This study updates and expands upon the existing work on the accuracy of the IPF’s Consensus Forecasts. The paper evaluates the extent to which the consensus forecasts were able to predict the relative performance. It also assesses the accuracy of implied yield forecasts and concludes that failure in yield forecasting is the main source of failure in forecasts of capital growth and total returns. A high level of agreement between the actual and forecasted sector rankings was found. Evidence of a pessimism bias was identified. Yield forecasts are consistently found to perform worst using a range of forecast performance metrics.

This paper provides a preliminary evaluation of staged introduction of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards in England and Wales in the period after announcement but before policy implementation. A process evaluation of the specific policy design focussing on potential sources of policy failure is provided. Drawing upon a database of all EPCs registered for offices in London, preliminary empirical evidence is presented on policy outcomes post-announcement and pre-implementation period. The extent to which EPC G and F rated office buildings in London have improved their EPC rating in anticipation of the introduction of the policy between 2011 until 2017 is analysed. It is found that a maximum of 0.65% of the properties affected by the introduction of minimum standards had modifications that could have been triggered by the policy intervention in the period prior to policy implementation.