by Oscar Venus | 5 Dec, 2023 | Sustainability
Getting ready for Net Zero: SKA announces new Board and governance
- SKArating is announcing an exciting change in leadership and new plans to scale up to support the growing need to reshape sustainability in the fit-out world.
- SKArating has, over the last 15 years, helped over 12,000 fit-out projects improve sustainability and provided a framework for countless more to make better, responsible, sustainable decisions.
This month SKArating is announcing an exciting change in its leadership and governance, as well as new plans to scale up to support the growing need to reshape sustainability in the fit-out world.
Developed in 2008 to help landlords and tenants systemise sustainability and assess fit-out projects against a practical sustainability rating system, SKA is unique in that it is driven exclusively to make a positive impact. At the heart of SKA is a toolkit and assessment criteria that is free to use – costs are covered via training and certification. The scheme has now supported more than 12,000 fit-out projects to make responsible decisions.
SKArating was initially developed by a group of industry professionals led by Skansen and supported by RICS and AECOM to focus on sustainability in fit-out, primarily in the commercial office, higher education and retail space. The underlying philosophy of SKArating has always been to encourage all in the supply chain to make small changes in a practical way today.
To establish SKArating in the market, RICS provided a platform to incubate the scheme, host information and support the rating and certification process. The changes announced this week will see SkArating trade as an independent “not-for-profit” business.
The new board is formed from people with a long-standing association with the scheme. Elina Grigoriou has chaired the SKArating Technical Committee since the scheme was first launched in 2008, and served on the SKArating Development Board as well as delivering the training of SKArating assessors. She is joined by Joe Croft, Charlie Law and Dave Wakelin who have been members of the Technical Committee for many years, and Iain McIlwee who has joined the board, cementing the Finishes and Interiors Sector’s strong association with the scheme. The Board has supported SKArating through its incubation with RICS and provides continuity as the scheme takes its next steps.
SKA provides:
- A framework to help understand good practice in fit-out and how to implement it.
- An informal self-assessment tool for analysing environmental performance of a fit-out project
- An opportunity to benchmark the performance of fit-outs
- Quality-assured assessments from an accredited SKA assessor
- A measure to help landlords and owners to demonstrate the sustainable credentials of commercial space
The way SKArating operates will not be affected. Assessments will continue to be certified as they were under RICS’s stewardship. Assessors will continue to receive the same technical support that they have previously enjoyed through RICS, with updated processes for assessor accreditation and CPD.
However, the board has plans to update the SKArating schemes to respond to an increasingly climate-aware fit-out industry, and to expand the sectors that SKArating can be used in. The board will be reaching out to industry experts, SKArating users, assessors and clients to help develop the next iteration of the tool and the various schemes.
Chairperson of the new SKA Board Elina Grigoriou stated:
“This is an exciting time in the evolution of SKA. After 15 years developing the product and building awareness, we are now ready to step out on our own and work with our amazing community to take this scheme to the next level. With SKA now firmly established, it is time to take the next step and RICS has supported the leadership group to establish SKA as an independent social value business.
“All of us on the new Board and our Technical advisors are passionate and committed to remaining true to the SKA values for its future direction. SKA will remain owned by the industry and run as a “not-for-profit” ensuring it is always acting in the best interest of the market.”
Commenting on the changes, Janine Cole, Sustainability & Social Impact Director at Great Portland Estates plc stated:
“GPE have used SKArating for several years and has supported the business in improving the sustainability performance of our smaller refurbishment projects. The flexible nature of the scheme makes it ideal for this type of project, as a result, it was recently included within “Our Brief for Creating Sustainable Spaces” as a requirement for our on floor fit out schemes. We look forward to working with the SKArating Board as they develop the scheme.”
Ben Stubbs, Head of Sustainability (Built Environment) at UCL added:
“At UCL, all our project teams are accountable for their impacts across a broad range of sustainability indicators. We recognise Ska’s potential to help us further reduce our impacts as we continue to update our institutional targets.”
More details on the SKArating is available here: www.skarating.org
by Clair Mooney | 4 Dec, 2023 | Sustainability
In conjunction with its members and the wider sector, FIS is developing an exciting new reuse pilot project to reduce the environmental impact of the fit-out sector and embodied carbon emissions and waste from strip out projects.
