As net zero targets and ESG requirements accelerate globally, organisations across construction, real estate, and investment are rethinking how they hire sustainability talent. The demand for technical experts, strategic thinkers, and cross-functional collaborators is set to rise sharply over the next decade.
1. Rapid Growth in Specialist Roles
Sustainability is no longer a niche — it’s becoming integral to every stage of the built environment lifecycle.
High-growth areas:
• BREEAM Assessors & Coordinators – Demand will grow as certification becomes standard across new builds and refurbishments.
• Building Physics Engineers – Needed to model thermal performance, overheating risk, and ventilation in increasingly complex retrofit scenarios.
• LCA & Carbon Analysts – As whole-life carbon becomes a planning requirement; carbon quantification will move mainstream.
• Retrofit Energy Assessors – Driven by EPC reforms, PAS 2035, and funding schemes (e.g. SHDF), these roles will boom.
• ESG & Sustainability Managers – Real estate investors, housing associations and funds will hire internal talent to lead ESG strategy and compliance.
Expect growth in both consultancy firms and in-house sustainability teams across housing, commercial property, and infrastructure.
2. Carbon Literacy Will Become a Standard Requirement
Understanding carbon is no longer just for specialists — it’s fast becoming a core skill across all sustainability-related roles.
• Operational & embodied carbon assessments will be required by more local authorities.
• Professionals will need to interpret RICS whole-life carbon standards, GLA reporting, and science-based targets.
• Entry-level staff will increasingly be expected to understand carbon terminology, metrics, and policy implications.
Training in carbon literacy will become as standard as health & safety inductions.
3. Retrofit Will Dominate the Sustainability Jobs Market
New-builds must meet higher standards — but it’s the UK’s 29 million existing homes and ageing commercial stock that will require massive retrofit programmes.
• Demand for PAS 2035 Retrofit Coordinators, Assessors, and Designers will surge.
• Data analysis, modelling, and technical validation of retrofit performance will become key skills.
• Skills in building fabric, ventilation, moisture risk and occupant behaviour will be critical.
Sustainability hiring will shift focus from “designing green buildings” to “making old ones perform like new”.
4. Digital Tools Will Redefine Job Requirements
Sustainability work is becoming increasingly data-driven, with automation and digital workflows reshaping how professionals operate.
• Tools like One Click LCA, IES VE, DesignBuilder, and TM54 modelling software will be essential.
• Professionals will need fluency in BIM integration, carbon accounting platforms, and automated reporting systems.
• Soft skills will matter just as much — being able to translate complex outputs into actionable client advice is crucial.
Sustainability professionals will become data interpreters, not just data gatherers.
5. Global ESG and Regulatory Pressures Will Shape Demand
Sustainability staffing is being shaped not only by local environmental concerns, but also by global regulation and investor pressure.
• The EU Taxonomy, TCFD, CSRD, and SFDR are creating job roles that blend finance, risk, and environmental strategy.
• ESG hiring will grow in asset management, development firms, and corporate real estate as non-financial reporting becomes regulated.
• There’s increasing crossover between compliance, sustainability strategy, and investor communications.
Candidates who understand both sustainability frameworks and corporate drivers will be highly sought after.
Final Thoughts
Sustainability staffing will evolve rapidly, shaped by regulation, public funding, and technological change. The most in-demand professionals will be:
• Multidisciplinary — blending technical knowledge with commercial awareness
• Digitally literate — fluent in modelling, software, and carbon reporting tools
• Communicative — able to influence stakeholders, clients, and regulators
