The importance of incorporating sustainability into commercial fit-outs is essential to future-proof interiors of the future. The benefits are plentiful, leading to both positive environmental and organisational impact – from lower construction and operational costs, to increased asset value retention and higher occupancy rates and satisfaction. It is estimated that buildings may have 20-40 fit-outs during their lifecycle, so the benefit of investing in sustainable design really does speak for itself.
When a company embeds sustainability into the very literal foundations of its environment, it also speaks volumes to the authenticity of the company’s commitment to their environmental impact.
Along with a range of expertise and measurements within our services, we find SKArating is an incredibly comprehensive tool and use it on a number of projects to deliver a holistic approach to sustainable design.
But what is SKArating and why use it? Allow us to talk you through it…
Why use it?
Those interested in designing, fitting out and operating interior spaces in an environmentally sustainable way can use SKArating to:
- Design an interior in-line with current environmental good practice without needing to do all the research themselves.
- Use a system with a common language and targets across the whole team and coordinate efforts in the supply chain.
- Use one user-friendly environmental system to enable good practice in repeat projects and systemise good practice across portfolios and estates.
- Obtain clear guidance on good practice in fit-out delivery and how to implement it.
- Benchmark the performance of fit-outs against each other and the rest of the industry.
- Commission a quality-assured assessment and certificate from an accredited SKArating Assessor.
- Carry out an informal self-assessment of the environmental performance of a fit-out, if they aren’t ready for the formal assessment.
How does it work?
SKArating is a sustainability assessment tool that measures the environmental impact of interior fit-outs and refurbishments across commercial offices, retail, restaurants, and higher education.
SKArating assesses a project’s performance against over 100 Good Practice Measures (GPMs) across eight areas of sustainability: Energy and CO2, Waste, Water, Pollution, Transport, Materials and Wellbeing.
Projects are scored on a scale of Bronze, Silver, or Gold – based on performance against the GPMs. To achieve a Gold rating for example, a project must meet a min of 75% of the GPMs, including at least 12 of the top 15 ranked measures.
What is special about SKArating?
SKArating is different from other tools that assess the environmental impact of whole buildings – BREEAM and LEED to name a few – because:
- It is solely designed for office, higher education and retail fit-outs and refurbishments,
- it is assessor centric rather than institution centric with assessors holding the licence to issue project certificates, and,
- the industry feedback was that other building assessment tools weren’t always suitable for fit-out projects. So a collective of designers, contractors, occupiers, agents and consultants joined forces to create the SKArating, to create a system as beneficial as could be for the sector. One of these consultants was our Founder Elina, so we really do know the process well, and have accredited assessors within our team now.
We find that the breadth of the GPMs means that fit-out projects aligned with SKArating are exemplar in their environmental performance. No corners are cut in what is included and the environmental reductions are truly embedded, leading to lasting benefits and effective performing spaces.
Interested to find out more? Keen to incorporate SKArating into a project? Do get in touch, we would love to talk you through the possibilities and our expertise within the realms of SKArating.
