad Causeway linking Bahrain to saudi arabia

10.7GwThe capacity of all the photovoltaic cells produced in the world last year

– up from 7.1gW in 2008

KazakhstanPresident’s librarySurging oil revenues over the past 10 years have helped Kazakhstan grow and finance numerous large and eccentric developments – as evidenced by last issue’s report on the Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center. Now Astana, which became the capital in 1997, is set to see another unusual design: the £85m Astana National Library. Designed by Danish practice BIG for the Kazakhstan Presidential Office, its distinctive Möbius strip-style design was selected out of 300 competition ideas, and will be completed in 2012.


2 4 www.rics.org

“ WE CAN’T AFFORD TO TAKE RISKS WHEN WE’RE APPOINTING OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS”

Robert Marsh, Director (Electrical), Johnathan Hart Associates

ECA electrical contractors must undergo a thorough examination of their financial, commercial and technical skills

To find an ECA contractor that’s right for you:

www.eca.co.ukONE LESS THING TO WORRY ABOUT.

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!"#$%&'()*$+,-.-/-01233$$$4 +56/76+/4/$$$4/89/MODUS_Sept_P14/15_ECA_Ad.FIN.indd 2 1/11/10 10:25:43

1 THINKLABA man in a wheelchair enters a bathroom. He moves forward towards the washbasin but stops, unable to manoeuvre past the edge of the bath. A few seconds later, the bath vanishes. In its place, a series of shower units appear and disappear, eventually settling on a design that tucks neatly into the corner of the room.

Of course, this isn’t reality. The man in the wheelchair isn’t in a bathroom, but in front of a vast 3D-enabled screen surrounded by eight motion sensors. Around him sit several people, everyone wearing 3D glasses. When they’re happy that the bathroom is now fully accessible, the design switches to the next scenario.

This is the futuristic research environment THINKLab, where collaborative working practices involving construction design are being tried and tested in a virtual world. First conceptualised in 1998 by Professors Peter Brandon OBE FRICS and Terrence Fernando, THINKLab is run from the University of Salford’s School for the Built Environment. By using state-of-the-art augmented and virtual reality in construction design, their pioneering immersive system gives a good idea of how all future developments may one day be planned, developed, tested, adjusted and fi nalised – before a single brick is laid.

‘We call them “future centres”, where all stakeholders can be brought together to define how they see the future of a development from a collective point of view and explore issues in real time,’ explains Fernando.

By testing a full virtual mock-up early on in a development’s life,

surveyors, architects, planners, clients, civic officials and end users can all work together, bringing together critical data and knowledge to highlight and solve issues. Not only does this reduce the number of meetings required, but it can also limit changes to the design and, ultimately, save time and money. ‘There is always the risk the client doesn’t like or understand what they are signing off until it is too late,’ says Guy Middleton MRICS, owner of H4 Group, a fi rm specialising in CGI and the creation of virtual building interiors. By eliminating confl icts

at an early stage, development times can be reduced by around 30%, Fernando believes.

And in an indication of what might be just around the corner, THINKLab’s team is currently trialling an ‘on-site’ virtual system, where pipework installed in a building can be inspected by a mobile worker. Before installation, a contractor digitally tags every pipe and electrical system; once installed, the inspector can view an augmented version of reality through 3D glasses that recognises the tags and displays exactly where a misplaced pipe should be, relaying data back to a central offi ce via a handheld computer. In the not-too-distant future, the 3D camera will even recognise the object or material by itself,

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2020 VISIONFROM VIRTUAL CONSTRUCTION SITES TO CONCRETE THAT HEALS ITSELF, WE LOOK AT 20 TECHNOLOGIES

AND TECHNIQUES THAT ARE HELPING TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Words by Brendon Hooper and Mark Harris Illustration by Benedict Campbell

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11.10 // 12.10 // MODUS 17

removing the initial need to tag the building’s materials.

‘In parallel with high-tech physical spaces,’ says Fernando, ‘virtual team spaces and virtual community spaces will be the norm in the future for linking up hybrid digital and physical spaces, to support collaboration between firms, government agencies, citizens and education establishments. This could be from designing an aircraft with international partners to the planning of an entire city.’thinklab.salford.ac.uk

New technology//

2 LIGHT-TRANSMITTING CONCRETEGloomy rooms can be better illuminated thanks to a type of translucent concrete that allows daylight to pass through. Invented by Hungarian architect Áron Losonczi, Litracon contains thousands of optical fibres running parallel between the two main surfaces of the blocks. The manufacturers believe that a wall built from the light-transmitting blocks could be several metres thick, as the fibres work up to 20m without almost any loss of light. They can also be used for load bearing – the tiny glass fi bres only constitute 4% of the blocks’ overall volume, and therefore don’t affect their strength.litracon.hu

4 AUGMENTED REAL ESTATEA new development is being proposed and the client wants to see the building from all angles before they buy into it. But they don’t just want to see a scale model or a 3D rendering – they want to know what it will be like at the real site, surrounded by real buildings and roads. Brazilian developer Rossi Residencial is one fi rm trialling an augmented reality (AR) system that does just that. Created by Königsberger Vannucchi Architects, the system relies on a black-and-white AR marker set up at the proposed site. From this, the developer can display a 3D image of the building integrated into its real-life setting, viewed live on a laptop from a helicopter directly above. Rossi Residencial’s Fibrasa Connection development in the city of Vitória, Brazil, currently holds the Guinness World Record for the largest AR marker.Search ‘Königsberger Vannucchi’ on youtube.com to see it in action

3 SPACE-AGE STRENGTHIt’s estimated that more than £500m is spent each year on the repair of concrete infrastructure in the UK – but incorporating some space-age technology into our bridges and buildings could help reduce the bill. Basalt fi bre composite bars were recently used in reinforced concrete for the fi rst time, in an A-road bridge in Northern Ireland. Developed during the Russian space programme, basalt fibre is incredibly strong – twice the tensile strength of regular steel – but just a quarter of its weight. It’s corrosion resistant, too.


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5CARBON-NEGATIVE CEMENTSTraditional cement production delivers a greenhouse gas double whammy, using polluting fossil fuels to heat calcium carbonate to high temperatures – which then releases more CO2, along with lime. Cement production currently accounts for around 2% of global man-made CO2 emissions – but by 2020 it could be a very different story. Several companies are developing carbon-negative cements that actually absorb CO2 during their production and use. An Australian company is experimenting with super-heated steam to make a cement from calcium magnesium carbonate particles that takes up large quantities of CO2 as it hardens. Closer to commercialisation is technology invented by Novacem, a spin-off of London’s Imperial College. By 2012, the start-up fi rm hopes to be using magnesium oxide, carbonates and silicates in a low-temperature process that it claims will absorb 100kg of carbon dioxide for every tonne of cement produced – and at a similar cost to today’s Portland cement.

6BUILDING INFORMATION MODELLING As buildings become ever more complicated, incorporating smart materials, power generation and digital networks, understanding and tracking those systems becomes ever more crucial. Enter Building Information Modelling (BIM). This innovative process provides an individual computerised bible for each new structure, containing everything from 3D drawings and planning documents to the exact specifi cations of every joist, light fitting and solar power fixture. Terry Bennett MRICS is a senior industry manager at Autodesk, a world leader in 3D design software. ‘BIM is an integrated, collaborative process that enables engineers, architects, contractors and clients to work from a single, digital project model and share reliable, coordinated information at every stage of a project lifecycle,’ he says.BIM tools can simulate the entire construction sequence beforehand, addressing sustainability issues and reducing waste by choosing the most cost-effective strategy. Because every aspect of a design co-exists in a single virtual model, engineers are also able to spot and correct mistakes before they are, literally, set in stone. ‘With BIM, if it looks wrong, it is wrong,’ says Bennett. ‘Visualisations help all stakeholders understand the real scope, complexity and issues with a project, and allow the entire team to make more informed decisions earlier in the process. Once decided upon, this model can be passed to and used by the contractors during construction to automate GPS machines, people and site logistics.’

7 SMART WINDOWSSolar power generators aren’t limited to roofs – the windows of buildings could also produce electricity with transparent solar cells or ‘smart energy’ glass. US company Konarka has created a transparent photovoltaic cell that can be fi tted between two panes of glass, so windows generate power as sunlight streams through. Other companies, including Dutch fi rm Peer+, are developing windows with electrochromatic devices that change the opacity of the glass to fi lter light. The windows generate energy to power the system as they switch between dark, bright and privacy modes – also replacing the need for curtains or blinds. Although installation costs are high, smart glass technology could save on heating, air conditioning and lighting costs in the long term. The technology is already being used to replace pull-down blinds on the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and to separate the driver and passenger compartments on some high-speed German ICE trains.

8ROTATING HOMESolar panels are usually fi xed in position on a roof, and as the sun moves across the sky, their yield inevitably decreases. So what if the panels – or even the building itself – could move with it? Inspired by heliotrope plants that follow the sun, German architect Rolf Disch has created a rotating home called, you guessed it, the Heliotrope. By tracking the sun, the house maximises the amount of direct sunlight captured by its large roof-mounted solar array and solar thermal pipes. And if one side gets too hot in the summer, it can simply turn its back on the sun – independently of the solar array. rolfdisch.de


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11 BUILDINGS THAT BREATHEHermetical ly sealed, air conditioned work environments can be too stifl ing for some – in Germany, for example, the law dictates that buildings must have windows that can open. But as towers get taller, problems can arise: manually operated windows can pose a safety hazard, while pressure differentials at high altitudes can create cross breezes that vary from gusts to gale-force winds. To get around this, the new KfW Bankengruppe tower in Frankfurt uses a computerised system to judge when ventilators should open and by how much. Designed by Sauerbruch Hutton, the tower has been fi tted with a ‘pressure ring’ façade that allows it to ‘breathe’ automatically via 180 sensor-controlled ventilators that respond to changes in air temperature, pressure and wind direction. The system also helps eliminate the need for air conditioning in the summer, so the building consumes a third less energy than a typical offi ce.

New technology//

10 APP APPLICATIONThe iPad and its fellow tablets could soon become indispensable site tools. With touch-screen technology, anyone can review or edit site drawings, send quick amendments or compare details of a construction with its plan. Online collaboration expert Woobius is developing an iPad and iPhone app called Woobius Eye that allows users to upload project documents and drawings and mark them up on screen. It means an architect or project manager on site could take a photograph and chat about it over the phone with colleagues back in the offi ce while pointing to it or marking it up in real time.Search ‘Woobius Eye’ on youtube.com to see a demo

12VIRTUAL BUILDING SITEMissed budgets, weather delays, equipment shortages and site accidents are just some of the issues that can stall a development once building starts. But if everyone involved is trained ‘virtually’ to cope with potential complications before ground is even broken, future construction sites could become foolproof. Well, almost. That’s the idea behind the UK’s fi rst construction training simulator, ACT-UK in Coventry. The centre uses a room-sized simulator to create a virtual construction site – from housing projects to high-rise offi ce blocks – in exact detail, and trains users in site management scenarios. Training is adapted to different jobs, and actors take on the roles of other employees to create as authentic an environment as possible and test competency skills. ‘Using a virtual environment is a unique form of training,’ says Chrissie Chadney, head of HR at Willmott Dixon. ‘Managers can see their staff in the simulation environment, assess their capabilities and interpersonal skills, and then, in the debriefi ng afterwards, give feedback in relation to their company’s procedures and business.’ The staff behind ACT-UK believe managers can learn more in a few days in the virtual construction site than in a whole month on the real thing, as teams become more effective and effi cient with dealing with what the real world has to throw at them. act-uk.co.uk

9SELF-HEALING CONCRETEWhat if cracked concrete could ‘heal’ itself? Victor Li, a professor of materials science at the University of Michigan in the US, has spent more than a decade researching engineered cement composites (ECCs). His team is developing an ECC that forms numerous tiny cracks when overloaded, rather than large ones that may grow bigger, so that the material retains its strength. It can also effectively heal itself – small amounts of unhydrated cement within the concrete react to water and carbon dioxide, forming a tiny calcium carbonate ‘scar’ and sealing the crack. ‘We found that, when we load it again after it heals, it behaves just like new, with practically the same stiffness and strength,’ says Li.Watch a video at ceramics.org/video/self-healing-concrete


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13STEREOLITHOGRAPHY Why build a house when you can grow it instead? Stereolithography is the practice of constructing complex structures from a bath of liquid polymer. A computer-controlled laser traces a precise path in the polymer, solidifying it into a tough resin. Once each layer is complete, the model is lowered slightly, more liquid fl ows over the top and the laser adds another microscopically thin layer. Sadly, today’s stereolithography devices (also known as 3D printers) are capable of building dwellings no larger than dolls’ houses, and are used primarily for creating one-off components and small product prototypes. However, Belgian company Materialise is pioneering what it calls mammoth stereolithography, using larger machines boasting build areas of over 2m. The firm has already made full-size body panels for concept cars and large-scale architectural models. In the future, stereolithography is only going to get lighter and cheaper, raising the possibility that, by 2020, housebuilders may be able simply to print custom-made parts on site as they need them.