Surveys have shown that there is a growing appetite for enabling more reused products into commercial projects. However, there are a number of practical barriers for reuse. Often, there is little time and space on site to segregate and store products to be picked up by an organisation for reuse. Construction projects are very time dependant and any delays to a project timeline can be very costly. In order for the project team to specify reused products, they need to be confident that the products will be available at the time of installation and that the products meet the right quality requirements.
The reuse initiative seeks to remove these barriers, by collaborating with industry stakeholders to create a physical hub to store, process and distribute quality reuse products.
The pilot will take place in London and focus on two products: metal suspended ceiling systems and luminaires used in Cat A and will run for 12 months.
To support the initiative, FIS is looking for a project manager (on short-term contract or a secondee) to work alongside its sustainability champion and its CEO to deliver the pilot. More details here.
The project also requires a storage facility up to 200m2 of safe and secure storage space for six months, with the ability to grow in the future. More details here.
FIS CEO Iain Mcilwee said:
“I am excited about this project, we talk a lot about circularity, but sometimes I worry the hot air is contributing to climate change! This is a concerted effort to actually do something material, to learn as a collective and start, I hope, to catalyse change. We simply can’t carry on generating waste like we do – urban mining, reuse and circular thinking is essential in this.”
If you are interested in finding more about the project or joining the Reuse Initiative Working Group contact flavielowres@thefis.org
by Clair Mooney | 12 Oct, 2023 | Sustainability
According to Defra, the construction industry is responsible for 68 million tonnes of construction and demolition wastes each year. While 92% of those wastes are recovered, that still leaves 5 million tonnes going to landfill. It is also understood that most of construction and demolition wastes are crushed and used in low value applications. Products installed in buildings, in particular, in fit out projects, are often taken out of buildings before the end of their useful life because, for example, a new tenants moves in. this generates large amount of unnecessary wastes.
As the pressure on the sector is growing to reduce its environmental impact, there is a need to identify products before the building is stripped out – this can be done through a visual audit which can identify type, quantities and locations of the products.
To support this, FIS has published a document, based on the CIWM pre-redevelopment audit protocol, to guide contractors through the best practice approach of carrying pre-fitout audit. The document explains who is best placed to do it, why it is important, when is best to do it and what the audit should contain.
by Clair Mooney | 2 Oct, 2023 | Skills, Sustainability
As part of the Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce Work, educational charity Class of Your Own ran a short survey to gather views of teachers and students in years 8 to 11 from schools in the London area on their views and understanding of careers in construction and sustainability. The survey highlights some concerning gaps in understanding, but despite this close to 40% of students are interested in careers in construction, with 10% stating that they want to be an architect/engineer or tradesperson.
The Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce was set up to support the aims of the City Corporation’s radical Climate Action Strategy which commits to net-zero carbon emissions across the City Corporation’s operations by 2027, and to support the achievement of net zero for the Square Mile by 2040. Over 300 organizations have joined the ‘Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce,’ including designers, construction firms, and education providers.
This survey formed part of this work. Headline findings included:
- 70% of students and 82% of teachers had no idea that nearly 10% of the UK working population are employed in the construction sector
- 37% of students surveyed are interested in a career in construction
- 50% of students are very or extremely worried about climate change
- 25% of students said that climate change will impact future choice of subject they will study and career
- 45% of teachers and 30% of students rated their familiarity with careers in construction at 1 or 2 out of 5
- 10% of students responded that they want to be an architect / engineer or tradesperson
- The vast majority of teachers (76%) and students (72%) feel they would benefit from local employer involvement in understanding qualification choices and career options in construction
Commenting on the research Iain McIlwee, FIS CEO and Chair of the working group looking at Barriers for Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce stated:
“There are some worrying numbers in this research, but no surprises and room for optimism. The key stats to hang on to are that close to 40% of students would consider a career in construction and10% are planning to join the industry. This is something to build on and, whilst knowledge of careers in the sector fall short of what we want, there are signs that teachers and students are open to better direct engagement from employers.
