A new report from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) reveals a slowdown in the global demand for sustainable buildings due to a lack of strong policy interventions and skills development. 

The report is based on input from more than 3,500 real estate and construction professionals across 36 countries.

The RICS 2025 Sustainability Report also finds that despite the continued need for green and resilient real estate, demand growth has notably weakened, particularly across the Americas, but also across Europe and Asia-Pacific. 

Initial high costs and uncertainty about returns remain the biggest deterrents to investment, finds the research, even while investors continue to value green certifications and climate-resilient assets. 

Nicholas Maclean, RICS president comments on the findings:

“Transformation across the built environment is necessary if we are to meet the challenge of climate change. This important RICS research shows progress, but also clear signs of fatigue and uncertainty.”

To encourage climate progress, the report urges policymakers to introduce mandatory whole-life carbon reporting for all construction projects, set national emissions limits aligned to net-zero pathways and expand incentives and financing for green retrofits and low-carbon materials.