143D CITY MODELLINGDrafting an accurate drawing of an existing building has always been critical in construction – and it could soon be done in the blink of an eye. Stereophotogrammetry is all about creating a 3D model from 2D images such as photographs. The process requires some serious computing power, including smart algorithms that can incorporate multiple images and triangulate locations in space. One of the leaders in the field is the US military, which is beginning to use advanced techniques in overseas combat. The US Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) in San Diego has developed a technique that can use the cameras and GPS systems on board bomb disposal robots to construct virtual models of the cities in which they operate. Bart Everett, SPAWAR’s technical director for robotics, says, ‘We have more than 6,000 robots in action, sending back video at up to 60 frames per second. If we took all of that information and stitched it together, we’d eventually have a model of a whole town at a very high fi delity.’ Google is going a step further with its controversial Street View system: the company has admitted that its cars snapping digital photos all over the world also have laser scanners, which are gradually building up a complete 3D image of urban environments from the US to New Zealand. In a similar vein, Microsoft has already mapped terrain contours for the entire world and has released 3D ‘fly through’ maps over nearly 70 cities worldwide – even letting users add their own models. Once the entire planet is mapped to within millimetres – probably long before 2020 – architects and planners will be able to drop in virtual buildings or sketch out road systems at a project’s earliest stages.Search ‘RICS fl y through’ on youtube.com to see a video of the Westminster area of London in 3D

New technology//

16GPS DIGGERSGlobal positioning systems are increasingly being used on construction sites, aiding operators of machinery to cut exact, satellite-guided lines. On a mountain road currently being constructed in Riverton, US, for example, GPS devices have been attached to equipment grading the road. The machinery slowly cuts the road, while the operators use a GPS-linked computer to determine whether they’re grading in the right place, or if they’re cutting too deep. Happy that they’re on course, the operators can then set it to automatic. It’s just a step away from the machine driving itself.

15 PRINT YOUR OWN HOMEWhat if quality houses could be built as quickly and as effi ciently as cars on an assembly line – but with every one to a bespoke design? Part-funded by the London Development Agency, FACIT is pioneering such an approach: designing and building cost-effective, super-insulated houses to the high level of accuracy, quality and air tightness required to meet zero carbon targets. The team begins by producing a 3D building information model, which shows the client what the fi nal result will look like as well as extracting design information such as material quantities – right down to the position of the last screw hole. The design is then literally ‘printed’, via an on-site computer-controlled cutter, into lightweight blocks and panels that can be rapidly assembled on site. facit-homes.com


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17PORTABLE MODULAR HOUSING UNITSMobile homes get a bad press, but they actually have a modest carbon footprint compared with traditional, permanent housing. Now Brazilian architect Felipe Campolina is proposing high-density trailer parks in the sky: steel-framed skyscrapers that look a bit like huge CD racks, into which modular homes can be slotted as required. The homes would be built from standard 1.2m x 2.4m oriented strand board panels and could telescope in and out for transportation or installation. Each one-bedroom unit would have thermo-acoustic insulation, water recycling, a combined heat-and-power unit, and tempered glass windows. When the time comes to move house, residents could do just that: use a powerful lift to lower their unit to ground level and ship it intact to their new town.

20NANOTECHNOLOGYBuilding a house is easy. You simply download a 3D model from the internet, program a batch of nanites (molecular-scale robots), turn them loose on a debris-fi lled construction site, wait for sunny weather and watch your dream home emerge from the rubble. That’s pure science fiction, of course, but scientists around the world are working towards turning part of it into reality. The idea of nanotechnology was born over 50 years ago, when Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman noted that ‘there’s plenty of room at the bottom’. He envisaged tiny robots building even smaller robots, who in turn would build even tinier robots, until you had a horde of miniature solar-powered cyborgs that could manipulate individual atoms and molecules. Nanotechnology today is a long way from replacing factories, cranes and diggers, but there are already hundreds of nanoscale products on the market, most used in sunscreens and electronic components. In construction, carbon nanotubes and nano-coated metals may soon offer incredibly strong and corrosion-resistant building materials. The next generation of nanotech promises ultra-lightweight solar power fi lms that could be painted onto exterior walls, energy-absorbing paint to replace bulky insulation, and printable, flexible electronic circuitry. Look out for ‘gecko tape’ arriving soon – nanotech adhesive that’s super-sticky in one direction but can be pulled off easily from another. There are even thoughtful inventions such as nanotech ultraviolet coatings for glass that are invisible to humans but clearly visible to birds, so they won’t fly into windows. In the longer term, researchers are working on self-healing materials that can repair environmental or physical damage, and ways to ‘mine’ contaminated dirt to extract valuable (or dangerous) elements.

19SOLAR MAPPINGSolar panels may have been around for years, but to date it’s been difficult to gauge overall solar power capability on a regional or national scale. But every local authority could soon make solar maps available for homeowners to help inform their installation decisions. Large publicly owned buildings that are best suited to solar panels could also be pinpointed, reducing carbon emissions and saving money in the long term. Data for solar roof maps is captured via a high-resolution LiDAR (light detection and ranging) scanner attached to a plane. Geographic information systems can then determine how much of each roof area is suitable for installation, taking fi ve factors into account: roof area, orientation and slope, radiation energy and shadow movements. Mapping the potential for solar panels on rooftops is already taking place in major US cities such as New York, LA and San Francisco, while in Germany research has found that about 20% of the country’s overall roof area is suitable – a proportion that could supply up to 100% of its private consumption needs.rics.org/geomatics

18SMART FINGERS‘It was about this much,’ you say, holding your fi ngers up in the air. The time-honoured but inexact way of measuring distances could become a whole lot more accurate in the future with ‘smart fi ngers’. Currently in the concept stage, two computerised plastic devices fi t over your thumb and fi nger, and measure the distance relayed between the two points when you move them apart – a bit like a futuristic tape measure. The data can then be shown on a separate display, and later transferred via USB to a computer.


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modernism redefinedAfter decAdes of neglect, sheffield’s iconic PArk hill housing estAte is being trAnsformed. tim abrahams rePorts on how this sixties bluePrint for future living is confronting 21st-century refurbishment chAllengesPhotography by keith collie


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stunning 14-storey cliff face, Park Hill looms over the city of Sheffield like a range of concrete battlements. Even to the increasing number of people who have come around to its Brutalist 1960s architecture, it’s not difficult to see why this vast, unloved housing estate was one of 12 buildings nominated for the Channel 4 series Demolition in 2005.

Tom Lawrence is the man charged with transforming it into a desirable 21st-century residence. It’s a big ask. From the moment it was opened in 1961, Park Hill has been a contradiction of monumental proportions. He describes one of its more engaging paradoxes:

‘As you move through the estate, the ground drops away, so it has a city centre feel at one end and more of a suburban feel at the other.

It’s almost a different development,’ says the former quantity surveyor and manager for developer Urban Splash. This is achieved, he explains, by keeping the roof level at a constant datum, while the ground falls away.

Designed by Ivor Smith and Jack Lynn, Park Hill was a radical interpretation of Le Corbusier’s Unité d’Habitation – a modernist apartment block in an English setting. Boasting 1,000 apartments and using a bold system of prefabricated construction, it was a huge gamble. Concerned that communal space in housing estates tended to become a no-man’s land, the two young architects pushed the ‘streets in the sky’ concept: covered walkways that formed an extension of the dwellings, where neighbours could meet, children could play and milk floats could trundle from door to door.

A genuine sense of community did exist at the start. Neighbours from the back-to-back tenements that had stood on the site were re-housed next door to each other, and old street names from the area were kept. When gales hit the city in February 1962, the first cheque received by the appeal fund was from the Park Hill Tenants’ Association.

But it proved impossible to maintain the social model beyond the first 20 years. By the 1980s, Park Hill had become dilapidated and was no longer seen as a pleasant place to live. The badly lit ‘streets in the sky’ actually exacerbated crime, making ideal getaways for muggers, and in a complete reversal of the original community vision, the council began to separate problem tenants in the tallest block. The development was poorly maintained, and earned the nickname ‘San Quentin’ among locals after the infamous California prison.

a new lease of lifeDuring its years of decline, Park Hill’s standing as an exemplar of mid-century housing was untouched in architectural circles. In 1998 it was listed by English Heritage, making it the UK’s largest Grade II-listed building. In doing so, though, they created a problem: the city council was unable and unwilling to fund a painstaking renovation, slavishly recreating the original vision.

In 2004, Urban Splash was chosen as the preferred development partner through a public sector selection process. Enlisting a team of quantity surveyors (Simon Fenton Partnership), architects (Hawkins\Brown with Studio Egret West) and engineers (Martin Stockley Associates), the design team was invited to ‘bring a little romance’ to the estate, and focus on reconnecting Park Hill to Sheffield.

The thousand residential units are being refurbished over four phases, with the first due to complete next April. Ultimately the scheme will be a combination of affordable housing and privately owned luxury apartments, along with shops, a community centre, offices, a car park and a hotel. Pedestrian routes and public spaces around the building are being extensively regenerated, and the ‘streets in the sky’ are getting a facelift too, with the introduction of secure entry points at the lobbies and concealed light sources to illuminate the floors and storage spaces.

Light and colour are key to the revitalisation. To bring in light and enhance the views of the city, each apartment will have full-height glazing, while the external coloured brickwork is being completely reimagined. Despite the building’s listed status, English Heritage has allowed the developers to remove its old brick façade and introduce coloured aluminium cladding. ‘They were keen to keep the brickwork, but we wanted it to be transformational,’ explains Tom. ‘It was already banded in different colours, from an earthy brown at the bottom to a lighter colour at the top. We’ve changed these to aluminium panels.’

Getting English Heritage to agree was, he admits, ‘a bun fight’. In the end, though, all the partners involved agreed to go by a ‘squint test’: as long as the project retained the essence of the original, the new façade was allowed.

A


new palette Park Hill’s Brutalist

1960s façade is to be refurbished with multi-

coloured anodised aluminium panels (left)

Park Hill//

Following extensive testing, the initially sceptical heritage body was convinced that this type of cladding, which in previous cases had aged badly, has been improved.

Neil Stones of Simon Fenton Partnership found himself in the unusual position of witnessing English Heritage demand a higher specification of anodised aluminium than the client, who wanted to keep costs down. But this was one area where depressed market conditions actually helped: ‘We got competitive quotes for the aluminium, which allowed us to do things we wouldn’t otherwise have been able to do,’ Neil says. ‘We had horror stories of what the costs would be, but when we got to the pricing, contractors were slashing tender prices.’

Anodised aluminium panels are also being fitted throughout the ‘streets in the sky’, laser cut with text and graphics and backlit at night to illuminate the walkways and act as guide points. Another striking addition will be ‘the cut’: a four-storey aperture carved into the north face of the existing building from ground level up. This will form the new entrance to Park Hill, with a glazed lift shaft and a 13-storey spiral staircase.

ensuring buy-inOf course, convincing English Heritage was only one battle: Urban Splash is also gambling on changing the mindset of a resistant local public. The developer had already renovated a jewel of English Modernism, the Midland Hotel in Morecambe, but Park Hill was something else entirely. It was actively hated. Sheffield City Councillor Paul Scriven was elected in May 2000 on an anti-listing ticket – he collected 50,000 signatures on a petition calling for a reversal of the listing decision – but he has since become an uneasy supporter of the redevelopment.

When in February 2009 the developer was experiencing the difficulties of the financial downturn, it successfully applied to the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to have some of the £14m worth of gap funding brought forward. Scriven made it clear that Urban Splash wasn’t getting a penny more than it had originally been promised.

Most of the funding for the redevelopment – around £100m – is coming from Urban Splash, but the project is also being supported by the public sector. The HCA is contributing a further £10m to provide 200 units for rent and 40 for shared ownership, and Great Places Housing Group (formerly Manchester Methodist Housing Group) another £10m. Transform South Yorkshire is providing £13m to cover enabling costs, including home loss payments to residents, security and the demolition of non-listed buildings, while English Heritage is contributing £0.5m for specialist concrete repairs.

11.10 // 12.10 // MODUS 25

In August this year, Urban Splash announced losses of £10.3m for the 12 months to 31 March 2010 (admittedly an improvement on the previous year’s losses of £38.3m). When around 260 apartments come up for sale in spring next year, the developer will be looking for immediate signs that its project will ultimately succeed.

balancing actThe technical decisions for the renovation have taken place in a strange middle ground between a heritage body determined to preserve the building – the project was the special subject of a BBC documentary about English Heritage – and a developer who must make it attractive to the market. On a heritage project, even on a building that many consider to be ugly, every decision has a balanced aesthetic consideration.

Greg Moss, project architect for Hawkins\Brown, explains one of the other main alterations to the façade. ‘Our premise was to invert the proportion of brickwork to glazing,’ he says. ‘It was two-thirds brick, one-third glazing. We’ve flipped it on the new elevation, so basically all the bedrooms get far more and better northern light, and go from being quite dingy to actually quite generous.’

Thanks to the sheer scale of the building, and the fact that it is constructed from a repeated module, tiny changes can have huge implications. ‘You make one move and it’s played out a few hundred times,’ says Greg. ‘It’s quite an interesting process, because we made

as you move through, the ground drops away, so it has a city centre feel at one end and more of a suburban feel at the other

what we thought were quite subtle changes in the drawings on the balustrades, and then it had a massive effect on the elevation.’ The new balustrades don’t sit flush with the frame as the originals did; the idea is that they should be read as something separate, an addition.

More than 5,500 different repairs had to be made to the concrete for the 263 apartments in phase one, due to the poor quality of the original build. ‘Reinforcement was too close to the surface,’ explains Tom. ‘It had burst and popped, and was spalling in many places.’ Vital improvements to the structure have taken place using that subjective ‘squint test’. One section of concrete, which has been painted with a range of different washes, shows the lengths to which the architects and developers have gone to get the tone right.

‘When we stripped the building back to its structure, we realised that the concrete was different colours because of low-level contamination,’ says Tom. ‘So our solution was part colour wash, part anti-carbonisation treatment. We didn’t attempt to hide the fact that some bits were repaired, but the wash brings all the different colours of the concrete closer together; repaired bits, contaminated bits and normal bits.’

