Sustainability remains high on the agenda despite the worsening economic climate, according to the latest global property sustainability survey, released by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Around 40% of respondents believed that sustainability is a more important issue for their clients now than it was this time last year, whilst 50% felt it was just as important. Under a tenth of those responding felt that it was less of an issue for their clients.

In the UK, 33% of property professionals questioned saw sustainability as important, whilst only 17% viewed it as unimportant. Energy supply/efficiency was cited as the most important issue, by 28% of respondents. Transport issues were close behind with 22% of respondents citing this category followed closely by overconsumption of natural resources (19%).