Welcome to RICS shorts, a mini-series of episodes of The RICS Podcast, in which we learn more about RICS members and those with whom surveyors work and collaborate.

This week’s guest is Jaisie Withers AssocRICS, Assistant Cost Consultant at Mace and Ambassador for Regeneration Brainery, who shares her experience as a young professional in the construction industry, how she’s fostering a sense of community & inclusivity, and the value of fresh perspectives in the profession.

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://www.rics.org/uk/
Jaisie Withers AssocRICS: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaisie-withers-293b04212/

Welcome to the first in a special series of short episodes of The RICS Podcast, in which we learn more about RICS members and those with whom surveyors work and collaborate.

This week’s guest is Adrian McClinton, a property litigation solicitor, who shares how his work overlaps and impacts upon RICS members, and some of the current trends in property litigation which are worth being cognizant of in the coming months and years.

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://www.rics.org/uk/
Adrian McClinton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-mcclinton-5061a032/

The final assessment can naturally set off nerves for many candidates preparing for their presentations, so this week’s RICS podcast is centred around calming nerves and preparing to perform at your peak.

Offering perspectives from the candidate side and as an assessor herself, Michelle Parkes joins Ellie Sainsbury to share strategies to calm nerves ahead of your final assessment.

If you would like to find out more about the range of local and global resources available to help you through your assessment journey, please visit our dedicated candidate support pages on the RICS website.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• Michelle’s personal experiences with the assessment, on both sides of the panel
• Tips on long-term preparation and short-term strategies to alleviate stress and nerves
• The assessors’ roles being to help you perform your best, rather than to be imposing
• Tools to help you practise, rehearse and self-assess your presentation

Resources discussed: LionHeart - APC Support
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://www.rics.org/uk/
RICS Candidate Support: https://www.rics.org/join-rics/candidate-support
Lionheart: https://www.lionheart.org.uk/

In another of our candidate support instalments of The RICS Podcast, we are delighted to be joined by RICS member, assessor and mentor, Jen Lemen FRICS. 

Offering a perspective from the other side of the interview table, Jen shares advice on how to prepare for the big day, and some best practice hints and tips to get you through the interview. 

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• How candidates can best use their preparation time
• Balancing revision with relaxation to overcome stress
• Methods for handling questions that candidates can’t answer
• How to beat nerves on the day, and how assessors approach visibly nervous candidates
• Common myths and misconceptions about the final assessment interview

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://www.rics.org/uk/
RICs Candidate Support: https://www.rics.org/join-rics/candidate-support
Jen Lemen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jclemen/

In the latest of our mid-year update episodes of The RICS Podcast, we’re joined by members of the Land Team; James Kavanagh MRICS, Fiona Mannix and Tony Mulhall MRICS.

We hear from the trio as they discuss key issues from their respective areas, with particular note for the interdependent nature of rural and urban development, consideration for assessing flooding risk, and developing approaches to developments within the ‘grey belt’.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• Updates on rural developments, with respect to CPO, the formation of the Farm Tenancy Forum, and forests & woodlands
• The latest from Planning and Development, with respect to the ‘grey belt’, use of AI, and the interdependence of rural and urban development
• How the Land Team understands and facilitates strides to reach net zero obligations

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://www.rics.org/uk/
James Kavanagh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-kavanagh-65448b17/
Fiona Mannix: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fiona-mannix-71708a26/
The Land Journal: https://ww3.rics.org/uk/en/journals/land-journal.html

In this latest episode of RICS’ mid-year updates, we’re joined by Amit Patel MRICS and Steven Thompson MRICS to share insights from the construction team on the major factors impacting the sector.

