The University of Salford proudly hosted the RICS Residential Property Conference 2025 on 15 July, welcoming over 80 professionals from across the housing, surveying, and planning sectors for a day of insight, innovation, and collaboration.
The conference explored the future of housing through the lens of policy reform, sustainability, digital transformation, and workforce development. Attendees gained practical insights into leasehold reform, housing delivery, AI in home buying, and the evolving standards shaping the residential property sector
A major highlight of the day was the official launch of the RICS retrofit pathway to AssocRICS—a pilot initiative designed to open new routes into RICS membership, support professional upskilling, and promote high-quality retrofit work aligned with BS 40104 and RICS’ own standards
The pathway responds to the UK’s urgent need to retrofit millions of homes to a high standard and aims to ensure a pipeline of trusted, regulated professionals in the retrofit space.
Professor Richard Fitton, who contributed to the development of the pathway and presented the findings at the conference, commented:
“This is a timely and important step forward. The retrofit pathway has the potential to significantly strengthen the sector by creating accessible, standards-aligned routes into professional recognition. I’m pleased to have played a part in shaping it.”
While the pathway is still under evaluation, its potential impact was widely acknowledged by delegates and speakers alike.
We were also thankful to the delegates who braved the Manchester rain to take part in a guided tour of our Energy House 2.0 facility. The visit offered a first-hand look at our cutting-edge research environment and the pioneering work currently underway—as well as a glimpse into our future plans to support innovation in low-carbon housing and retrofit technologies.