The UK’s effort in decarbonising its housing stock has been labelled ‘underwhelming’ by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

The lack of progress is being blamed on cost barriers, though on the upside it seems more developers are now tracking the biodiversity of their projects.

In order to improve the state of the UK’s property, RICS recommends evidence-based targets, mandatory carbon assessments for all new projects, and training for built environment professionals. It has also called for national targets to aid decarbonisation, alongside the enforcement of minimum energy performance standards, building codes, and climate resilience benchmarks.

Tina Paillet, president at RICS, said: “Last year, I described the RICS Sustainability Report as a wake-up call to our industry, pointing out that our progress on sustainability was lagging behind what is required. Despite that, I expressed confidence that the 2050 net-zero target was still within reach, if we pursued it wholeheartedly.

“This year’s report, however, suggests that the level of commitment necessary to meet these goals is still lacking, presenting a mixed but underwhelming picture overall.”

She added: “Credible policy interventions are essential, and regulation remains a significant factor driving green real estate investment and shaping construction practices.”