Amit, Head of Professional Practice in Construction, and Steven, Senior Specialist within the Construction Standards Team, discuss sector-specific updates with reference to the new government’s direction, and work that RICS is doing at the moment.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• Impacts on the construction sector as a result of the new government
• How the industry manages shortages in skills and materials over the coming years
• Planned updates to the RICS Black Book
• Forward-thinking approaches to cost certainty within the industry

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://www.rics.org/uk/

Amit Patel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amit-patel-902a341a/

In the second of RICS' mid-year updates from the professional practice teams, the valuation team give an overview of work streams relating to professional standards, practice information, industry updates, current and future projects and ways for members and non-members to get involved.

Hear from Head of Professional Practice for Valuation, Ben Elder FRICS and Senior Specialists Charles Goulding MRICS, Jonathan Fothergill FRICS and Nigel Sellars FRICS. 

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• IVS implementation
• practice and process changes driven by evolving areas such as ESG and technology
• information related to developments in other relevant global standards and regulation
• implementation of Valuation Review recommendations 
• licensed leisure guidance and VPGA 4 operational real estate.

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors standards
Read RICS Property Journal

Contact the team: standards@rics.org 

In the first of RICS' mid-year updates from the professional practice teams, the property team detail key things impacting residential and commercial property. 

Hear from Head of Professional Practice for Property, Paul Bagust, with Senior Specialists Mairead Carroll, Nigel Sellars FRICS and Steven Lees MRICS as they discuss relevant sector updates and the work RICS is doing.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• Property agency and management principles 
• Updates on RICS Home Survey Standard and Retrofit Standard
• Commercial and residential service charge updates

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors standards
Read RICS Property Journal

Contact the team: standards@rics.org 

The commercial property sector is an ever-evolving area, which has seen a shift post-pandemic with attitudes towards flexible work enabled by the evolution of technology.

In this episode of The RICS Podcast, Will Kinnear MRICS (HEWN) joins Nadia de Klerk MRICS (Turner & Townsend) to explore the latest trends in the commercial property sector, with particular focus on trends in workplace flexibility, occupier preferences and ESG initiatives. 

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• The shift from traditional offices to flexible, customised work environments that meet occupier needs
• The importance of ESG elements in new workspace provisions going forward
• Adapting workspace design as the sector evolves towards a more people-centric ethos

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://www.rics.org/uk/
Will Kinnear MRICS: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/will-kinnear-5832a122

The election of a new government triggers new work streams and collaborative opportunities for RICS and its members.

In this episode of The RICS Podcast, Sam Rees and Mahvesh Ibrar (Senior public affairs officers at RICS) join Kieran Halliwell (Modus Editor and RICS podcast lead) to discuss the new government's core policies and share what these may mean for RICS and its members.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• Key policies of the new government including planning, housing and skills
• How RICS and its members may be involved in supporting the government and its work going forwards
• Work that RICS is currently doing with local government teams
  
  

Note: this episode was recorded on 5th July 2024, the day the new government was announced.

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://www.rics.org/uk/
RICS 2024 UK Election Result Comment: https://www.rics.org/news-insights/2024-uk-election-results-comment
Sam Rees: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelellisrees/
Mahvesh Ibrar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahveshibrar/
Kieran Halliwell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kdhalliwell/

Whether it’s communication with stakeholders or with the public, the importance of a regulator is key to how firms operate in the built environment.

In this episode of The RICS Podcast, Shannett Thompson (Kingsley Napley) and Chris Adler (RICS) join Nigel Clarke to explore the vital role of professional regulators, and how they interact with the regulated professions, with a particular focus on the Standards and Regulation Board, of which Nigel is the Chair. 

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• The role of the regulator, and how it interacts with the professional body
• How the SRB differs from other regulators
• How regulators stay relevant to those leading the profession forward

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://www.rics.org/uk/
Nigel Clarke: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nclarke/
Shannett Thompson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannett-thompson-0039046a/
Chris Alder: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-alder-b528822a/

The next generation of talent is key to our profession’s future, and taking on apprentices and students holds untapped value and potential for all involved.

