Concrete Analysis | Maximising return on built assets raises living standards
Asia's GDP growth from built assets is set to continue over the next decade, with continuing investment in real estate and infrastructure
The "built" environment, including residential property, office and retail developments, manufacturing plants, transport infrastructure and more, is incredibly important to the health and wealth of a nation.
Vibrant cities with good transport networks allow freedom of mobility; water networks provide clean water and take away waste and storm water; first-class housing enables active communities to flourish; schools and hospitals improve skills and health; and high-quality office space attracts business and efficient workers.
For the first time, the global natural and built-asset design and consultancy firm Arcadis has developed a report on the economic value created by all the buildings and infrastructure assets within a country.
The report looks at how 30 different countries across the globe can improve the return they get from their built assets to raise the standard of living.
The study, developed in conjunction with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), a London-based consultancy, shows that China, India and Japan are three of the world's top five markets in terms of the level of return they generate from their built assets, with the United States and Germany rounding out the top five.