The impact of the recent downturn has put the completion date of the whole development back to 2017, from an original target of 2015. But, as Tom says, the project ‘breaks down easily into phases’. Urban Splash and the teams working with them have a few years yet to turn accepted architectural taste on its head

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All the world’s

A cityby 2040, twO-thirDS Of the glObal pOpUlatiOn will live in Urban areaS

– anD the very cOncept Of ‘city’ will have tO be reDefineD, SayS

professor michAel bAttyillustration by chris dent

Future cities//

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2 4 www.rics.org

Future cities//

:2011-2020 building

the futureEco-cities, spaceports and digitally enhanced

skyscrapers are just some of the projects being

constructed around the world over the next decade

Olympic Village, lOndOn, UKPopulous/Buro Happold Purpose-built permanent venues will include the 80,000-capacity Olympic Stadium. // London is the first city to host the modern Olympics three times, in 1908, 1948 and 2012

mediacityUK, SalfOrd, UKPeel Holdings/Salford City CouncilA 36-acre ‘city’ dedicated to the media industry, featuring one of the world’s most advanced communications networks.// 20,000,000m of optical fibre will be installed across the site

SpacepOrt america, new mexicO, USFoster + Partnersthe world’s first purpose-built port for space tourism, with Virgin galactic as the anchor tenant. // 335 suborbital trips have already been booked, totalling US$65m (£40m)

enture into mainland China, beyond the gleaming financial

capitals of Hong Kong and Shanghai, and you are in for a surprise. Far

behind the coastal strip, where cities have morphed into icons of modernity,

the third wave of Chinese urbanisation is transforming an area that until recently was regarded as the country’s poorest. Vast migrations from the rural heartlands to cities such as Chongqing and Chengdu are fast elevating their status to world class.

The population of Chongqing, a municipality on the Yangtze river, has reportedly reached 32m. I say ‘reportedly’ because defining a city’s boundaries is incredibly difficult, and this astonishingly large figure relates to a vast hinterland. Most world cities, however, have hinterlands of this size: 34m in Greater Tokyo, more than the 21m in south east England (the

true extent of Greater London), and 22m in the New York Tri-State area. Chongqing is significant because it has reached this size seemingly without most people, even in China, knowing about it. Many have never even heard of its existence.

super-sized citiesAll this confusion is occasioned by the massive migration to cities that began more than 200 years ago and appears still to be accelerating. This is nowhere clearer than in China, where the number of cities with populations of more than a million stood at about 40 in 2000, but is predicted to reach 220 by 2030. When the country began to open up in the early 1980s, only 15% of its population lived in cities. Over the past 30 years this has risen to nearly 50%, and by the end of this century it could reach the sort of levels that characterise Western

developed nations – in the order of 95%. When I first visited Guangzhou back in 1986, the population was a respectable 3m in the city proper – large then by Chinese standards. It is now at least 10m, and in the wider urbanised region – the Pearl River Delta, at the end of which sits Hong Kong – it is more than 30m. I went again recently and barely recognised the place. A new central business district was virtually complete, having been constructed over a period of about four years.

2011 2012

V

Chongqing, a relatively unknown city even within

China, recently reached a population of 32m

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2 5

Masdar City, abu dhabi, uaEFoster + Partners/Al Jaber GroupA £14bn zero-carbon, zero-waste city. Covering 6km sq, it will rely entirely on renewable energies. // An initial 60MW solar power plant will provide energy for all subsequent construction

transbay transit CEntEr, san FranCisCo, usRenzo Piano/Pelli Clarke PelliA £775m plan to centralise the city’s transport, housing nine systems under one roof. // An elevated park will hide the inner workings of the terminal

onE World tradE CEntEr, nEW yorkSOM/Port Authority of New YorkA mixed-use skyscraper, also known as ‘Freedom Tower’, built on the site of the former World Trade Center. // An antenna on top will rise to 1,776ft – symbolic of the year of US independence

shard london bridgE, london, ukRenzo Piano/Arup/Mace/Sellar PropertyA 72-storey skyscraper featuring office, hotel and luxury residential accommodation in a ‘vertical city’. // At 310m, the Shard of Glass is set to become the tallest building in Europe

In 1986 there was no subway and hardly any cars, just a sea of bicycles. Now the city boasts nearly 116km of metro lines – in comparison the London Underground has 400km, but was built over 125 years, not 10.

All these trends towards urbanisation suggest that, by the end of the century, everyone will be living in cities. But what kind of city? One city or many? When all the world’s a city, the very concept begs redefinition. It is clear that no such thing as a completely connected physical entity called ‘city’ will exist, unless we manage to shift continents (which is unlikely). But a completely connected global entity where the connections are economic and social is already on the cards, in which it will be impossible to consider any individual city separately from its neighbours in economic space, indeed perhaps from any other city.

In China, and elsewhere, such dramatic increases in urbanisation are no longer due to natural growth. The one-child policy instituted more than 40 years ago is now leading to an ageing population, as in many other parts of the developed world such as Europe and Japan. In fact, China is the exemplar of the conundrum facing world population: its cities are growing extremely fast as it urbanises rapidly through migration, but its total population is stabilising, due to ageing >>

trEnds suggEst that, by thE End oF thE CEntury, EvEryonE Will bE living in CitiEs. but What kind oF City? onE City or Many?

2013 2014

riCs launched the vision for Cities programme earlier this year to discuss and define ways of delivering sustainable urban settlements for 2020 and beyond. Since the launch of a discussion paper at MIPIM in March, RICS has continued to build on its thought-leading work in this area. There are a number of projects currently under way:

Global call for papers: RICS is running an essay competition for professionals and academics around the world on the subject of ‘the vision for your cities of 2020/2030’. In July, RICS held an event at the National Regeneration

Summit in London on the subject of maximising social, environmental and economic returns on public regeneration investment. The panel featured members along with Lord Heseltine, who is leading a UK government cities taskforce. In September, RICS Hong Kong held its annual conference,

focusing on the issue of Public Private Partnerships (PPP) for waterfront development. The aim was to share international best practice on how waterfronts have been developed, how land usage can be applied in PPP development and what would be essential for successful partnership models. RICS Scotland is producing a Good Practice Guide for

Delivering Better Places. Undertaken by the University of Glasgow, and in partnership with the Scottish Government and Architecture + Design Scotland, the guide highlights examples of how different public bodies in other countries have approached the task of making places – and markets – work better. The Future of UK Housebuilding is a research project that

examines innovative methods of construction and the ways the homes of the future are likely to be built. There are a number of other planned projects, including a

major global research project on Private Finance Initiatives/PPPs, and others covering the London 2012 Olympics, water scarcity, waste and Real Estate Investment Trusts.

For more information about any of the projects, or the overall Vision for Cities programme, email [email protected] or visit rics.org/visionforcities

:vision For CitiEsRICS POLICy AND RESEARCH

11.10 // 12.10 // MODUS 29


2 4 www.rics.org

cities will be built in a much more automated manner, with high-quality factory construction becoming routine

chow tai fook centre, guangzhou, chinaKohn Pedersen Fox/DLN/GCDIA 530m-high skyscraper featuring office, residential, retail and hotel space. // A large central skylight will let daylight into the 100,000m sq of retail space

gulf cooperation council (gcc) rail network, middle eastA £16bn, six-state plan to build a 2,000km rail network from Salalah in southern Oman to Kuwait’s border with Iraq. // GCC states are planning £65bn of rail investment in the next 10 years

digital media city landmark tower, seoul, south koreaSOM/Samoo/Samsung C&TThe £1.8bn, 640m-high DMC tower will be the most digitally advanced in the world. // Built in 2002, Digital Media City houses 2,000 media and IT firms

pingan international finance center, shenzhen, chinaKohn Pedersen Fox/Thornton TomasettiA mixed-use skyscraper, set to become the second tallest in the world at 648m. // An 11-storey podium on top will house high-end shops and restaurants

2015 2016 2017 2019 2020

can a planned city ever be as culturally rich and varied as one that has grown naturally? Announced as ‘the world’s first zero-carbon city’ in 2007, many believed Foster + Partners’ 6km sq desert development would be a sustainable dream too far. But the first section of Masdar City (below) has now been completed – a 15,000m sq area surrounding a sustainability research institute – and the first residents are moving in.

Everything about Masdar has been meticulously planned to be highly functional and low consumption. The design team even studied ancient Arab settlements in order to understand how communities have lived in a region where temperatures can reach 50ºC. By incorporating ideas such as narrow streets to increase shading and tall wind towers that funnel air, the project team aims to make the city feel 20ºC cooler and halve its energy needs. Around 90% of Masdar’s electricity will be from photovoltaics – a 200,000m sq solar farm will be built just outside the city – with the rest from incinerating waste.

But a zero-carbon city wouldn’t live up to its name without getting rid of the gas-guzzling car. So as well as being closed to combustion-engine vehicles, an underground network is being built where residents will be able to use hundreds of pod-shaped, computer-driven electric cars.

:masdar cityABu DhABI, uAE

30 r ics.org

as well as the demographic transition, where birth rates drop as societies become more prosperous and medical science continues to lead to increased longevity.

In China, the total population will increase from its current level of about 1.3bn to 1.45bn by 2026 – and then it will slowly decline, dropping to 1.38bn in 2050 and 1.05bn by 2100. When world population stops growing completely, as is forecast in the next 50 years, it will mark a transition we already find hard to imagine. Growth will still occur differentially, but so will decline, and migration will be considerably more important than it is now (as long as resources continue to sustain such movement, which is an open question).

To put this all in perspective, the super-exponential growth of the world’s population for the past 200,000 years is suddenly coming to an end in a fraction of the time it has taken to get this far. This is a profound shift, as the graph of population growth will suddenly


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Future cities//

Sino-Singapore Tianjin eco-ciTyAcademy of Urban Planning and Design/Urban Redevelopment AuthorityA joint partnership between Singapore and China, the eco-city near Beijing will be home to 350,000 people. // 26 KPIs will govern environmental standards

nakheel Tower, Dubai, uaeNakheel Properties/Woods BagotA proposed supertower from the developers behind Dubai’s Palm Islands. // The tower aims to top 1,400m – eclipsing the world’s current tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, by 500m

Zira Zero iSlanD, aZerbaijanBIG/RambollA proposed 1km sq masterplan for a carbon-neutral resort and residential development on Zira Island near the Caspian Sea. // The architecture mimics the seven mountain peaks of Azerbaijan

weSTown & eaSTown, cairo, egypTWilkinson Eyre and othersThe Egyptian government’s £1bn vision to reclaim desert land and redirect the unsustainable north-south expansion of Cairo along a new east-west axis. // 38% of the scheme will be for green spaces

2015 2016 2017 2019 2020

stop, or rather pass a critical threshold beyond which we have little idea of what will happen. The transition is likely to have so great an impact on the economy, its resources and our way of life that it will take all our ingenuity to plan for such change. Big cities will be at the forefront of this transition.

mega mergersWe need to be a little clearer about what a ‘big’ city is, especially as the sorts of mega-urban regions that are emerging are composed of many cities that have grown together. In this context, big cities are usually world cities with populations upwards of 10m; invariably their functions are connected to one another in the global economy. World cities in these terms are not always big cities, though – take Dubai, which has been created almost as a playground for the world’s super-rich to indulge their passions for high living. It now boasts the world’s tallest building, and there seems to be no end to bigness of buildings in the competition for the tallest skyscraper.

Nevertheless, over the next 50 to 100 years all the action is likely to be seen first and foremost in the cities with the largest populations and the tallest buildings, where incomes will be greater, and creative pursuits and professions widely in evidence. Although some of the world’s biggest cities still appear poor by the top standards, many are now as rich as their counterparts in the developed world were 50 or 100 years ago.

The rather optimistic picture of our future cities does have a dark side that could make all this conjecture meaningless. Climate change could overwhelm us, aging could destroy

our productivity and incur enormous costs on those who continue to labour, and energy sources could disappear. But there is little doubt that fossil fuels cannot remain the driver of energy that underpins our various economies. These fuels are running out, with the example of ‘peak oil’ being the whipping boy that is heralding a shift to renewables.

Long before we see a world populated by machines and buildings that embrace all these new sources, remarkable changes in the energy efficiency of cars and buildings are coming on stream. Combined with different forms of information technology that are enabling us to conserve and use energy more effectively, changes in the way we travel – and where we travel – are changing the way our cities look. The move back to various forms of public transport such as bicycle and light rail is becoming feasible as these forms of infrastructure become more comfortable, while the use of information technology for doing business through video conferencing and a host of multimedia besides is changing the way we work. Automation is everywhere, while new ways of interacting are enriching urban life by complementing, not necessarily substituting for, what we did in the past.

auto constructionDuring the coming century, cities will be built in a much more automated manner, with high-quality factory construction becoming routine in the same way we now expect our cars to be produced. Standardisation has been a long time coming in the building industry, but such automated production is a necessity for the construction of wired buildings where

energy control and other forms of efficiency monitoring and maintenance are de rigeur.

There is now a sense that the developing world has moved towards the developed in the past 50 years, particularly in large cities. Notwithstanding the fact that there are still large areas of rural poverty, and that many developing world cities are abysmally poor, I believe that cities in the 21st century will receive a massive boost in their productivity and wealth, as wealth created in the largest filters down to the smaller and less accessible, but also as initiatives in transport technology, sustainable living and building construction lead to massive improvements in urban life. Big cities will be in the vanguard of this change.