Having successfully developed a route for youngsters to grow their skillset at Muse, Managing Director Phil Mayall MRICS joins Lorna Heaven, Director of Capital Projects at Cheshire College to discuss how such schemes can be best implemented throughout the industry. We hear first-hand experience from one such apprentice at Muse, Raheim, and learn more about the motivations and potential barriers of our next generation professionals.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• Preconceptions of entry demands in the industry
• The need to improve industry information available at an educational level
• The benefits of entering the profession as a teenager

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://www.rics.org/uk/
Lorna Heaven MRICS: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorna-heaven-10a53843/
Phil Mayall MRICS: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-mayall-39521694/

The built environment and construction sectors should be a space for all to feel welcome and to belong, and with June being Pride month it’s an apt time to evaluate how that looks in the industry.

In this week’s episode of The RICS Podcast, Sharon Slinger FRICS is joined by Scott Wilkinson FRICS and Mark Bennett AssocRICS to discuss the current atmosphere for the LGBTQ+ community, and how we can work together to encourage a safe and inclusive industry for all.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• The importance of bringing your whole self to work in construction 
• What employers and colleagues can do to to create safe, inclusive environment for all
• The solutions to educating professionals on key inclusivity issues

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://www.rics.org/uk/
Sharon Slinger FRICS: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-slinger-4190a619/
Scott Wilkinson FRICS: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleewilkinson/
Mark Bennett AssocRICS: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-bennett-mciob-assocrics-49a84318/

The Mayor for Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, is uniquely placed as a leader with experience in the built environment, a history which informs his vision of the area’s future.

Steve joins Gabriel Davies (Fisher German LLP) and Hannah Daly (SES Engineering Services) on The RICS Podcast this week as he discusses the relationships between placemaking, infrastructure, local skills and heritage, which are rooted within his plans for the region.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• Steve’s Masters in Contemporary Urban Renaissance and how it informs his vision for Liverpool City Region
• The importance of built environment jobs and retention of local skills
• Major infrastructure developments and the implications for local residents
• Steve’s vision for the ideal future of Liverpool City Region and the value of preserving heritage buildings

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://www.rics.org/uk/
Gabriel Davies: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriel-davies-481270124/
Hannah Daly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-d-88925311a/
Mayor Steve Rotheram: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-rotherham-67ba7ab/

At the heart of the surveying profession, and what it means to be an RICS Surveyor, lies an industry that’s equally varied, rewarding and impactful.

This episode of The RICS Podcast brings together the expertise of Ashley Royer AssocRICS, Kareem Zahran MRICS and host Sinead Clarkson MRICS as they speak about their career paths, unique journeys, and how aspiring surveyors can do the same.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• Routes into the industry and the breadth of roles available
• How to engage and educate future generations
• Initiatives to create a more diverse and inclusive built environment
• Advice for those seeking a career as a Chartered Surveyor

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://www.rics.org/uk/
Ashley Royer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-royer-assocrics-acabe-diprsv-cemap-1a631b17/
Kareem Zahran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kareem-zahran-phd-mrics-83b1742a/
Sinead Clarkson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sineadclarkson/

With 13,000 attendees over three days, UKREiiF is one of the UK's largest gatherings of built environment professionals. Many RICS members and firms are in attendance and key themes that impact upon our membership are discussed.

This episode of the RICS Podcast brings some of those conversations out of the arena and showcases what it means to be an RICS surveyor. Hear directly from RICS members at the event - what did they do there? Who did they meet and how? What are the key things that left them thinking?

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• Some key conference themes for the construction, valuation and property sectors
• Member session highlights and takeaways
• Reflections on DEI and what the built environment needs to do to progress 
• The value of networking and talking to professionals across different sectors

Links:
Emma Fletcher MRICS episode on the Value of Sustainable Housing
Industry Challengers, What Needs to Change in the Built Environment?
Women in Surveying, What Does Progress Look Like? 

