SKA rating
Environmental assessment method for your project
SKA rating is an environmental assessment tool for sustainable interior fit-outs, and is a scheme owned and managed by the RICS. It measures and benchmarks the environmental performance of an interior project, no matter how small or large, and helps determine what elements will have the biggest impact on improving sustainability.
Grigoriou Interiors is a SKA Accredited Assessor for the Office, Retail and Higher Education schemes.
Our involvement in and support of the SKA rating initiative has been instrumental in bringing the system into effect, both in the UK and internationally. Elina Grigoriou is the chair of the SKA rating Technical Committee and the Technical Advisor to the RICS team who own and manage the scheme.
Part of our initiatives in the scheme was to introduce a product and material compliance scheme, the SKA rating Compliant Product label, which would help suppliers and manufacturers align themselves with the scheme and help other designers and clients to quickly and reliably identify compliant items for their projects.
Services
As an Accredited Assessor, we offer three levels of service:
- Basic SKA Assessment: as part of your project team, we will review the project during the scoping, design and handover stages, complete the relevant sections on the online tool and review the evidence provided. A summary report and Certificate (if achieved) will be issued at completion.
- Classic SKA Assessment: this option includes the Basic SKA Assessment together with additional sustainability guidance and answering queries during scoping to increase the project’s probability of achieving a SKA rating.
- Going for Gold: this option is suitable for projects aiming to achieve a Silver or Gold rating. In addition to the Classic SKA Assessment, we will support the design team with design solutions to meet target measures, provide material and product knowledge, support the project team to work through waste issues with a ‘Design Out Waste’ workshop, assist with the contractor selection process, provide guidance once on-site and be available for sustainability related queries.
Who is SKA rating for?
While primarily aimed at occupiers, SKA has benefits for other property stakeholders including landlords, developers and consultants. Clients interested in fitting out spaces in an environmentally positive way can use the SKA assessment scheme with our guidance as an Accredited Assessor to:
- Provide a framework and guidelines to follow good practise and help decision-making
- Follow a sustainable procurement process
- Obtain a RICS Certificate if achieved
- Benchmark the performance of fit-outs against each other and the rest of the industry
The SKA rating Product Compliant Label helps manufacturers, suppliers, specifiers and their clients quickly and easily find products that meet individual SKA rating criteria. Whether it is construction products, finishes, building services products, or furniture and fittings, seeing the label instantly confirms a product’s compliance with SKA rating.
We have been appointed by the RICS to deliver the application and review process for the SKA rating Product Compliant Label. We are:
- Licensed by the RICS to review and issue the Label on its behalf
- Experienced SKA rating development partners
- Accredited SKA rating assessors for all three schemes (Office, Retail and Higher Education)
- A dedicated, independent and unaffiliated review team.
How to submit an application
Please find the latest application form HERE.
Once completed please send your application form(s) and supporting documents to skaproductlabel@grigoriou.co.uk. Please make sure to include ‘SKA Product Label Application’, in the subject line, followed by your company name. A member of our team will confirm receipt and issue your invoice.
For any technical queries, please send us your question to skaproductlabel@grigoriou.co.uk. For queries that are judged to be within the boundaries of a comprehensive application for compliance review, you will be asked to submit an application form along with the relevant documents and fee payment before your evidence is reviewed. This will enable the auditing team to provide the most effective service to every applicant.
If you would like to undertake the SKA rating Foundation, Office Assessor or Higher Education Assessor course – please find upcoming dates, curriculum and booking links HERE.
Elina Grigoriou created the courses and delivers them regularly via live Zoom sessions. Recordings so you can work through them at your own pace are also available to purchase.
For tailored, shorter or issue specific training services, please contact us to discuss your needs in more detail and form a scope that meets your situation and audience.
Grigoriou Interiors assisted us with a SKA rating benchmarking exercise for one of our retail stores. They introduced us to the process and practice of SKA rating, assisted with evidence identification and questions from sub-contractors, explained how SKA rating could reduce environmental impacts on the project, and provided insights and recommendations to take forward. They were encouraging and informative throughout the process and we learnt a lot about SKA and the environmental impacts of our fit-out process through working with them.