What is clear is that the design and planning of future cities will be a much more complex affair than at any time hitherto, with many unforeseen consequences of these changes needing to be sensed, measured properly and then addressed. For this, new skills will be needed by all those involved in planning cities in the broadest sense of the word, while the ability to monitor and track what is happening, using remotely sensed technologies as well as online tracking of human behaviour, will be vital. In this, we pose an educational challenge as great as that of understanding the way cities get bigger, which we will only be able to meet if we combine many different kinds of professional and academic expertise

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michael baTTy cbe is Bartlett Professor of Planning at University College London, where he directs the Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis (CASA). He is a fellow of the British Academy and the Royal Society. casa.ucl.ac.uk


Contact DRS today to appoint a specialist mediator to resolve your dispute+44 (0)20 7334 [email protected]/drsmediation

Save time and moneyResolving property and construction disputes

Go straight to RICS Dispute Resolution Service (DRS) for an independent mediator with the skills and experience you need.

Getting locked into a property or construction dispute can cost you valuable time and money. There’s also a real risk that your dispute could end in expensive litigation.

Put your dispute into the hands of an experienced RICS DRS mediator and you’ll find it much quicker and easier to resolve the issues that are holding things back.

Ask us to appoint a mediator and you’ll save time on researching the marketplace. You can also feel confident that you are appointing the right professional to handle your case.

rics.org/drs

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Law advice//

Claims against surveyors have increased sixfold over the past 12 months. Though still lower than during the recession of the 1990s, when higher interest rates led to greater numbers of repossessions, they are easier for individuals to launch and are being given considerable publicity. Claims against surveyors have the elements ‘no win, no fee’ providers like, and, with the personal injury claims market effectively saturated, such firms are looking for new opportunities.

At the same time, the pressure is on lenders to show shareholders and the market that they are being more careful with client money, and they are more inclined to look for ways of recovering it, however remote. These developments, combined with recent cases that effectively extend the risk for members of the profession, are responsible for the unwelcome rise.

Of course, there have been valid claims of which the profession should take note. In one, for example, a

surveyor significantly overestimated the market rental potential of a flat, and was forced to pay damages to cover the owner’s loss of rental income as well as the transaction costs of buying and later selling the property. The court held that the buy to let

investor concerned was entitled to rely upon the valuation given by the lender’s surveyor – despite the surveyor’s terms and conditions including a clause that excluded liability for such reliance.

Other cases are for financial loss due to defects in the property or hazardous materials. If a surveyor’s inspection ought to have uncovered a hidden flaw in a building, such as the presence of asbestos, the surveyor is deemed to have discovered it whether or not he or she in fact did so.

What should you do if a client alleges negligence?First, inform your professional indemnity insurer. The accurate ‘warts and all’ version is vital to best arm your insurer and legal team to defend you, and the earlier they have this information the better. Even if you think the threat will not be acted upon or the complaint is groundless, failure to inform your insurer at the earliest opportunity could be an expensive gamble. Many professional negligence claims cost more than £100,000 in legal fees if they get as far as trial. While the resulting increase in

insurance premiums can be painful, even a successful defence of a professional negligence claim could cost £30,000 or more in unrecoverable fees. Then there is the funding of the litigation until the fees can be recovered from the former client… and that is if you win. Next, collate all relevant evidence: documents such as correspondence, reports and plans, as well as the relevant contents of smart phones, notebooks and laptops. Electronic evidence is becoming increasingly important, and safeguarding it is critical. The early collation of relevant evidence will not only prepare you for the pre-action process, but also enable your insurer (and those whom they instruct) to defend the matter on your behalf with a well-informed view of the merits of the claim at the earliest stage of the process.

hoW can you protect yourself against claims?The evidence trail: ensure you research market values

for equivalent properties, and keep the results on file. Use your terms and conditions to minimise your

exposure. Make sure you ask your legal adviser to draft a separate document pointing out any exclusions and including a statement for the third party’s signature, indicating their understanding of the need to obtain an independent valuation.Keep up to date. One of the best lines of defence is

keeping pace with current developments in professional negligence claims against fellow members.

Emma BanistEr DEan is an associate at Blandy & Blandy LLP. blandy.co.uk

RICS is committed to protect public interest and continuously raise the standards to which its members work. The RICS Valuer Registration Scheme has now launched, starting with members in the UK. Members who perform valuations should always do so in accordance with the RICS valuation standards, the Red Book. If you have any concerns, call the RICS confidential helpline on +44 (0)20 7334 3867.

Guard against

nEgligEncEclaims

EvEn if you think thE thrEat will not BE actED upon, failurE to inform your insurEr Early coulD BE an ExpEnsivE gamBlE

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Illustration by adrian Johnson

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big society

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UK Prime Minister David Cameron speaks at the recent Conservative Party conferenceIm

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Take two communities 300 miles apart, divided by geography, social make-up and income, but with one uniting theme: a belief that society, and collective action, can

strengthen local economies, create jobs, build affordable homes, provide neighbourhood amenities and improve wellbeing.

The contrast between Coin Street, on London’s South Bank, and Crosby Ravensworth, deep in the lush Eden Valley between Lakeland and the Northern Pennines, could not be more stark: on one hand, dense urban living, with almost every facility on the doorstep; on the other, a timeless village with few facilities, where a bus service is a distant memory.

Yet Coin Street’s valuable 13 acres, overlooking a towering City churning billions daily, could provide the inspiration for 650 people in the Cumbrian village and its environs, nestling in rolling, arable countryside, where local incomes are much lower than the South East and affordable housing is non-existent.

Long before the prime minister’s ‘Big Society’ became a frequent, if ill-defined, political theme, Coin Street – possibly best known for its landmark Oxo Tower – had emerged as one of Britain’s most successful social enterprises. Now, with assets approaching £50m, scores of tenanted shops, restaurants and cafés, it has 50 small businesses under its wing, 220 affordable houses providing accommodation for 1,000, a neighbourhood complex, children’s centre and a consultancy arm helping other community ventures get off the ground.

In Cumbria, Crosby Ravensworth might be some way behind Coin Street, but its emerging enterprise – plans for 22 affordable homes, a rescue package for the local pub, which closed recently, and a local community energy plant – was similarly established before the Conservatives coined the Big Society slogan. Yet the village and its three neighbours – which form a joint parish council – is now being championed as the national exemplar for the Cameronian concept of community self-help.

By now, many who have warmly embraced community enterprise and wellbeing – the legions of active citizens and organisations already adding considerable value to rural parishes and urban neighbourhoods; local councils with essential skills and assets

that could go to active communities; key professionals, particularly the various strands of chartered surveyor, alongside architects and public-spirited accountants – might have expected the new government to have put flesh on the skeleton of its Big Society concept.

But sceptics argue that the slogan appears all things to all ministers. Cameron still speaks in generalist, abstract terms, extolling the virtues of a nation of ‘doers and go-getters’; William Hague, his most senior Cabinet colleague, talks of encouraging young ‘entrepreneurs’ to set up businesses; local government secretary Eric Pickles implies it’s all about devolving powers for planning and housing down to communities.

In truth, if Big Society represented a concept built on encouraging more social enterprise through, say, the government using its powers (and some cash) to lever funds from the private sector, the slogan would carry more weight. But it also embraces the government’s ‘localism’ agenda, with new planning powers destined for communities and neighbourhoods – some of which will clearly lack the capacity to deliver unless help is provided. At the same time, local councils are being encouraged to transfer assets – from libraries and leisure centres to parks and redundant schools – to communities.

Jo Shockley, Head of Policy and Communications for RICS South, is not alone in pointing to the many opportunities alongside the considerable challenges. She welcomes people being given the chance to shape the places where they live. But, she cautions, ‘It will be a tremendous change for local people who probably never expected to need the skills that will be demanded of them in asset management and service delivery.

‘In the villages, say, of East Hampshire and Surrey, where residents have experience of tackling issues successfully, it may be quite a smooth transition. But hardworking people with busy lives in some urban communities, where parish councils simply don’t exist, may find this unfamiliar arrangement much more challenging.’

If Cameron is sometimes accused of being fluffy, he was not always so vague. After all, he came hot foot to Coin Street shortly after becoming Tory leader five years ago to extol the virtues of community empowerment. Iain Tuckett, company secretary of Coin Street, doesn’t question the prime minister’s commitment. >>

DavID CaMerOn’S vISIOn IS fOr a natIOn Of DOerS anD gO-getterS. BUt what DOeS It Mean fOr US aS PrOfeSSIOnalS anD CItIzenS, aSKS peter hetherington


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‘He very much accepts that these things will not just spring up… that there is a role for government in enabling and supporting,’ he says. But he cautions that the estimated £60m available from a ‘Big Society Bank’, which will draw on dormant bank accounts and roll out next year, will be a ‘trifling amount’.

Ironically, the former Labour-led Greater London Council (GLC) laid the foundations for Coin Street, with a £1m loan to buy the site. ‘That loan (a conventional mortgage from the GLC) was absolutely vital,’ adds Tuckett. ‘There was no way otherwise that we could have borrowed £1m to buy the site without a strong political decision from the GLC. Interestingly, its officers largely opposed the move.’

In Cumbria, activists in Crosby Ravensworth are cautiously optimistic. Although one of four Big Society pilots that have been rolled out nationally, the village is clearly in the vanguard for two reasons. Firstly, the other three – in Liverpool, Windsor and Maidenhead, and the London borough of Sutton – are relatively low key, covering areas such as volunteering in museums and training for young people to become community ‘champions’. Secondly, and crucially, Rory Stewart, the ambitious new MP for Penrith and the Border, has effectively become the Tories’ Big Society champion on the ground. He also chairs an all-party parliamentary group on local democracy.

Stewart was prominent at the recent Conservative conference, pushing the Big Society ideal and, for probably the first time, explaining to sceptics what the party meant by the concept – namely an ‘approach’ rather than a ‘thing’: ‘It doesn’t have a budget, it doesn’t have officials… it’s all about communities.’

But, as Coin Street and countless other community ventures have shown, government – local, or national – invariably has to take a lead to get projects started with favourable loans, donation of public sector land and – crucially in the case of places like Crosby Ravensworth – start-up finance. The local Eden District Council, for instance, provided a

£30,000 loan to kick-start the village’s housing scheme, with its officers giving professional expertise in negotiations to buy local land.

When a delegation led by Nick Hurd, the minister for civil society, visited the village, one key local activist, Annie Kindleysides, said she feared public spending cuts could hinder local projects; for instance, a grant from the Homes and Communities Agency – now being considerably slimmed down – is vital to begin the 22-unit housing scheme.

Nevertheless, Hurd has been busy touring the country to push the Big Society ideal in village and town. After Cumbria, he went to Hastings, East Sussex, to hear of plans by a community trust to restore the town’s dilapidated pier. The local council closed it in 2006 on safety grounds, but has now slapped a compulsory purchase order on the structure. Sadly, much of the 300m pier was subsequently destroyed by fire early in October, although both the trust and the local council hope that much of the sub-structure remains sound.

The local trust has already received £75,000 to finance a feasibility study from a national Community Builders Fund – future uncertain – set up by the last government to stimulate local enterprise. It is hoping for a further £310,000 to support design work, with more help to lever cash from the private sector. But that’s just the start. Early in the new year, thousands of locals will receive a circular asking them to subscribe a minimum £100 in a share offer to provide further funds for the venture.

It’s a similar picture throughout the UK. In truth, the nation has embraced countless social enterprises and not-for-profit companies alongside volunteering and mutualism – think the huge Co-operative Group – long before Big Society emerged as David Cameron’s favourite slogan. This is not to disparage a well-meaning prime minister. But perhaps he needs to narrow the definition of his concept, and accept that social enterprise, allied to community empowerment, needs considerable pump-priming to get off the ground

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:rics and localismWorking With government

Localism, the pattern of devolving power and decision making to a local level, is one of the key political issues in the Uk. the government is exploring ways to pass down many responsibilities for managing and delivering services, and whether this is best done at local authority (typically covering 30,000 to 1.3m people), lower tier council, community or street level.

While principally driven by political ideology, localist policies are also affected by the drive to cut the Uk’s structural deficit, and innovative methods to deliver public services are being examined for ways that the wider society can provide them in a more cost-effective manner than is currently done by the public sector.

How is rics responding to the changing political landscape? riCS recognises that a vibrant and sustainable property market can be delivered through a wide range of governance structures. its role is to give independent, expert advice to the government to deliver effectively one of its key manifesto commitments. Specifically, our approach is to:

Work with the government to ensure its key proposals are subject to input from members – many of whom would be expected to deliver such policies

Partner with local government in highlighting potential pitfalls and issues on which central government might need to provide more clarity

highlight and promote best practice examples where members are involved in local service delivery

explore the growing importance of community groups in any emerging localist context, and how riCS could help them fully contribute to society

Consider the guidance needed for professionals operating in a smaller government landscape

Demonstrate how professions can be a powerful force for the benefit of society, under the banner of Professions for good. to contact riCS about its approach, email tom Pienaar at [email protected]

London’s Coin Street includes 220 affordable houses run by four individual tenant co-ops

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Business advice//

WHILE MANY FIRMS HAVE READILY ACCEPTED AN INCREASED EXCESS TO SAVE ON CRIPPLING PREMIUMS, THIS IS A VERY RISKY STRATEGY

11.10 // 12.10 // MODUS 37

Illustration by Adrian Johnson

Experts are anticipating the number of overvaluation claims to rise even further over the coming months. As a result, insurers’ attitudes towards surveyors have become increasingly tough, and obtaining professional indemnity (PI) insurance is fast becoming an uphill struggle.

At the bottom of the downturn, claims against surveyors for alleged overvaluation of residential property were common. However, many insurers believe that the worst of the fraud crisis attached to the residential market has passed – and that it is the ‘ticking time bomb’ of the commercial sector of which underwriters are most wary.

The bumpy fi nancial ride of the past year has resulted in many banks keeping their commercial property books stable, reluctant to crystallise losses. Under imminent Basel III legislation, they will be obligated to hold more liquid assets, and with commercial property prices on the rise (in certain areas), there may now be an incentive to dispose of properties. More claims against commercial property surveyors are therefore expected.

