Rob Joslin and Oli Coote joined more than 16,000 professionals in Leeds for UKREiiF 2025, the UK’s flagship event for public-private collaboration in real estate, regeneration, and infrastructure. With representation from over 275 local authorities, and thousands of investors and developers, this year’s event was more than a conference, it was a strategic pulse-check on the future of the UK’s built environment. 

Across three packed days, the conversations were big and bold. From sustainability and smart cities to inclusive growth and regional investment, it’s clear: the UK’s built environment is at a turning point. Here’s what stood out.

Sustainability and Net Zero: From Ambition to Action

The drive toward net zero was front and centre across UKREiiF’s agenda. Conversations moved well beyond aspirational statements to tangible strategies. Net zero is no longer just a goal, it’s becoming embedded into how we design, build, and manage places. 

Key themes included: 

• Decarbonising infrastructure and real estate: Through low-carbon construction materials and renewable energy. 
• Retrofitting the existing built environment: Acknowledging that over 80% of the UK’s 2050 building stock already exists, delegates explored how to make legacy assets future-proof. 
• Smart cities and energy systems: The convergence of data, energy, and infrastructure to enable sustainable, low-emission urban living. 
• Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG): Spearheaded by thought leaders like Olivia Dear MIEMA CEnv, BNG was positioned as not just a regulatory requirement,  but a generational opportunity. The sentiment was that land must be seen not only as a development asset but also as a chance to regenerate ecosystems, engage local communities, and foster environmental literacy. Initiatives such as bringing school children onto sites to plant native species and monitor local wildlife highlight the wider social and educational potential of integrating biodiversity into construction projects. 
• Heritage-led regeneration: Sustainability isn’t limited to carbon initiatives. Many sessions highlighted how revitalising historic assets can drive housing delivery, cultural value, and community identity, proving that conservation and progress can co-exist when supplemented by leadership and long-term planning. 
• Institutional leadership and cross-sector collaboration: Institutions like Imperial College and Cranfield University are aligning academic research with real-world development goals, from climate-aligned regeneration to innovations like agri-tech in space. Simultaneously, government representatives addressed planning system reform and the anticipated 250% surge in applications as infrastructure accelerates.

Importantly, UKREiiF itself showed commitment in having achieved ISO 20121 Sustainable Event certification and showcased practical sustainability by committing to zero waste to landfill and offsetting UK-based travel emissions.  This reflects a wider shift we’re seeing in the market - a demand for talent with real ESG credentials and systems-thinking mindsets. From biodiversity to retrofitting, the need for socially and environmentally aware talent in the built environment has never been more urgent or exciting.

Future of Real Estate: Tech, Talent & Transformation

The “Future of Real Estate” theme explored how the industry is evolving in response to shifting user needs, demographic changes, and digital innovation. Discussions ranged from PropTech and AI to placemaking and evolving user needs. Standout insights included: 

• PropTech and data-driven decision-making : From digital twins to AI-powered modelling and predictive analytics, attendees explored how data is now integral to asset design, management, and optimisation. Discussions reinforced that integrating portfolio, ESG, and financial data is vital to avoid being blindsided by future regulation or inefficiencies. 
• Flexible, inclusive, and multi-use development: Mixed-use schemes and placemaking remain central, but are now accompanied by deeper considerations around affordability, equity, and environmental performance, particularly in fast-growing urban areas. 
• Retrofitting and “Brown to Green” Capex: Retrofitting represents a significant industry challenge and opportunity, so investors and landlords are exploring how to sustainably repurpose existing stock while keeping capital expenditures targeted and efficient. 
• Energy transformation in real estate: Electrification of heating, district energy networks, and renewable integration are becoming standard in development briefs. Incentives and regulatory changes are pushing real estate owners to transition to lower-emission systems, especially in dense city centres. 
• Core vs value-add investment dynamics : While value-add opportunities saw 8.5% returns last year, the core segment continues to face pressure due to capital constraints. Voices like Ami Kotecha challenged whether enough is being done to address the critical undersupply in housing. 
• Artificial Intelligence and operational innovation: While AI remains in the exploratory phase for many, its potential for automating asset reporting, tenant engagement, and predictive maintenance is undeniable. This is forcing real estate leaders to increasingly think about balancing scalability, ethics, and cost. 
• Integrated platforms for operational visibility: As demand for real-time reporting and ESG transparency grows, tools like PRISM were held up as examples of how the industry is adapting. Streamlined operations through unified platforms, especially those with open APIs, are becoming key to competitive advantage. 

Traditional real estate operating models must evolve. A pragmatic, tech-informed approach that blends financial acumen with ESG insight and digital literacy will define the next generation of successful asset managers.

We’re working with forward-thinking developers, investors, and operators to recruit leaders who can navigate this shift, those who understand both traditional development principles and the new data-led, sustainability-focused reality of the built environment.

Social Value, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI): Embedding Impact

UKREiiF made an industry-leading move by embedding social value and EDI into its structure, not just its stage content. The event delivered over £3 million in measurable social value, setting a benchmark for what the wider sector can and should achieve. 

