RICS Announces Expanded Sustainability Board

HONG KONG, Oct. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Oceania has expanded its sustainability board to include representatives from Asia.  The new RICS Sustainability Board will not only bring in more global experiences to the Oceania region, but will also have direct access to distribute best practice to the burgeoning Asian sustainability market place.

The Oceania sustainable steering group, which was the genesis of the newly created board, has been in existence for over 5 years and is one of the major contributors to the global suite of sustainability guidance notes that RICS produces.  The decision to expand the steering group to a full board as well as expand the board into Asia is a reflection of the global nature of sustainability in the built environment.

RICS Asia Pacific Managing Director, Kaye Herald said: "RICS has a long history in sustainability both within the region and globally.  We continue to press for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in the built environment with governments and businesses around the world.  The new sustainable board provides RICS with the opportunity to share knowledge throughout the Asia Pacific region and to increase best practice."

John Goddard, Sustainability Board Chair said: "The expansion of the steering group to a full board, coupled with the expansion of the board into Asia, is a testament to the hard work done by members of RICS over the years.  We have produced guidance notes from this region that are now used around the world.  By adding a representative from Asia, we can deliver the kind of guidance that the professions need throughout the Asia Pacific region."

RICS Asia Pacific Sustainability Board Members:

About RICS & RICS Asia

RICS is the world's leading qualification when it comes to professional standards in land, property and construction. In a world where more and more people, governments, banks and commercial organisations demand greater certainty of professional standards and ethics, attaining RICS status is the recognised mark of property professionalism.

Over 100 000 property professionals working in the major established and emerging economies of the world have already recognised the importance of securing RICS status by becoming members.

RICS is an independent professional body that, since 1868, has been committed to setting and upholding the highest standards of excellence and integrity -- providing impartial, authoritative advice on key issues affecting businesses and society. RICS is a regulator of both its individual members and firms enabling it to maintain the highest standards and providing the basis for unparalleled client confidence in the sector.

The RICS Asia supports a network of over 11 000 individual professionals across the Asia Pacific region with an objective to help develop the property and construction markets in these countries, by introducing professional standards, best practice and international experience. It promotes RICS and its members as the natural advisors on all property matters. It also ensures that services and career development opportunities are provided to members.

The RICS Asia region covers national associations and local groups locating in Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, The People's Republic of China and the SAR Hong Kong. It also has members working across the region such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma/Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Laos PDR, Macao, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan, The Maldives, The Philippines, Timor East and Vietnam. For more information, please visit: www.ricsasia.org

Media enquiry, please contact:

RICS Asia Public Relations Representative
Mr. Andy Hung / Ms Polly Tsang
Tel: +852-2372-0090
Fax: +852-2372-0490
Mobile: +852-9254-9250 / +852-6108-5435
Email: andy@creativegp.com / polly@creativegp.com