INSURERS’ RESPONSEAs the weeks go by, more and more underwriters are ceasing to offer either renewal or new business at primary level for

surveyors. Aspen, a significant market player, announced recently that it will be terminating its offering this year – despite only writing this class for the past three years.

A further issue for UK firms stems from most carriers having some form of global

parent. The shock headlines from the UK press may have sold newspapers, but they also prompted overseas HQs to implement rules resulting in insurers either being unable to offer cover at all, or applying highly restrictive underwriting criteria.

What’s more, insurance premiums have been steadily rising over the past few years. Insurers cannot keep increasing premiums indefi nitely, so they are now opting to impose larger deductibles (self-insured excesses). While many fi rms have readily accepted an increased excess to save on crippling premiums, this is an extremely risky strategy. With increasing numbers of claims expected, having to pay a couple of large excess bills could put a fi rm out of business.

ENSURING GOOD COVERThe biggest mistake a surveyor can make is to assume that the renewal process will take the same form as previous years. The procedure is now more complex and may prove much lengthier, as firms will need to gather extra information in support of their application. To conquer this, they must allow more time to submit their application. In the past, companies have typically only left four to six weeks to apply for cover; under the new, tighter system, they should allow eight to 12 weeks. Firms should also ensure all records are up to date and easily accessible, in case they are called upon to provide supporting material.

Insurers are understandably reluctant to provide cover for any business that appears more risky than its peers, so it is vital that fi rms invest in excellent risk management. Those that take risk management seriously, and can prove it, are best placed to secure cover on reasonable terms. Even companies that have had claims in the past need not fear the worst, so long as they can show how they have incorporated preventative procedures into the day-to-day running of the business.

There is no doubt that, for many, obtaining PI insurance next year is going to be a challenging endeavour. Surveyors will need to consider carefully how to approach the insurers that remain in this sector. With proper preparation, advice and strategy, however, solutions may still be available – and at reasonable cost.

CLINTON DOUCH is a director at specialist professional indemnity insurance broker and risk management adviser Prime Professions. primeprofessions.co.uk

VISIT rics.org/pii for more information and advice on PI insurance

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cut and thrustInterviews by Nyta Mann Illustrations by Luke Wilson

the Impact of spendIng cuts Is already beIng felt In the uK. fIve Key fIgures share theIr vIews on what the future holds

Paul Morrell OBE fricschief construction adviser

The government adviser

Paul Morrell has been Chief Construction Adviser since 2009. How has he found the change in government? ‘I had no expectations

beyond what could be gleaned from a reading of the manifestos – and that proved to be less useful than it might have been because of the unusual process of a coalition having to fashion a new, coherent agreement out of their separate plans,’ he says.

‘As there were no preconceptions, there are no real surprises. Needless to say there are real differences of policy, priorities and means. These include a switch from intervention to getting out of the way of business, accompanied by an inclination to deregulate; a move to localism – devolving as many decisions as possible down to the local level, with accountability for those decisions being direct to local citizens, and with that accountability served by greater transparency; a greater stress on the plight and performance of SMEs – although this is a concern of all governments, because the potential of SMEs to generate growth can be stifled by regulatory burdens and unnecessarily restrictive public procurement practice; and, above all, a focus on cutting the deficit – also something that any government would have had to confront.

‘For construction, this is all important context, but the underlying task remains the same: to get both cost and carbon out of the product, and to create more customer value.’

Has the economic downturn made people more amenable to his proposals? ‘The fact is, we have known for a long time that we could give clients what they want at significantly less cost, but this calls for change on both the supply and demand sides, and there is no pressure for change when there is no burning platform. Other industries have had to reform themselves to survive in the face of foreign competition, but construction has been relatively protected from that, so it has been a case of business as usual for too long.

‘We have also tended to react to recession by pleading for workload and money. Now, though, I think everyone gets it: there is no money, the

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Public sector property//

11.10 // 12.10 // MODUS 39

platform is on fire and the mood is to work together to reform industry practice. My impression is that people are listening – and so am I. Whether we can make real progress then depends not upon them being amenable, but rather upon us collectively being able to come up with a plan for the industry’s future and work together to get there.’

What effect are the cuts having on the need to solve the carbon problem in the industry? ‘There’s a bit of the argument that’s easy: improved energy efficiency means less consumption and lower bills, so the work is self-financing. Then there is a bit more that makes sense if even a modest view is taken of future increases in the price of energy. Beyond that point – and we need to go a long way beyond it to meet the commitments enshrined in the Climate Change Act – it is undeniably a tough sell. Although Lord Stern’s report says we will be worse off if we don’t act than if we do, that argument lacks the immediacy of an empty pocket.

‘We do need to act, though, so we are faced with a complex chemistry of science, technology, economics and politics – all of which need to be aligned to point the way forward. I think construction’s contribution has to be to develop products and services that can deliver carbon savings that are effective and affordable, and come with a degree of customer care that has not always been the industry’s habit: to show politicians that if they incentivise the market, they can be confident that it will be served efficiently and responsibly. I would hope that the industry will also take up a position of leadership – not just waiting for the work, but putting the case for action and setting an example that customers can follow.’

Forward thinkingHow does he perceive the mood among the construction chiefs he meets each day? ‘Although most conversations begin with a sharing of pain about the state of the market – that is only human – I am struck by the positive frame of mind of many business leaders. This probably shouldn’t be a surprise, as the industry has had enough experience of economic cycles to learn how to be resilient, but the prevailing mood does seem to be that companies have to take on the chin whatever level of construction activity public and private spending plans permit, and then move on – to seek out new services and ways of doing business under those new circumstances.

‘This doesn’t mean there is no plea to government – there is – but the plea is not about dishing out more work (well, it is sometimes, but that is only human too). Instead it is about creating conditions, particularly through public procurement, that keep the market healthy while still allowing

longer-term relationships to be formed, and that encourage good behaviours that should be part and parcel of a mature but progressive industry – whether that be keeping people safe, training a skilled workforce or modernising their systems. The fear of companies that run their business in that way is that they will be undercut by companies that don’t, and it is very much in our interests to keep that much-requested level playing field level only for those who are playing by the same rules.

‘It is also in the national interest to have an industry that is in sufficiently good health and heart to rise to the challenges of cost and carbon efficiency; to develop the skills we need both at home and to export; and to be the engine for growth that is our best way out of debt. I cannot remember a time when the industry has been of more strategic importance to the country – and, as I have said before, if it is to be fit for purpose, it first of all has to be fit. It would therefore be a big mistake to regard its realistic, even sanguine, approach to our economic predicament as an invitation to inflict upon it a disproportionate share of whatever sacrifices have to be made. It already faces that long climb.’

Does he have to tailor what he says to people in the industry depending on his view of whether there will be a double-dip recession? ‘Everyone knows that we are in a trough, and that it will be a long, hard climb out, with the possibility of it taking virtually a generation to restore the national balance sheet. For some, that will mean re-basing their business to adjust to a new reality, getting costs in step

with income, and developing new business models that play into new markets, at home or abroad. Other businesses are actually in pretty good shape, having managed their way well through the unprecedented (and possibly never to be repeated) long boom, and they will be looking for the opportunities that having cash in the bank brings. None of this is going to be made very different by minor differences in GDP either side of zero, as long as we have a plan to get back to growth.’

What is his advice to firms facing the current economic situation? ‘I hope that what I can tell them of the emerging political landscape is helpful – and, of course, that it is a proper reading, as this is new territory to me too. Some of these developments will have a profound effect on ways of doing business. Localism, for example, will mean new networks. It will mean relying more on local responsiveness than on national muscle, and so forth.

‘As for the economic situation, these are sophisticated businesses – and more so, I think, year on year. They do not need advising to take care of their cash and their people, they know their markets and how to serve them – and increasingly how to find and serve new ones. Because they know they have untapped potential, though, the ability to deliver more (or better) for less, I need advice from them: what has to change so that we can tap into that potential? If there is a more intelligent answer on offer, one that secures better long-term value at lower cost, what is the more intelligent question that has to be asked?’ >>

‘It is in the national interest to have an industry that is in sufficiently good health and heart to rise to the challenges of cost and carbon efficiency; to develop the skills we need; and to be the engine for growth that is our best way out of debt’


40 r ics.org

One North East has already lost more than 10% of its workforce under a voluntary redundancy scheme. ‘We’ve had 45 people

leave the business – out of a total staff of 400,’ says David Cramond. But the first cut is far from the deepest, and the Regional Development Agency is, in fact, abolishing itself by the deadline of March 2012.

‘We’re now working towards a second phase of redundancies over the next six months, which will see more people leave. It’s difficult to maintain morale in an organisation that’s not going to exist in 18 months.’

With One North East gone, at least some of its work has to continue. ‘That’s what’s required in terms of a smooth transition, and in the next couple of months I expect the direction of travel to become clearer. A white paper on sub-economic development should be coming out, and the Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) – an initiative of this government – are going to be clarified.’

So is he confident things will become clearer in that time? ‘Well, that remains to be seen. There’s strong business and local authority support for a single regional body, a north east economic partnership, that could take on some of what we’ve done in terms of inward investment, sectoral work and the like.

‘But there are also five proposals for LEPs across the region. That’s the subject of quite a lot of debate between the government, the local authority and the business community. It’s not clear yet how that will be resolved.’

Business leaders involved in the region’s economic development take a bleak view of employment opportunities. ‘They’re very gloomy about prospects for future business. As a sector, having been through a difficult recession over the past two years, they’re not confident about business going forward. We’ll have to see how that plays out.’

Does the coalition’s determination to pay off the deficit in one parliamentary term make sense to him? ‘That’s more a question for the politicians, to be honest,’ he says.

‘What’s important is that we maintain a degree of stability in terms of attempts to rebalance the economy – and there are lots of initiatives set in motion by us and our business colleagues that it would be a shame to lose or dilute. One of the things One North East has done is attract a significant amount of investment to the region.

‘But part of the mix for doing that is to offer appropriate and measured incentives. That’s a critical factor – you’ve got to be able to give incentives, because other people in other places can.’

David CramondDirector of capital

development, One North East

The regional developer

Is Keith Jones relishing the task of helping to reshape the public sector, for which impending cuts set the scene? ‘I suppose that’s true, but one doesn’t

relish cuts in public service per se,’ he says. ‘As far as property’s concerned, the agenda for some time has been to use it as efficiently and effectively as possible.

‘The asset management agenda has really been about three things: providing the best public services from property; doing that without using any more properties than is absolutely necessary in capital terms; and using that property with the most efficiency in terms of running costs.

‘Over the past few years, good work has been done with office utilisation – probably not enough yet, but local and public authorities generally have been getting to grips with that. Some need to get more to grips with it. Looking forward, there has to be a degree of re-engineering in the way services are provided and public property is used in order to get the most out of it.

‘The next level is in collaboration. A fair amount of work has been done to show that, if public bodies collaborate, public assets can be used much more effectively – by co-location, shared services and so on. But the government is unlikely to go for any

wholesale consolidation of public authorities, simply because where that’s been done in the past it’s been a major political, economic and financial upheaval.

‘My concern would be – and I’m sure the government doesn’t want this to happen – that it doesn’t turn into a period where “consultants” think up wonderful new ideas, only to find they’re not quite as good as we thought once a few years have passed. It’s all got to be done in a very measured and careful way to make sure that the things that we put in place to re-engineer public services are endurable and sustainable.’

What does he say to those people anxious about what’s coming? ‘People are nervous about the future – and you can’t blame them for that when the sector they’re in is under financial pressure. But hopefully, if people – including chartered surveyors and property construction practitioners – can think past that, they can start thinking about the innovative way the goals can be achieved. Even if their future isn’t in the current agency they’re employed by but in a different one, that could be equally exciting.

‘But I can’t blame them for being apprehensive, because it strikes at their very livelihood – and they’ve no doubt got mortgages to pay and mouths to feed.’

Keith Jones FRICSChair, RICS Public Sector Advisory Group

The public sector expert


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Public sector property//

Jim Sammon has already witnessed the cuts coming into force in the public sector. ‘Government departments have been suffering from indecision for the past few months – they’ve all been aware

of these impending cuts, and the result is that they’ve slowed down capital expenditure,’ he says. ‘This is very bad for the construction industry. We depend on capital expenditure – there are so many jobs that flow from it. Every £1 spent or invested in construction generates £2.84 in economic activity.’

His company has already felt the effects of the cancellation of Building Schools for the Future, but what other projects have been shelved? ‘We’re on the health framework and the general pan-government framework. The expectation when we went into them was that there’d be a number of good workflows, but that simply hasn’t come to pass – because of, quite simply, funding.’

Does he see the government sticking to its strict, deep cutting plans for the next four or more years? ‘I think if the government is committed to the future of the country, then it’s got to invest. And that means spending on infrastructure, because we have to be able to compete in the modern world. We have to have infrastructure, roads, airports, ports and energy supplies that allow us to compete. The

government has to take a balanced approach – and I’m sure it will.’

It sounds as though he’s confident they’ll have to change their position at some point down the line? He laughs. ‘Well, politicians change as circumstances change. And I’ve no doubt their policies will be flexible enough to take account of these needs.’

Will the cuts mean less work for construction firms? ‘It’s difficult to say to what extent government is going to cut back further on capital expenditure. Needs change, times change, and they change to suit the needs of the day. The emphasis may be less on capital projects and more on the upgrading and maintenance of existing facilities. It’s just not possible to zero out capital and maintenance expenditure on buildings.’

How does he see the next year for firms such as his? ‘We don’t focus on the negative; we look at where the opportunities are. Increasingly we’re having to be more proactive about finding business – we’re looking for the connection, the opportunities, the funding and then someone who’ll take the risk in the middle.

