Ákos Juhász, Creative Director of bim.GROUP, participated as a guest speaker at an RSM event, where he presented the business significance of sustainable building design.

His presentation, entitled “How Can Sustainable Building Design Become a Business Advantage?”, explored how sustainability can become an integral part of the design process and create genuine value from both environmental and commercial perspectives.

The central message was that sustainability is not merely a combination of technological solutions, regulatory requirements and measurable objectives. Above all, it is an attitude and a way of thinking. This mindset is always culturally embedded and strongly influenced by the social, economic and business environment in which it is interpreted and applied.

For this reason, there is no single absolute sustainability standard that applies equally to every situation. The true significance of different objectives, benchmarks and solutions can only be understood within their specific context. An approach that is progressive and effective in one market may require different priorities, tools and ways of thinking in another social or economic environment.

Using examples from the United Kingdom and Japan, Ákos demonstrated how attitudes towards sustainability can differ across cultural and market environments. He also examined these examples from the perspective of our own professional practice, highlighting that responsible, context-sensitive building design is not only a values-based decision but can also create a long-term business advantage.

During the event’s panel discussions, representatives of other sectors—including the financial industry—reinforced this idea. Drawing on their own experience, participants emphasised that sustainability initiatives can only be truly effective when aligned with the operating logic of the relevant industry, market and organisation.