Key takeaways include: 

• Social value measurement: From construction to asset management, organisations are under growing pressure to prove their societal impact through quantifiable frameworks. 
• Inclusive design and delivery: Designing spaces and systems that reflect diverse user needs, particularly in affordable housing, education, and healthcare infrastructure. 
• Equity in employment: Panels addressed inclusive hiring practices, removing bias from recruitment, and creating leadership pathways for underrepresented groups. 
• EDI Risk: At the Regeneration Brainery Studio, industry leaders from Landsec, Lloyds Bank, Avison Young and Regeneration Brainery took an unflinching look at the challenges ahead. As global instability and market pressure mount, many organisations risk de-prioritising EDI, despite its clear link to long-term talent sustainability and business performance. A stark indicator was a live poll that revealed for most attendees, EDI remains at the same level of priority as 18 months ago, with little demonstrable progress across the sector. 

This is a space we care deeply about.  Our own recruitment practice is anchored in long-term value creation, and we’re proud to support clients in achieving their diversity and social equity ambitions through inclusive search methodologies.

Inward Investment: Regional Growth and Levelling Up 

Inward investment emerged as a defining theme at UKREiiF 2025, with regeneration framed as a live capital strategy rather than a long-term aspiration. From housing delivery and clean energy to creative clusters and innovation campuses, everything came back to location, infrastructure and long-term value creation. 

Over £60 billion in active investment is reshaping towns, cities, and entire counties, building the case for UK real estate as both a growth engine and a global investment magnet. 

We saw exciting opportunities in: 

• Tees Valley, the West Midlands, the North West, and the South Coast: All vying for regeneration finance. 
• Town centre renewal, green infrastructure, and innovation zones:  Redefining what’s possible beyond London. 
• Emphasis on levelling up: Equitable investment across the UK was framed not just as an economic necessity, but as a social obligation. 
• Unlocking development finance: Cities like Derby, Salford, and Luton showcased how cross-sector deals, such as Rolls-Royce’s £9bn nuclear MOD Unity deal, are catalysing adjacent investments in housing, R&D, and commercial development. 
• Strategic zones and masterplans: From MediaCityUK’s £1bn+ expansion to Battersea Power Station’s £9bn transformation, 19 major regeneration areas across the UK illustrated the scale and diversity of opportunity available. 
• Regional collaboration: Delegations from the East Midlands, East of England, and Glasgow Clyde Gateway unveiled coordinated investment prospectuses, each positioning their region as pivotal to UK growth. For example, Opportunity East presented eight investable projects worth over £4 billion, spanning life sciences, agri-tech, and clean energy. 
• Levelling up through capital deployment: Rather than focusing solely on traditional metros, themes covered at the UKREiiF highlighted the strength of underutilised regions and industrial heritage areas, such as Huddersfield, Stockport, and Belfast’s Titanic Quarter, where patient capital can unlock significant socio-economic change. 

For us, the breadth of opportunities across the UK reaffirms the growing need for regional talent strategies, helping clients attract leadership and delivery expertise across both metropolitan hubs and underserved areas. 

This reflects the continued demand for place-aware leadership: professionals who understand how to deliver at scale, navigate complex funding environments, and bring regeneration to life through local knowledge and long-term relationships. As inward investment grows, the nationwide need for targeted regional talent strategies to match ambition with capability also rises.

Navigating The Bigger Picture

The event coincided with the release of worse-than-expected inflation figures, leading to discussions on interest rate decisions and their impact on the industry. Despite these challenges, there was a sense of cautious optimism among attendees, with many highlighting the resilience of the UK real estate market. Notably, Tom Wagner of Knighthead Capital Management presented plans for a £3 billion mixed-use development in Birmingham, emphasising the UK's attractiveness for investment. 

Legislation was also at the forefront of conversations, and the implementation of the Building Safety Act was a significant topic of discussion. While the Act aims to enhance safety standards, attendees expressed concerns about the lack of guidance and delays in the approval process, which could hinder housing delivery. Additionally, the introduction of the Procurement Act was discussed, with a focus on embedding social value into procurement processes. 

Government Commitment to Housing & Infrastructure

During the opening keynote, the Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to growth through infrastructure, housing, and regeneration. She emphasised a “build with purpose” agenda, promising a more streamlined planning process, improved land use policy, and a continued push toward sustainable development. With a promise of 1.5 million homes during the current Parliament, whilst also emphasising the importance of delivering well-designed homes alongside necessary infrastructure, such as schools and GP surgeries, to create strong communities, the government sought to reassure developers and investors of a stable and supportive policy environment moving forward. 

Our Perspective

Attending UKREiiF 2025 reaffirmed what we’re seeing daily in the market: the built environment is at a turning point. Investors, developers, local governments, and occupiers are united by a desire to deliver impact with intent, and that means putting people, sustainability, and innovation at the core of every decision. 

As a specialist talent partner to the property, construction, and infrastructure sectors, we remain focused on supporting that evolution and are proud to partner with clients who are embracing this change. Whether you’re scaling your senior team, or reshaping your recruitment strategy, we’re here to help you build with purpose.