‘Making those connections is what we’re about these days, whereas before business would knock on the door. We can no longer presume that – we have to go after work.’

Sarah Webb has no doubt that the public spending cuts already identified – and there are plenty more to come – are going to have a

big, bad effect on housing and construction. ‘There’ll be less capital for increasing affordable housing supply – so it’ll be harder to deliver the number of houses, particularly affordable houses, that we need,’ she says. ‘That’s a significant issue for the economy. We’re only building about one in three of the houses we need at the moment, and this is going to make that worse.

‘Grant Shapps, the UK Minister for Housing and Local Government, has stated that his aim is to build more houses. We’ll have to see – but he’ll have to take his share of budget cuts and there’ll be less capital around for regeneration, not just supply. My understanding is that ministers get the impact of supporting people, including vulnerable people, but there are going to be cuts – including to housing benefit.

‘Whatever the cuts you make, you’re going to end up with particular groups suffering as a result of project funding being withdrawn. We’ve heard about just some of these cuts, and it’s quite hard at this stage to see how they’ll have any impact other than on the most vulnerable groups – including

among people who can’t find work.‘I know the hope is that there will be jobs

around and available for people after they’ve been out of work for a year. But by the time the 10% cuts in housing benefit for people who’ve been off work for a year come in, there’ll be a lot of people who are not job-ready, and there aren’t any jobs for them. Landlords, particularly social landlords, will face difficult decisions about whether they manage higher levels of rent arrears, which won’t be easy. And we may well see higher levels of homelessness as a result of the housing benefit cuts.

‘You know, we weren’t part of some public sector that was sitting around doing nothing. We used public money to build houses and help vulnerable groups. If you stop paying for that, then there will be negative consequences. Among the things we’re going to have to try to do – and we’ve already talked to government about this – is to see how we can be part of trying to make limited amounts of money go further.

‘As a sector, we won’t be sitting around thinking everyone hates us – we’re seeing how we can build more houses for fewer grants and less money. And the world doesn’t stop turning: people in rented housing will still be living in it – and needing it more.’

Jim Sammon FRICSDirector, Sammon Surveyors

The construction professional

Sarah WebbChief executive,

Chartered Institute of Housing

The charity leader


rics.org/callforentriesAwards

Share your property project with the world

The RICS Awards are back for 2011. The Awards, now in their 21st year, are the property industry’s pre-eminent celebration of excellence in the built and natural environment.

The RICS Awards are open to all property professionals from around the world, to showcase their talent on an international stage and bring prestige, and accolade to their property project.

You can enter your project into any, or all of the following categories:

• Building Conservation

• Community Benefit

• Regeneration

• Sustainability

The closing date for entries is Friday 21 January 2011

For more information, and to download an entry pack, visit rics.org/callforentries or contact the RICS Awards administrators, Spada: t +44 (0)20 7269 1430 e [email protected]

RIC

S A

wards P

roject of the Year 2010, The Roundhouse, D

erby

MODUS_Nov/Dec_P42-53_Info.v4.FIN.indd 42 1/11/10 11:30:01

INFORMATIONUSEFUL NUMBERSCONTACT CENTRE+44 (0)870 333 1600

General enquiriesAPC guidanceSubscriptionsPasswordsLibraryBookshop

REGULATION HELPLINE+44 (0)20 7695 1670

CONFIDENTIAL HELPLINE+44 (0)20 7334 3867

DISPUTE RESOLUTION SERVICES+44 (0)20 7334 3806

SWITCHBOARD+44 (0)20 7222 7000

:RICS NEWS :DIARY :BENEFITS :RESOURCES

11.10 // 12.10 // MODUS 43

rics.org/callforentriesAwards

Share your property project with the world

The RICS Awards are back for 2011. The Awards, now in their 21st year, are the property industry’s pre-eminent celebration of excellence in the built and natural environment.

The RICS Awards are open to all property professionals from around the world, to showcase their talent on an international stage and bring prestige, and accolade to their property project.

You can enter your project into any, or all of the following categories:

• Building Conservation

• Community Benefit

• Regeneration

• Sustainability

The closing date for entries is Friday 21 January 2011

For more information, and to download an entry pack, visit rics.org/callforentries or contact the RICS Awards administrators, Spada: t +44 (0)20 7269 1430 e [email protected]

RIC

S A

wards P

roject of the Year 2010, The Roundhouse, D

erby

Following just over a year of consultation, development and testing, RICS has launched its Valuer Registration Scheme for members undertaking valuations in accordance with RICS Valuation Standards (the Red Book). The scheme will assure the quality of valuations, raise the credibility of valuers, and provide clients with a clearly identifi able designation for the best qualifi ed professionals in the fi eld. UK members will be the fi rst to join the scheme, and must register by 30 April 2011.rics.org/vrs

VRS LAUNCHESTHE GOVERNMENT IS GAMBLING WITH THE ECONOMY… THIS COULD HAVE A WIDER IMPACT ON THE HOUSING MARKET

RICS Director of External Aff airs Mark Goodwin, quoted in The Times

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44 r ics.org

RICS news//

FLOODINGDue to changing weather patterns and the amount of new building on low-lying areas, the risk of fl ooding is growing in the UK. Many properties that have not previously been at risk now are – this could be as many as 5m residential properties, and more than 300,000 business and public premises. The increasing risk of fl ooding can reduce the value of a property and make it more diffi cult to get insurance cover. The new RICS Clear Guide to Flooding gives property owners essential advice on fl ooding and fl ood risk – what they can do to deal with the risk, and what to do when a property is fl ooded.rics.org/fl ooding

Look out for the January 2011 issue of Modus for more on fl ooding and eff ective water management.

NEW GUIDANCEBUSINESS MANAGEMENTRICS has published updated guidance on practice management in recognition of the diversity of chartered surveyors’ business environments. The guidance focuses on the processes and procedures practitioners face when managing and leading a surveying practice, and includes new material on horizon scanning, an expanded section on developing a practice strategy, recognition of the important role of space utilisation, as well as CRM, social media, CPD, and policies and systems. rics.org/guidance

The RICS library responds to more than 9,000 enquiries each year, and answers to the most frequently asked questions are now available online. For example, what is an acceptable margin of error in a valuation? While there is no offi cial RICS guidance, case law refers to permitted margins of between

10% and 15% depending on the individual case. For example, Singer and Friedlander v John D Wood & Co 1977 held that the permissible margin of error is generally 10% either side of the fi gure that a competent, careful and experienced valuer arrives at after making all the necessary inquiries and

paying proper regard to the state of the market. In exceptional circumstances the permissible margin could be extended to about 15% either way. For more case law and information sources, visit rics.org/library, or to ask your own question call +44 (0)870 333 1600 or email [email protected].

Got a question?

RAISING STANDARDSThe fourth edition of the Blue Book is now available, updating residential property standards and addressing best practice in lettings for the fi rst time. With the absence of external regulation and the abolition of Home Information Packs, it is all the more important for good agents to be able to distance themselves from those whose practices fall short of the acceptable standard.

The RICS Blue Book: Residential Property Standards is the defi nitive set of standards for all agents involved in the sale, letting and management of residential property. The standards follow the workfl ow of an estate agent, setting out mandatory requirements and recommending best practice guidelines.

The all-new lettings guidance includes how to deal with references and credit checks, deposit-handling and protection, repossessions and all the regulations relevant to the lettings practitioner.rics.org/bluebook

RIGHTS OF LIGHTSurveyors may be asked to deal with issues concerning rights of light, whether advising an adjoining owner with concerns regarding a potential infringement, assisting a developer or assessing insurance risks. Development proposals can be strongly infl uenced by the constraints imposed by the impact of rights of light as determined by expert practitioners. Rights of light: Practical guidance for chartered surveyors in England and Wales helps surveyors give clear and accurate information to clients while ensuring that, in the event of a dispute over rights of light, the facts will be set out in a manner that assists the parties and their legal teams.rics.org/guidance


‘A culture of integrity cannot be imposed from the outside; it has to come from within’

y inaugural speech as President earlier this year focused on the role of RICS as a standards organisation.

While I do not wish to go back over old ground, I feel that, with the recent launch of the Valuer Registration Scheme (VRS), now is a good time to remind ourselves of what this actually means in practice.

RICS has a crucial role to play in ensuring credibility for the profession in the eyes of clients, employers and the public. Without it, valuation, cost consultancy, asset management and agency would be a disparate range of occupations with no unifying professional backbone.

Much of the financial services industry has behaved as a trade rather than as a profession, and is largely regulated by the state as such. Despite this, though, the crash was not averted, leaving global financial sector leaders now realising, as set out in a recent letter to the Financial Times, that they need to find their own moral compass. Something as basic as a culture of integrity cannot be imposed by a regulator from the outside; it has to come

from within, which means it has to come from them – and better late than never!

So it is essential that professions do not allow themselves to slip into complacency. This means taking a long-term view to predict where the biggest challenges lie. In the case of valuation there are many, and RICS has a huge job to do in maintaining integrity and respect for this crucial, yet often misunderstood, profession. In order to do this we need to make sure our own house is in order, with a world-class standards and regulatory system.

Given its public interest role and link to financial services, the valuation profession is fortunate to have survived without state intervention in some countries. In the UK, the Red Book has been the profession’s bastion of good practice since the 1970s, and it is the market’s respect for this that has been, and continues to be, a driver of growth for RICS in the UK and internationally. We should guard this recognition fiercely, and in so doing should not begrudge paying a little extra to allow a profession-led, self-regulating system to ensure compliance with our standards in this most sensitive area and at this most sensitive of times. Stakeholders the world over will respect us all the more.

I, like many others in this day and age, can admit to being jaded by a sense of excessive red tape and box ticking regulation. For this reason, the VRS aims to be educational, supportive and proportionate (as well as disciplinary where needed) and thus effective in a way that alternative systems would find it hard to be.

Robert Peto FRICS is vice chairman, Capital Markets at DTZ.

75% of countries report an increase in demand from commercial investors*

70%of countries report seeing a positive net balance from tenants compared to the previous three months*

+19the net balance in outlook for capital values in Germany, recovering from -9 in Q2*

+54the net balance in outlook for capital values in China, up from +38 in Q2*

Robert Peto FRICS, RICS President

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

M

11.10 // 12.10 // MODUS 45

470companies responded to the Global Commercial Property Survey*

£6bnworth of office, retail and industrial properties have been sold in UK markets outside London over the past six months*

*Highlights from the RICS Global Commercial Property Survey Q3 2010rics.org/economics


46 r ics.org

RICS news//

RICS Awards 2010Now in their 20th year, the RICS Awards celebrate outstanding built and natural environment projects around the world. The 2010 winners were announced at a grand final ceremony in London in October

SuSTAINAbILITyNew Library, Queen’s University, BelfastQueen’s University, Belfast/Robinson Patterson Partnership and Shepley Bulfinch Richardson & Abbott‘The New Library is proving an invaluable resource for students at Queen’s university, belfast. The building achieves excellence on two fronts: in terms of providing essential educational support, and through its distinction in sustainability. On both counts, it is an exceptional project.’Jim Ure, sustainability judge


11.10 // 12.10 // MODUS 47

PrOject Of the Year The Roundhouse Campus for Derby College Derby College/maber

‘The new Roundhouse Campus is an outstanding asset for the city of Derby, and is having a considerable impact on both students and members of the public. Developing a derelict building presents obvious challenges, and the facilities available now provide an excellent resource for the city. The Roundhouse not only cherishes the historical significance of the buildings, but will also help secure the city’s future through the many generations who will be able to study there.’Simon Pott FRICS, chair of the judging panel

BUilDing cOnServatiOn Blencow Hall, Penrith Blencow Hall Partners/Donald Insall Architects‘instead of being preserved as a ruin, a new layer of history has been added to Blencow hall, with its maintenance preserved. the hall has a new lease of life and is now more sustainable as both a commercial enterprise and in environmental terms.’Debbie Dance MRICS, building conservation judge

regeneratiOn Stonebridge Estate Regeneration, LondonHyde Housing Association, Hillside Housing Trust and London Borough of Brent/Shepheard Epstein Hunter Architects‘this regeneration project has not only made an incredible difference to the lives of the Stonebridge residents, but it has also safeguarded the economic future of the estate and restored its connections with the wider communities of harlesden and north london.’Stephen Robinson FRICS, regeneration judge

cOMMUnitY BenefitScala Cinema & Arts Centre, PrestatynDenbighshire County Council/Burrell Foley Fischer LLP with Christopher Sanders Architect‘an extraordinary example of how the passion of local residents can help drive a project through to completion. after a nine-year struggle, the local community of Prestatyn is finally able to enjoy the superb facilities of this engaging cinema and arts centre.’Simon Pott FRICS, chair of the judging panel

Entries for the 2011 ricS awards close on 21 january. visit rics.org/callforentries


48 r ics.org48 r ics.org

To view all the latest offers, new partners and monthly and seasonal promotions, visit rics.org/benefitsplus

Benefitsrics.org/benefitsplus

Advertorial//

The UK government’s first Budget on 22 June contained a series of robust economic measures designed to reduce the national deficit, described by George Osborne as ‘tough but fair’. The outlook for the remainder of the year and into 2011 is for more change – so it’s important to understand the implications the austerity measures will have. When did you last review your financial situation? Are you taking advantage of the tax planning opportunities available?

Capital Gains Tax (CGT) A new top rate of 28% for higher rate taxpayers has been introduced. The annual exemption has not been removed and remains unchanged at £10,100 for this year.

Have you reviewed your own CGT position? Have you made plans with regards to ownership of assets, including additional properties?

