A new professionalism: remedy or fantasy?

The special issue of Building Research & Information considers the roles of built environment professionals and professionalism in creating better outcomes for the common good, and changes that might be needed to their practices, institutions, education, and knowledge. Research into building performance continues to reveal that the best buildings fail to perform as anticipated. An important strategic message has been to avoid unmanageable complication and pay more attention to detail. Experts suggest that professionals and their institutions need to become truly ethical, maintain a vigorous debate about sustainability, admit what they do not know, and commit themselves to learning on the job in an effort to survive in the industry. Essential skills include integration, generalism, bridging gaps between theory and practice, and the ability to initiate and manage transformational change.