Environmental, social and governance (ESG) property valuation techniques could help to unlock development opportunities for the construction industry outside urban centres, according to new research from the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR).

The Sustainable Buildings Monitor: Redefining Value report for contractor ISG, released earlier today, argues that a “reframing of property valuations and a readjustment of hierarchies in the built environment sector will ensure that key voices are heard at the earliest stages”.

It adds: “A key practicality in this ambition will be consideration of time, and how contractors, customers and the supply chain can all agree early on project drivers, desired outcomes, design intent and buildability, and more.”

By showing developers, asset owners and local authority decision-makers that building ethically will unlock ESG-linked capital investment, ISG stated that the report highlights “a significant regional opportunity for organisations looking to find aspiring locations beyond simple proximity to urban centres”.

It adds: “Growth across regions is starting to mirror and reflect ambitious new location strategies from emerging industries that are an essential part of the UK’s growth strategy.”

Researchers not only measured development opportunities in each local authority area and region against financial, commercial and workforce factors, but they also assessed them against 12 environmental and social metrics such as renewable energy potential.

Read the full article and the referenced Cebr research for ISG.