Pensions The chancellor has reviewed the complex provisions tabled by the previous administration. He has reduced the annual and lifetime allowance, reducing complexity and allowing you to plan for your retirement with more certainty. From April 2011, the current rules that effectively oblige people to buy annuities when they reach 75 will be abolished.Determine when you would like to retire and how much you need to save. Understand the cost of delaying and quickly commit to a plan of action.

Inheritance Tax (IHT) The threshold has been frozen at £325,000 until at least 2014/15. This will draw more people into the IHT net. With the threshold remaining unchanged, you can conduct your estate planning with greater certainty than you might have before.Conduct a thorough review of your assets now to ascertain whether there is further scope for gifting, and to ensure they are transferred to the next generation in the way you would like.

Manage your wealth The various issues raised in the Budget make the need for specialist wealth management advice more important than ever. As the RICS Preferred Provider, St. James’s Place Wealth Management understands that everyone’s financial goals are different. We pride ourselves on developing strong, lasting, face-to-face relationships with clients and provide a distinctive approach to investment management.

Wherever possible, we will work with you to: defer any CGT liability; ensure maximum tax relief on pension contributions; enable you to hit your own targeted retirement age and ensure you are on course to generate your desired income; structure property and other key assets for tax efficiency today – and to pass it on to the next generation when the time comes.

To arrange a complimentary Financial Review or to book your place at one of our forthcoming Financial Briefings in London on 17 or 18 November, call +44 (0)800 953 3030, email [email protected] or visit sjpp.co.uk/rics

Planning your financial future


11.10 // 12.10 // MODUS 49

61% the number of firms recruiting graduates*

230 the number graduates expected for intake*

Membership

*Highlights from the Graduate Intake Survey. rics.org/graduateintakesurvey2010

GraDUate Intake On tHe IncreaSerIcS has conducted its third annual aPc trainee intake survey, collating data from leading property, construction, QS and financial services firms, and public sector organisations. a total of 63 firms provided feedback about their intended graduate intake, entry salaries and training schemes.

there has been a rise in graduate and trainee intake across firms interviewed this year. the proportion of firms taking on graduates in September 2010 (69%) is higher compared to last year (59%). Similarly, the total trainee intake is much less timid than last year: a total of 349 trainees were taken in across the firms interviewed in September 2010 – twice as many as last year, although still far from pre-2008 levels. the proportion of firms intending to take more than 10 graduates has also increased slightly: seven out of the 20 firms currently recruiting said they would hire more than 10 graduates, while in March 2009 only five out of 16 firms did so.

Overall, there is continuity in terms of average entry salary levels since September 2009, and the pay gap between London and the regions persists (albeit narrowing). as with last year’s results, most firms continue to offer non-pay incentives such as aPc and training support and inclusion in the firms’ general benefit schemes. rics.org/employers

Retain youR statusall members will receive their 2011 subscription renewal notifications this month. Paying your membership fees by 1 January helps rIcS reduce the time and money spent chasing membership fees, allowing the organisation to use resources more effectively. Speed up the process by renewing online at rics.org/renew.

to find out more about membership renewals, methods of payment and whether you may be eligible for a concession, visit rics.org/membershiprenewals or email [email protected]

help with insolvencyrIcS provides information and guidance for members and firms who may be experiencing financial difficulty, and for clients of rIcS-regulated firms who are concerned about insolvency. the guidance covers exactly what insolvency is, what you should do if your firm is facing insolvency proceedings, how it affects professional indemnity (PI) insurance, whether you may be in breach of rIcS rules, and what happens if your employer is facing insolvency. For confidential advice, contact the members’ helpline on +44 (0)20 7334 3867.rics.org/insolvency

DisciplinaRy panel 2 June 2010

claire Metcalfe, carnforthSummary of finding: conduct unbefitting membership, contrary to Bye-Law 5.2.1dPenalty: expulsion/costs

DisciplinaRy panel11 august 2010

Michael Rutter MRics, DevonSummary of finding: contrary to Bye-Law B5.5.2dPenalty: caution/costs


scott young FRics, cardiffSummary of finding: failure to comply with rule 9 of the rules of conduct for Firms 2007; failure to comply with rule 3 of the rules for the registration of Firms 2009Penalty: reprimand x2/conditions x2/costs


Bruce Mansell FRics, guernseySummary of finding: contrary to Bye-Law B5.5.2dPenalty: reprimand/costs

DisciplinaRy panel8 septeMBeR 2010

christopher Manning FRics, southamptonSummary of finding: contrary to rule 3(2) of the rules of conduct 2004Penalty: reprimand/ £5,000 fine/costs

DisciplinaRy panel 6 octoBeR 2010

Richard Buxton, surreySummary of finding: contrary to Bye-Law B5.5.2dPenalty: expulsion

Conductrics.org/regulationenews


50 r ics.org

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INDIA

Practical solutions for delivery of affordable housing30 November, New DelhiSupported by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, this conference will give innovative and creative solutions to affordable housing programmes.rics.org/india

ENGLAND

Rights of light seminarsVarious dates and locationsGain an in-depth knowledge of the area and ensure you are equipped to work as a rights of light consultant and in an expert witness role. £150 + VATrics.org/rightsoflight2010

Condition Report seminarsVarious dates and locationsLaunching the new RICS Condition Report, a simplified version of the HomeBuyer Report. £150 + VATrics.org/condition2011

RICS legal issues in construction conference 24 November, LondonAnalysis of the major

types of construction contracts, and an update on recent decisions by the Technology and Construction Court. £220 + VATrics.org/legalissues2010

RICS London – Code for Sustainable Homes24 November, LondonExamining homes achieving the highest Code levels with renewable and reactive SAP design analysis.£30 + VAT rics.org/london

Asbestos awareness workshops25 November, LondonEssential training for anyone at risk of exposure. Advice on precautions and procedures, and an opportunity to take the RSPH exam and gain an approved qualification.£150 + VATrics.org/asbestos2010

RICS matrics East Midlands regional CPD conference6 December, LeicesterIncluding writing for the media, interview skills, APC update, and presentation and networking skills. £72.34 + VAT rics.org/eastmidlands

RICS LN&R – a guide to construction contract principles6 December, Kilworth, LeicestershireSpeaker Scott Miller MRICS MCIArb is an experienced adviser with particular strengths in the analysis and interpretation of contracts, drafting terms and conditions, and arbitration proceedings. £19.57 + VAT rics.org/eastmidlands

RICS employment relationships conference7 December, LondonLearn how to address conflict, unacceptable behaviour and poor performance effectively.£250 + VATrics.org/employment2010

RICS Essex – sustainable valuation18 January, ChelmsfordJim Green MRICS CEnv will look at two pieces of RICS-sponsored research into the effects on value of sustainable buildings, and consider what they might mean for valuers.£19.38 + VAT rics.org/east

RICS North East CPD day16 February, NewcastleLeading speakers from the industry cover 18 sessions on land, property and construction, including construction law, ratings, commercial

and the treatment of compensation for loss or damage.£35 + [email protected]

WALES

RICS Wales housing conference18 November, CardiffAn overview of the housing market in Wales, as well as a practitioner’s guide to its components, context and future. £60 + [email protected]

General legal update24 November, SwanseaIncluding recovery of commissions; retention of deposits on abortive sales; dilapidations; and rent [email protected]

Exploring valuation methodology8 December, CardiffA timely reminder as to the construction of valuations without the use of computers plus an examination of various valuation scenarios. [email protected]

SCotLAND

Lunchtime CPD series September to January, Glasgow and Edinburgh A wide range of topics relevant to all property professionals. Increase your knowledge at these affordable seminars. £26 + VATrics.org/lunchtime1011

Rural mid-session18 November, BattlebyThe opportunities and challenges facing new forestry planting and the latest developments in renewables.£60 + VATrics.org/mid-session

Ska training 9/10 December, Edinburgh; 27/28 January, Glasgow Improve your knowledge of Ska Rating within commercial real estate and become an accredited fit-out assessor.£795 + VATrics.org/ska

Eventslandlord and tenant, and dilapidations.£120 + VAT rics.org/yorkshire_humber

RICS North West CPD day2 March, ManchesterLeading speakers from the industry cover 18 sessions on land, property and construction. Delegates can attend the full day or individual sessions.£120 + VAT rics.org/northwest

NoRtHERN IRELAND

Ensuring payment in the climate25 November, BelfastIn the current climate payment is more important than ever for employers, contractors and sub-contractors.£35 + [email protected]

Beginner’s guide to Capital Gains tax on property30 November, BelfastAn overview of CGT, the main reliefs available on the disposal of property,

RICS IntERnatIonal valuatIon ConfEREnCE 17 november, london

V aluation has changed dramatically in the past two years, with new

concepts such as long-term value being explored. This conference will look at new ways to deal with uncertainty in valuation as well as managing professional risks and claims. It is also the only place for valuation professionals to hear a series of market updates tailored to their needs.rics.org/valuation2010

FoR RICS EvENtS BookINGS AND ENquIRIES [email protected] // +44 (0)20 7695 1600


52 r ics.org

Study full-time or part-time on campus or part-time via internet enabled distance learning:MSc Programmes (PgDip and PgCert options available)

Property Related Programmes:� Regeneration and Urban Renewal*

– Develop skills for community centred strategies

� Corporate Real Estate and FacilitiesManagement – Think strategically about property investment and buildingperformance

� Facilities Management* – Develop classleading FM skills

� Real Estate Development* – Learnsustainable development appraisal techniques

� Real Estate and PropertyManagement* – For aspiring, new,property industry entrants

� Disaster Mitigation and Reconstruction

Construction Related Programmes:

� Healthcare Buildings – Plan and procurebetter, new and retrofit buildings

� Advanced Manufacturing – Learn off siteproduction skills

� Quantity Surveying* – For aspiring new entrants

� Quantity Surveying (M&E)*

� Construction Management*

� Project Management in Construction*

� Construction Law and Practice*(LLM also available)

Design related programmes:

� Urban Design – Learn sustainable design

� Digital Architectural Design – Applystate-of-the-art digital technologies

� Low Carbon Building Design

� Accessibility and Inclusive Design– Improve life for all building users

Contact: Brian Meichen, Director of Marketing, School of the Built Environment,[email protected] OR see www.sobe.salford.ac.uk

Go further with a Masters’ from the UK’s premier School of the Built Environment

Programmes normally commence in February and October and all assessment is by coursework.

* Professionally accredited

We welcome applications from students without formal qualifications but significant relevant experience.

Partner university

We are … and we have been for 90 years. Our industry expertise allows us to provide specialist courses for property and construction professionals, by supported distance learning.

We offer diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Degree courses are awarded by the University of Reading and the Open University, and accredited by RICS, CIOB and other professional bodies.

• Diploma in Surveying Practice• Diploma in Construction Practice• PGDip/MSc in Surveying

(Graduate Development Programme)• MSc in Surveying

(Construction Management route)• MBA in Construction and Real Estate

To further your career call 0800 019 9697 (quoting ref. MO1110), email courses�cem.ac.uk or visit our website.

PASSIONATE ABOUT THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT?


EastErn

Eric thomas Boyce MRICS1943-2010, Benfleet

Victor Bugg FRICS1927-2010, CambridgePhilip William scarff MRICS1973-2010, Stowmarket

Londondavid Vivian Brokenshire MRICS1959-2010, London

simon George Eckert MRICS1964-2010, London

John Ivor Edwards FRICS1925-2009, London

ronald alan Isaacs FRICS1927-2008, Londonnathaniel norman russell FRICS1921-2010, Pinneranthony Patrick stybel FRICS1956-2009, London

nick tyrrell MRICS1959-2010, London

north WEstLeslie herbert Burgess FRICS1924-2010, Warrington

William riddell duff FRICS1924-2010, CreweWalter norris Garside MRICS1921-2010, Knutsfordandrew Gibson holliday FRICS1922-2009, Kendal

derek sinclair smith MRICS1950-2010, Blackpool

south East

Keith Baker FRICS1924-2010, Southamptonrafe henry Clutton CBE FRICS1929-2010, LewesJames Wilson Cruickshank FRICS1946-2010, WallingfordJeremy Bernard Curtis FRICS1925-2010, Ringwood

roland dean-Webb MRICS1917-2010, Doverdenis Martin Fitzsimmons FRICS1928-2010, Oxtedronald Fredrick harding FRICS1928-2010, High Wycombethomas John howard FRICS1913-2010, BrightonClaude Beresford Jennings FRICS1918-2010, Croydon

Victor James Lee FRICS1923-2010, Bexhill On SeaJesse henry Erskine Piper MRICS1920-2010, MaidstoneJames Edward Powell MRICS1928-2010, PurleyGeorge seymour sibbering FRICS1920-2010, Hailshamrichard John simpson FRICS1922-2010, Cookham Dean

John hilary smith FRICS1937-2010, Oxford

Brian reginald sutton FRICS1925-2010, Banburyalan richard thomas FRICS1931-2010, Gillingham

south WEst

Bryan John harriss AssocRICS1934-2010, MineheadGordon herbert Johnson FRICS1920-2010, Penryn

John Basil stanier FRICS1916-2010, Liskeardneville antony storton FRICS1951-2010, IlfracombeBryan William thomas FRICS1928-2010, Bristol

WEst MIdLands

Ian hatfield MRICS1972-2010, BirminghamGraham Ewart holmes FRICS1934-2010, ShrewsburyLeonard John sanders FRICS1932-2010, Bromsgrove

East MIdLandsthomas henry Bassett MRICS1913-2010, Boston

neill Belton dance FRICS1916-2010, AshbourneJoseph stanley Peter Mitchell FRICS1929-2010, Nottingham

YorKshIrE & huMBEr

Leonard hall Walker MRICS1932-2010, LeedsCharles newlove William Wheeler FRICS1922-2010, Leeds

sCotLand

Edward Cobb FRICS1930-2009, Edinburgh

John Ferguson FRICS1921-2010, Edinburgh

John McVean AssocRICS1937-2010, Catrinedavid stewart Valentine FRICS1931-2010, Edinburgh

Obituaries

Philip William Scarff MRICS

Philip Scarff died on Friday 27 August in an accident while cycling home from a family outing with his wife and two young daughters.