The quality of spaces relies strongly on how well they’re designed to serve human experiences, so in this episode of The RICS Podcast we explore the power of placemaking.

Olga Turner Baker MRICS (Managing Director, Ekkist) hosts Nicholas Boys Smith (Chair of the Office for Place and Author & Director, Create Streets) whose passion for quality spaces and placemaking makes for a fascinating conversation around good urbanism, new approaches to planning, and the balance between greenbelt and development.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• What ignited Nicholas’ passion for high quality spaces, and motivated him to make change
• Why the quality of placemaking is at its current standard
• Projects which demonstrate great placemaking
• The biggest urban design challenges and priorities facing the UK government now and going forward

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://www.rics.org/uk/
Nicholas Boys Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-boys-smith-800614/
Olga Turner Baker MRICS: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olga-turner-baker-mrics-well-ap-128b5729/

Irene Barclay is a trailblazer in surveying, being the first woman to qualify in Britain as a Chartered Surveyor, and her path is as important and inspiring now as it ever has been.

Patricia Moore MRICS (UK Managing Director, Turner & Townsend) is joined this week by Carrie de Silva (Visiting Professor, Harper Adams University) and Rebecca Preston (Historian, English Heritage) to discuss the pioneering life story of Irene Barclay, and why it should inspire the direction that the surveying profession takes today.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• Irene Barclay’s family story
• The significance of celebrating her achievements with a plaque
• How preserving heritage supports the present profession
• The importance of seeing women’s names in the profession, and understanding the past

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://www.rics.org/uk/
Patricia Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricia1moore/
Carrie de Silva: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-de-silva-61017916/

The strides towards net zero emissions are essential in urban and rural areas alike, and it’s vital to consider what can be done within natural capital as well as the built environment to encourage climate-positive change.

Discussing these key issues in this week’s episode of The RICS Podcast, Francesca Fowler-Walsh MRICS (Chair, RICS Matrics Lancashire) is this week joined by Maddi Naish MICS (Estate Manager, National Trust) and Carolien Samson (Head of Sustainable Banking, Oxbury Bank).

They share their perspectives on the demand for financing resilience projects, pressures on farmers to reduce their carbon footprint, and the importance of attracting young people into the profession to have a tangible impact on the environment.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• The growing influence of natural capital
• Surveyors’ roles with the National Trust
• How farming and agriculture poses a very tangible industry in which to make impact
• Increasing focus and pressure on farmers to reduce their carbon footprint
• How we can better attract the next generation of surveyors through their potential impact

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://www.rics.org/uk/

Maddi Naish: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maddi-naish-95471169/

Carolien Samson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolien-samson-04242125/

Francesca Fowler-Walsh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesca-fowler-walsh/

The role of an expert witness is key to any court and tribunal, and this week’s episode of The RICS Podcast is essential preparation for those considering the span of their expertise.

Joining Rajbinder Sohal are Leonora Riesenburg, a Chartered Arbitrator/Mediator Trainer in ADR, and Faye Allen FRICS, Director at J.S. Held LLC - they discuss the importance of advising only within your area of expertise, and the need for open communication between experts and stakeholders.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• Potential consequences of surveyors straying outside of their area of expertise
• How to identify the areas to which you should stick
• Ethical considerations that experts should think about when accepting instructions
• How expert witnesses should mitigate inbuilt biases

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://www.rics.org/uk/
Leonora Riesenburg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonora-riesenburg-61182846/
Faye Allen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fayeallen/

• Considerations that assessors can make for neurodiverse candidates in the final assessment
• How neurodiverse assessors can support those with particular requirements
• Finding different learning styles to better suit your APC journey
• How employers can support neurodiverse people
• The benefits to teams of hiring professionals with varied specialisms and traits

With sustainability becoming a growing area of focus among the residential property industry, this week’s RICS Podcast focuses on how green practices are reflected for consumers, banks and surveyors alike.

