The RICS recently published new guidance on ‘Sustainability and ESG in commercial property valuation and strategic advice.' The Red Book has also been updated, and there is now a real focus on the importance of sustainability in valuations.
Commercial property markets are becoming increasingly sensitive to sustainability and ESG, and it is widely acknowledged that sustainability factors can impact property values through either a ‘green premium’ for those properties that are particularly sustainable; or a ‘brown discount’ for those that aren’t. However, as a valuer relying on market evidence, it can be difficult to demonstrate the impact of sustainability characteristics on value explicitly.