He was 37 years old. Philip, a partner in the firm of Lacy Scott & Knight in Stowmarket, was a chartered surveyor and agricultural valuer who played an important part in the Suffolk agricultural community.

From an early age Philip had a keen interest in property. While a pupil at St Joseph’s College in Ipswich he worked with local firms to gain experience, and it was no surprise when in 1992 he chose to go to the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester to study Rural Estate Management. After graduating with a 2.1, he went straight into employment with FPD Savills in Ipswich. In 1998 he joined Lacy Scott & Knight, moving on quickly to become a partner.

Philip leaves Jenny, herself a chartered surveyor and agricultural valuer, and their daughters Sophie and Georgia, as well as a huge void for a wide circle of friends and clients who give thanks for all he achieved in 37 years of a life cut short so tragically.

11.10 // 12.10 // MODUS 53

Rafe Clutton CBE FRICS

Born in Warlingham, Surrey and raised in Sussex, Rafe trained as a chartered surveyor

and joined the family firm, Cluttons, in 1949. Other than a brief spell with Drivers Jonas between 1951 and 1953, his entire career was

spent at Cluttons until his retirement in 1994. He was the much admired and respected senior partner from 1982 to 1992.

Rafe was a true general practice surveyor, with particular expertise in the management of London’s great estates, most notably those of the Church Commissioners, the Trustees of The Henry Smith Charity and the Crown Estate (for services to which he was awarded a CBE).

He gave significant support to Rupert Nabarro in setting up the Investment Property Databank, and beyond Cluttons his appointments included chairmanship, trusteeship or board membership of the Royal Foundation of Grey Coat Hospital, the Salvation Army Advisory Board, the National Theatre Board, the Legal & General Board, Haslemere Estates, the National Safe Deposit Company and the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851. He was a Liveryman of the Chartered Surveyors’ Company.

Above all a family man, he was married to his widow, Jill, for 56 years. They had five children (one of whom is a seventh-generation surveyor) and nine grandchildren, all of whom adored him. He was a giant of the profession, mentor to many and a true gentleman.


54 r ics.org

MSc in

InternationalConstructionManagementAccredited by the RICS and the JBM

A high quality flexible distance learning programme for construction professionals.

It offers:

• in-depth coverage of modern construction management

• high quality modular learning materials

complemented by electronic delivery and support

• residentials in the UK, Canada and Zambia

• flexible entry routes and study timetables

• the ability to continue working while studying

• access to a network of construction professionals

Applications are welcomed from graduates and professionals in the built environment. Individual modules are also available on a free standing basis for continuing professional development.

Tel: +44 (0) 1225 383850

Fax: +44 (0) 1225 383255

E-mail: [email protected]

Web: www.bath.ac.uk/ace/icm

For details contact:

ICM Programme Administrator

Distance Learning Unit

Faculty of Engineering and Design

University of Bath, Claverton DownBath BA2 7AY, UK

Advancing learning and knowledge in association with business and industry

Now offering a 15 month ‘acceleratedstudy route’

www.cih.org

Study to suit your lifestyleBuild on what you know…Qualifications from The Chartered Institute of Housing

• CIOB Level 2 Certificate• CIOB Level 3 Certificate (Distance Learning)• CIOB Level 4 Certificate and Diploma (Distance Learning)

Why wait, apply today!Distance Learning Blended LearningT: 024 7685 1789 T: 024 6785 1772E: [email protected] E: [email protected]: 024 7669 4209 F: 024 7642 1973

your work is our business

Advert CIOB Distance Learning 220 x 141mm_Layout 1 30/03/2010 09:16 Page 1

MODUS_Nov-Dec_P54-57_Classified.FIN.indd 54 1/11/10 11:53:33

GP SURVEYOR: ASSOCIATE DESIGNATEExperienced Surveyor to assist with the growth of the department and carry out range of professional work to include valuation, landlord and tenant and some management (optionally dilapidations, residential surveys).

AGENCY SURVEYOROpportunity for enthusiastic agency surveyor to service existing client base and develop new business. (Optionally to assist professional department). Whilst preference for applicant with minimum 2 years’ experience a recently quali�ed surveyor or graduate may be considered.

Established in 1970 we are an independent �rm of Chartered Surveyors and Estate Agents advising a range of corporate and private clients across Beds, Bucks and Herts.

Please send CV to [email protected] or call Geo� Alexander BSc(Soc) FRICS01582 699 990

directoryFor directory advertising please contact Lucie Inns +44 (0)20 7793 2477 [email protected]

95,256 average net circulation 1st July 2009 – 30th June 2010

recruItmentFor recruitment advertising please contact Grace Healy +44 (0)20 7793 2491 [email protected]

11.10 // 12.10 // ModUS 55

Experienced Graduate/Newly Qualified Building

Surveyor required for national Building Consultancy’s

Edinburgh office.

Competitive package and

benefits offered for the correct individual. Broad range of

Building Surveying experience is essential.

Please send your CV to [email protected]

www.tridentbc.com

Principal Surveyor (Valuation)London or Coventry | Competitive salary & benefits

The freedom to

NEW YORK � LONDON � BRUSSELS

DUBAI � BRUSSELS � NEW DELHI

HONG KONG � BEIJING � SYDNEY

RICS is the pre-eminent property organisation worldwide. Wherever yougo, an RICS surveyor will be at work, shaping the world in which we live.

Leading a team of like-minded professionals, you’ll draw on yourextensive experience and auditing knowledge to ensure valuation reportsmeet the Red Book standard. But more than that, you’ll put your passionfor best practice to good use developing and implementing a valuationmonitoring programme that will shape the direction of the entire industry.

To find out more about this job and about working for RICS, visit: www.rics.org/shapeyourworld or email your CV and coveringletter to [email protected]

Closing date: 2 December 2010.

The January 2011 issue of Modus will be published on 5 January 2011

Recruitment booking deadline Monday 6th December

Recruitment copy deadline Monday 13th December

ARE YOU PLANNING TO SELL YOUR PRACTICE?

CHEGWIDDEN & CoCHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS

Mergers & Acquisitions Departmentwww.chegwidden.uk.com

We are the leading broker for Surveyors and have many buyers registeredwith us looking to expand throughout the UK and the ROI. We can alsoassist you with a valuation, partnership change advice and MBO/MBI’s

For your practice exit route advice contact Paul Beason FRICS email: [email protected] Harris FCCA email: [email protected]

Tel: 020 8597 2531 Fax: 020 8599 6273

Contact Bryn Harries [email protected]: 0207 415 4111

COST EFFECTIVE ADVICE ON ALL PROPERTY MATTERS

CUT YOUR CORPORATE PROPERTY OVERHEADS

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FUNDING AVAILABLE UP TO £100M

BRYN HARRIES PROPERTY LTDPEOPLE & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Cut corporate property overheads

Ensure value for money from your portfolio

Property review and rationalism

CUT CORPORATE PROPERTY OVERHEADS

ENSURE VALUE FOR MONEY FROM YOUR PORTFOLIO

PROPERTY REVIEW AND RATIONALISATION

Property servicesBusiness services

MODUS_Nov-Dec_P54-57_Classified.FIN.F1.indd 55 2/11/10 16:19:58

56 r ics.org

To view more jobs online visit ricsrecruit.com

Looking to fill a gap? Searching for your next career move?

ricsrecruit.com

Job seekers:• search, find and apply for hundreds of jobs online

• create a unique online profile

• advice on interview techniques, working abroad and CV Tips.

Need to advertise? Ensure you are making the most out of your recruitment campaign and speak to an expert. Contact Grace Healy today.

t +44 (0) 20 7793 2491 e [email protected]

For all the latest job listings please visit ricsrecruit.com

Advertisers:• advertise and search CVs

• reach 28 000 registered candidates

• tailor-made advertising campaign combined with MODUS, RICS’ official membership magazine.

RICS Recruit – for all your recruitment needs.

Valuation Surveyors£37,835 - £46,243 plus benefitsEast London, Enfield, Kingston upon Thames,Twickenham & Guildford

Make the most of your expert knowledge of the housing market workingfor the largest building society in the world. Nationally, we provide hugenumbers of customers with valuations and homebuyer reports. You’ll comein and use your exceptional local market knowledge to take responsibilityfor this within a specific location. What’s more, you’ll also provide valuationaudits, advice and consultancy to other departments across our business.

Commercially minded and ambitious, you’ll be capable of developing everyopportunity and exceeding business expectations. And it’s our aim toprovide you with all the support you need to do that, including managingyour diary and arranging appointments.

If you are a member of RICS with proven experience and an excellent PIIrecord, our name can open doors for you.

Closing date: 6th December

VISIT nationwide-jobs.co.uk to apply. Ref: 8686239-245 King StreetCastle Douglas DG7 1DTwww.fortnumselect.com

Land Agent £competitive to reflect qualifications & experience

South West Scotland

Our client is looking for a talented, ambitious Land Agent. This is an

exciting time to be joining their business – and a great opportunity

to develop your surveying career. You will be actively involved in a

broad and interesting range of work, including the sale of agricultural

properties, agricultural and residential management, valuations, planning,

compensation, renewable energy projects and tenant right matters.

Not only will you be given the scope to develop your own particular lines

of expertise and interest, but you will play an important part in helping

our client to develop and expand their existing business.

You should be a Rural Practice Surveyor, ideally a graduate or recently

qualified Chartered Surveyor. Knowledge of Scottish Law is essential, and

you should have a basic understanding of present Scottish Agricultural

support systems. It is also important that you hold a current driving licence.

To discuss your suitability in a confidential manner, call Nigel Fortnum or

one of the team on 01556 503886, or alternatively please email your CV

with a covering note, quoting ref. NWF3400 to: [email protected]

Cobalt Recruitment Abu Dhabi Auckland Berlin Düsseldorf London Manchester

Tel: +44 (0)20 7478 2500 www.cobaltrecuitment.com

We are currently recruiting for a number of high profile clients across London, the South East and the northern Home Counties. As property & construction specialists, we recruit for permanent, temporary and interim positions across the whole property life-cycle.

Cobalt Recruitment deliver a professional and consultative recruitment service to property professionals across the world.

At present we are recruiting for experienced individuals in the following areas:

If you are interested in a new challenge or would like some career advice please contact us on 0207 478 2500 or send your CV in confidence to [email protected]

Building Surveying

Quantity Surveying

Project Management

Architects

Construction Management

Interior Design


09.10 // 10.10 // MODUS 57

Advertising//

Looking to fill a gap? Searching for your next career move?

ricsrecruit.com

Job seekers:• search, find and apply for hundreds of jobs online

• create a unique online profile

• advice on interview techniques, working abroad and CV Tips.

Need to advertise? Ensure you are making the most out of your recruitment campaign and speak to an expert. Contact Grace Healy today.

t +44 (0) 20 7793 2491 e [email protected]

For all the latest job listings please visit ricsrecruit.com

Advertisers:• advertise and search CVs

• reach 28 000 registered candidates

• tailor-made advertising campaign combined with MODUS, RICS’ official membership magazine.

RICS Recruit – for all your recruitment needs.


Illustration by Ian Dutnall

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65%

65%

65%

65%

65%

65%

65%

65%

65%

65%

65%

65%

65%

65%

65%

65%

65%

65%

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65%

65%

65%

65%

65%

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65%

65%

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65%

65% The predicted

increase in global population

= 5 million = 1 city = 50 million

The combined population of Mumbai and Delhi, India, by 2020. By comparison, the UK population is predicted to be 65m

The predicted number of cities of over a million people in Africa by 2040. In 1950, only the populations of Alexandria and Cairo exceeded one million

The potential number of city slum dwellers by 2040 – double today’s fi gures

The proportion of people living in urban areas by 2040, the majority in developing African and Asian countries

PREDICTED URBAN POPULATION BY RANK IN 2020 (MILLIONS)

1. Tokyo(37.3)

82.5%Latin America &Caribbean (79.6%)

54.4%World (50.5%)

47.2%Asia (42.2%) 44.6%

Africa (40%)

81.4%UK (79.6%)

75.4%Europe (72.8%)

2. Mumbai(26)

3. Delhi(25.8)

4. Dhaka(22)

5. MexicoCity (21.8)

7. Lagos(21.5)

6. São Paulo (21.5)

8. Jakarta(20.8)

9. New York(20.4)

10. Karachi(18.9)

2. India(455)

1. China(728.5)

3. US(280)4. Brazil

(198)5. Indonesia(159)

6. Nigeria(112)

7. Russia(105)

8. Pakistan(99)

9. Mexico(98)

10. Japan(85)

11. Philippines(81)

12. Germany(72)

13. Turkey(62)

14. UK(60)

CITIES WITH THE LARGEST PREDICTED POPULATION INCREASES IN 2020 (MILLIONS)

PREDICTED 2020 URBAN POPULATION BY % (2010 FIGURE) KEY:

58 r ics.org

URBAN GROWTHTHE SHIFT TOWARDS MASS URBANISATION AROUND THE WORLD

Measure//

SOURCES: Ministry of Defence: ‘Global Strategic Trends – Out to 2040’; UN Department of Economic and Social Aff airs; Global Construction Perspectives; Euromonitor International; citymayors.com.Predicted fi gures can vary between sources

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RICS Modus, Global edition - November-December 2010