Sustainable Development, Disaster Resilience, and the Changing Roles of a Quantity Surveyor: The Nexus

Recently, a series of emerging critical issues have gained centre stage in the policy, practice and research quarters. Among these issues are sustainable development and disaster resilience. Similarly, professions have been evolving, some are being redefined, roles are expanding and new ones are emerging. Based on these dynamics, the need for Quantity Surveying Practice that spans beyond traditional services becomes topical like never before. It is therefore important to critically examine some emerging issues, synthesize literature and identify how the services of a Quantity Surveyor can be redefined to cover the relevant areas of the emerging issues. This paper presents a literature synthesis on targets of Sendai framework, Paris Climate Change Agreement (COP21), sustainable development, and nexus with the changing roles of a quantity surveyor. The literature materials used were gathered from reputable sources using carefully selected keywords and focusing on the purpose of this paper. This paper accentuates the need for a thorough review of societal/market needs and its subsequent alignment with the training and practice of Quantity Surveying among other built environment professions. Sustainable development and disaster resilience are two key directions where the knowledge and understanding of Quantity Surveyors need to be strengthened so as to effectively match-up with the present societal demands.