A key challenge is that schools and educational authorities have a fragmented and inconsistent approach to advising on careers – this is an area we need to lobby for change. In the interim it is beholden on us to redouble our efforts to deliver consistent and joined up information that is well targeted and helps students make informed decisions.
I am excited about the opportunity to work with the City of London to help improve the way industry and education are working together and deliver positive messages about construction so that we can encourage more young people to look in our direction and join us in rebuilding a Sustainable London.”
To help encourage entrants, FIS sponsored a free prize draw where a teacher and student receive a £50 Amazon Voucher. The teacher price was won by Mr Brown, a Maths and PSHE Teacher from John F Kennedy Catholic School in Hertfordshire. The winning student was Joseph Cameron from Fulham Cross Academy (pictured with Head of Sixth Form, Alan Jones).
Alison Watson MBE Founder and Chief Executive at Class Of Your Own Limited stated: “It’s great to join forces with such like-minded organisations. Only through collaboration can we bridge the knowledge gap between classrooms and the construction industry, dispelling myths and igniting interest in sustainable careers. By equipping students and teachers with real-world insights, we can show that construction is a dynamic field where STEM, digital skills and climate action intersect.”
Building on this and the wider work of the Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce, The City of London Corporation has released a new report urging investment in workers to meet the growing demand for green jobs and skills in decarbonizing the city’s commercial buildings. Phase 2 of the Taskforce work is to develop an Action Plan to respond to the research with impactful interventions and an industry engagement campaign to promote reskilling and upskilling among the existing workforce, and raising career awareness amongst Londoners, including those from underrepresented backgrounds.
You can read the full Skyline Skills Recommendation report here
by Clair Mooney | 27 Sep, 2023 | Sustainability
Following the Prime Minister’s speech on 20 September on climate policies, the Construction Products Association has welcomed that the ambition of Net Zero by 2050 has not changed; indeed, most policies remain unchanged. The CPA is urging the Government to continue to incentivise energy efficiency measures in the existing housing stock and in new homes as this will reduce household energy bills, keep people warmer, make the country more energy secure, provide jobs across the country, and cut carbon emissions.
The Prime Minister’s view is that the debate on the actions needed to deliver the decarbonisation targets must be pragmatic and realistic, and based on a sound understanding of the technical challenges, economic costs, and capacity to deliver. Too often to raise such issues is to be dismissed as lacking vision.
Over the years, there have been many unrealistic targets announced based on aspiration rather than practicality, without the necessary support across all areas to reach the targets and what the full costs would be and to whom. Such mistakes have impacted UK construction as well, and therefore needs to be much greater vetting, transparency and engagement with industry and with the public of the steps required to deliver the ambitions.
With all this in mind, the CPA supports calls from across the wider UK manufacturing industry for the development of a new Industrial Strategy that is both technically and economically competent, and knowledgeable of the capacity needed. This will help provide government and businesses with the long-term direction and certainty required – including around decarbonisation targets – to avoid altering policies and to instead consistently drive investment, innovation and solutions.
This consistency of approach with regards to industrial policy is desperately lacking from the UK government and is essential to helping drive growth for the UK and ensuring the country keeps on track to meet its Net Zero commitments. It will also help secure UK manufacturing’s international competitiveness as the race for the green jobs and technology of the future ramps up.
by Clair Mooney | 25 Sep, 2023 | Sustainability
The Government recently announced that it would delay the introduction of the producer EPR payments for one year and these will not now apply until October 2025. However, companies will still be required to report and submit their packaging data for 2023. See information here.
This extension provides the Government an opportunity to gather further feedback on the scheme and as such Defra has issued a new Call for Evidence consultation seeking feedback from industry on the operability of the proposed implementation arrangements. The deadline for comments is 9 October 2023. The 28 page consultation document can be downloaded here. (the main pages are 11-26). FIS will issue a response. If you would like to be involved in the discussion, please contact Flavie Lowres.
Note that the EPR Regulatory Position Statement’s do not impact any obligations your company may have under The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 (legislation.gov.uk) and if obligated under these regulations it will still be necessary to continue to comply throughout 2024.
