Property Journal March–April 2018

The latest issue of Property Journal looks ahead, arguing that degree courses for surveyors should be made more international, and detailing how the APC pathways and competencies have been updated. Articles also consider the role of artificial intelligence in real estate and ponder what self-driving cars could mean for retail. In light of the need to create a more sustainable future as well, Sara Wilkinson explains the role facilities managers can play in the move towards a circular economy.

Michael Wolter argues that a well-planned approach to adopting technology will enable surveyors to thrive in a digital future. In his article "A measured pace" starting on page 16, he contends: "The major hindrance to widespread use of AI in existing structures is financing: as with most cutting-edge technology, AI can be prohibitively expensive. A recent RICS insight paper, Artificial intelligence: What it means for the built environment, shows that the use of certain technologies such as building information modelling (BIM) is not financially feasible in structures that are already built. Without sufficient funding, therefore, the AI currently available is simply not viable, and the report warns that “the costs of creating a digital model might not be recouped for many years” (www.rics.org/aiinsightpaper)