Competence framework for sustainability in the built environment launched

The Construction Industry Council (CIC) and the Edge have published an underpinning framework for developing discipline-specific sustainability competence requirements across the sector.

CIAT has welcomed the launch of the Competence Framework for Sustainability in the Built Environment, jointly developed by the Construction Industry Council CIC and the Edge.

The standard has been drafted as a Seed Document for a British Standard in the BSI's Competence in the Built Environment series that commenced with BS 8670: Part 1 on Competence for Building Safety published in 2024.

The framework was developed under Workstream 10 of CIC's Climate Action Plan, coordinated by the Edge with support from the University College of Estate Management (UCEM), through a process of extensive cross-sector and public consultation.

The aims of the framework are to:

a) Set core criteria for achieving sustainability;
b) Facilitate the development of sector-specific competence frameworks; and
c) Support a consistent approach to competence frameworks across the built environment.

The framework defines sustainability through five core criteria: Potential, covering natural systems, resources, energy and carbon, social impact, and harms and solutions; People, focusing on education, training and literacy, behaviours and teamwork; Process, addressing finance and risk, practice, and tools and technologies; Projects, encompassing land use and planning, external spaces; infrastructure and accessibility, and buildings; and Performance, which includes monitoring, information and feedback, resilience and adaptation, and emergency response. It also outlines five stages of competence for roles and functions: Recognise, Analyse, Apply, Achieve, and Advance.

Sarah May FCIAT, CIAT Technical Coordinator, and Member of the Advisory Panel for the Competence Framework for the built environment - Core criteria for sustainability competence - Code of practice, said:

CIAT is proud to have contributed to the development of the Competence Framework for Sustainability in the Built Environment, which we hope will further embed sustainability across all disciplines in our sector. 

The framework provides a structured and comprehensive approach to developing sustainability competencies, ensuring that professionals across the sector have the necessary knowledge and skills to drive meaningful change.  By doing so, it supports organisations in embedding sustainability within their professional development models, ensuring a consistent, measurable approach across roles.

I encourage all stakeholder's; clients, professionals, contractors, manufacturers, and regulators, to engage with this framework and integrate its principles into practice. Through collaboration and commitment, we can ensure sustainability is not just an aspiration but a fundamental and measurable aspect of every role within the built environment.

 A full copy of the framework can be downloaded here.

A free webinar presenting the framework is being held on Wednesday 12 March at 13;00, you can register to attend here.