THE STATE OF SURVEYING AS WE REACH THE END OF AN EXTRAORDINARY YEAR, THE SURVEYORS JOURNAL SPOKE TO THE CHAIRPERSONS OF THE SOCIETY’S PROFESSIONAL GROUPS, AND ASKED THEM HOW COVID-19, AND OTHER FACTORS, HAD AFFECTED THEIR SECTOR, AND THEIR VIEWS ON THE OUTLOOK FOR 2021. THEIR RESPONSES ARE A FASCINATING SNAPSHOT OF SURVEYING IN IRELAND.
Message from the CEO 2020 has been a year of challenges and change, not least for SCSI members as the construction and property industry grapples with the impact of Covid-19. Thankfully, the reopening of construction sites on May 18, and of the property sector on June 8, have provided some stability for members, and there are positive trends emerging, though uncertainty remains around the outlook for 2021 and beyond. The SCSI has worked tirelessly to ensure that our members were facilitated to return to work safely and stay operational even during the highest levels of restrictions, and much of this effort was guided by the valuable input of our volunteer members. As members are aware, a review of the governance structures of the SCSI that was commenced by the Board in 2018 was completed in August when our new committee structure, which was carefully considered by the Board, the Council and committees, was approved for ratification by the members at AGM 2020. This new structure facilitates greater collaborative working across our professional groups and harnesses the extensive expertise and insight of our member volunteers to advance the objectives of the organisation. One positive of the Covid-19 disruption is the move to online committee meetings, which has seen fantastic engagement across our professional groups and standing committees, all of which are working towards delivering on specific objectives for the year in the interest of members. The following pages will give readers a window into the world of committees and the broad range of work they are engaged in on behalf of the surveying profession. The two Covid-19 member impact surveys conducted by the SCSI in April and September evidence improving sentiment as the results show business owners predicting in April that the impact on their firms’ income for 2020 would be -31% on average, changing to -20% in September, with a -15% predicted reduction in income for 2021. While only time will reveal the true impact, members can rest assured that the SCSI, through our hardworking committees, Council and Board, will continue to represent the profession in working to ensure a viable and sustainable construction and property market now and into the future. Shirley Coulter CEO, Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland
FEATURE Ann-Marie Hardiman Managing Editor, Think Media
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SURVEYORS JOURNAL Volume 10, Issue 4, Winter 2020
