Connecting evidence, foresight and practice

 

Research helps us understand complex challenges, question assumptions and make informed decisions. Foresight extends this thinking by exploring emerging changes and what they could mean for the future.

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Sustain Surveying brings together academic research and professional insight to support decisions across land, property and construction. Our work connects environmental, social and economic concerns, helping organisations interpret evidence, explore uncertainty and develop practical responses.

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Founded by Dr Gregory Borne, Sustain Surveying draws on research experience spanning international institutions, local governance, businesses and communities.

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Making knowledge useful

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The challenge is often not a shortage of information, but understanding which evidence is relevant, how reliable it is and what it means for a particular decision.

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Our approach connects knowledge across disciplines and considers the circumstances in which it will be used. We examine assumptions, recognise competing perspectives and identify where further investigation is needed.

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Evidence alone does not determine what happens next. Governance arrangements, organisational priorities, resources and stakeholder interests influence how knowledge is interpreted and applied. Understanding these influences helps connect research with achievable action.

 

How we can help

 

Evidence reviews and research synthesis

Bringing together academic literature, professional guidance and other relevant sources to establish what is known, where findings differ and which questions remain unanswered.

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Policy and guidance analysis
Interpreting sustainability policy, standards and professional guidance, and exploring their implications for organisational priorities and practice.

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Research design and investigation
Developing focused research questions and proportionate methods. Depending on the brief, these may include document analysis, interviews, surveys or case studies.

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Foresight and horizon scanning
Identifying emerging developments and exploring how environmental, technological, economic, political and social changes could affect future decisions.

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Evaluation and learning
Examining how projects and initiatives operate, what they achieve and what can be learned, including unintended effects and the experiences of those involved.

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Briefings and knowledge sharing
Translating complex findings into accessible reports, professional briefings, presentations and learning materials tailored to their intended audience.

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Exploring change and uncertainty

Decisions about land, buildings and infrastructure can have consequences over many years. Considering different future conditions helps organisations examine whether their plans remain appropriate as circumstances change.

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Horizon scanning looks systematically for emerging issues, trends and early signals of change. Foresight uses these insights to explore possible futures and their implications.

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Depending on the project, useful techniques include:

• Driver mapping: examining the forces shaping change and the uncertainties that matter most.

• Scenario exploration: considering alternative futures and testing how plans might perform within them.

• Futures wheels: exploring potential direct and indirect consequences of a development.

• Backcasting: working backwards from a desired future to identify the actions and conditions needed to reach it.

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For example, a property organisation might explore how changing energy costs, working patterns and environmental expectations could affect its longer-term priorities. A land based business might consider how different combinations of climate pressures, technology and market conditions could influence its options.

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The purpose is to support preparation and informed judgement, rather than predict a single future.

 

Our approach

 

Each commission begins with a clear question and an agreed purpose.

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1. Understand
Clarify the context, objectives, stakeholders and intended use of the work, including the relevant timescale.

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2. Investigate
Gather and assess relevant evidence, identify gaps and explore emerging developments using appropriate methods.

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3. Interpret
Consider what the findings mean for the client, including uncertainty, competing priorities and possible future conditions.

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4. Develop
Translate the analysis into proportionate recommendations, options and practical next steps.

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5. Review and adapt
Where included in the commission, review progress, revisit assumptions and refine priorities as understanding and circumstances change.

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The scope, methods, deliverables and timescales are agreed for each project. Throughout, we distinguish evidence from interpretation and make assumptions and limitations clear.

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Methods and resources

The Government Office for Science’s Futures Toolkit provides an accessible introduction to foresight methods. Although developed for policymakers and analysts, its techniques also have applications in organisational strategy and practice. Its accompanying resources and worksheets and case studies illustrate how different methods can be selected and combined for particular questions.

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Research across connected themes

Explore the connections between sustainability, valuation and technology, alongside their application across land, construction and property.

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Discuss your research needs

Whether you need a focused evidence review, an evaluation, a horizon-scanning briefing or support developing a research project, get in touch to discuss your objectives and an appropriate scope of work.

 

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