Emma Fletcher MRICS (RICS/Octopus Energy) is joined by Timothy Bannister (Rightmove) and Maria Dutton (Green Finance Institute) to discuss the overlap in understanding of sustainability between stakeholders, surveyors’ role in promoting sustainable residential development, and how the sector is likely to evolve going forward.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• How consumers and banks define sustainable housing, and whether there’s common ground
• Ways for surveyors to help convey the message of the industry’s growing sustainability
• The intrinsic value of a happy, healthy home, and how it’ll feed into the financial values reflected in the market

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://www.rics.org/uk/
Emma Fletcher MRICS: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmafletchercambridge/
Maria Dutton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-g-dutton/
Timothy Bannister: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-bannister-1b00316/

While the need for carbon reduction is clear, the route to creating a built environment that better serves this need is constantly being refined.

Through their work at Introba UK and Related Argent respectively, Clara Bagenal George and David Partridge are contributing to the RICS whole life carbon assessment (WLCA) standard and the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard.

Clara and David join RICS’ Charlotte Neal on the podcast this week to discuss the formation of these standards, and personal journeys implementing positive steps to reduce carbon in their own activities.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• How BECD and the Whole Life Carbon Assessment methodology work together in tandem
• Why the Net Zero Carbon Building Standard is so essential for the industry
• David and Clara’s personal pursuits for more carbon conscious lifestyles
• Trying to overcome reliance on third parties to make your own positive changes

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://www.rics.org/uk/
Whole life carbon assessment (WLCA) for the built environment: https://www.rics.org/profession-standards/rics-standards-and-guidance/sector-standards/construction-standards/whole-life-carbon-assessment
BECD: https://www.becd.co.uk/
UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard: https://www.nzcbuildings.co.uk/
Clara Bagenal George: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clara-bagenal-george-5929bba2/
Introba UK: https://www.linkedin.com/company/introba/
David Partridge: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-partridge-38b3b512/
Related Argent: https://www.linkedin.com/company/relatedargentlimited/

The APC process leads surveyors to chartership, but for those yet to embark on the process, professionals like Girija Deshmukh, Sam Nicholson MRICS and Matthew Tallis FRICS are promoting its purpose globally.

Girija (RICS Campus Ambassador, Cardiff University) and Sam (Partner, Wakefields Chartered Building Surveyors) join Matthew (Global Cost & Commercial Management Service Director, Arcadis) on The RICS Podcast this week to share their journeys, the impact they’re making on international opportunities, how to attract the next generation, and the benefits of an increasingly diverse industry.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• What chartership is and what motivates people to do it
• Girija, Matthew and Sam’s activities in the industry
• Global impact achieved through innovative initiatives
• How to engage and attract a more diverse next generation

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://www.rics.org/uk/
Girija Deshmukh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/girijadeshmukh98/
Sam Nicholson MRICS: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-nicholson-mrics-4148a1a8/

The next generation of built environment professionals are driving a great deal of positive change in the industry, with fresh vision and awareness of the impact we can have as a sector.

This week’s RICS Podcast features the expertise of Jessie Leung MRICS, Estates Surveyor at South Gloucestershire Council and a 2024 MIPIM Challenger,  Joshua Hurst MRICS, Chartered Building Surveyor at JLL and co-chair of their race network, and Katy Robinson, Senior Project Manager at East Riding of Yorkshire Council and founding chair of NAWIC Yorkshire.

We learn how these early career professionals are striving towards a brighter vision of the industry’s future and gain insight around what motivates them to do so.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• What prompted Jessie, Joshua and Katy to strive for positive change in the built environment
• How leaders and organisations can support professionals to catalyse positive impact
• Visions of an ideal world in the built environment sector
• The importance and inspiration of relevant, relatable role models 

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: https://www.rics.org/uk/
Jessie Leung MRICS: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessiecsleung/
Joshua Hurst MRICS: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuahurst98/
Katy Robinson MRICS: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-robinson-710619189/