SKA Assessment
The SKA rating is an environmental assessment method and benchmark for non-domestic fit-outs, assessed by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
SKA comprises over one hundred good practice measures (GPMs) which are used to evaluate the sustainability of a building, including assessment in the areas of energy and CO2 emissions, waste, water, materials, pollution, well-being and transport.
Material Selection
All building materials have been chosen for their environmental credentials, including:
- 'A' rated wet room flooring (BREEAM Green Guide listed for its high environmental performance)
- Paints with low or zero volatile organic compounds (VOC) to reduce impact on indoor air quality
- FSC sourced sustainable NorClad Western Red Cedar cladding, left untreated to naturally weather
- Insulation material selected for its zero ozone depletion potential
- Carpet made from 58% recycled content and manufactured using 100% renewable energy
Energy & Water Management
Energy use has been reduced by:
- Replacing lighting with energy efficient LED lighting
- Installing energy efficient triple glazed windows
- Generating our own energy with 4-kilowatt solar panels
- Monitoring our energy use with real-time data supplied by the Building Management System (BMS)
Water consumption has been reduced by fitting:
- Taps with flow and pressure control limited to 4 litres/minute up to 5 bar
- Shower with flow and pressure control limited to 8 litres/minute up to 5 bar
- Low flush WC's
- Water meter with a data feed into the Building Management System
A Living Lab
The Sustainability Hub is a living lab, allowing us to carry out research into:
- Behaviour patterns, using the Building Management System (BMS) data to develop novel visualisations
- Thermal conductivity and carbon sequestration of the green walls
- Novel power electronics solutions