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Two members of Claremont’s Warrington team have become RICS accredited SKA assessors to help clients achieve sustainable best practice in office interior design and fit-out projects.
A SKA rating is an environmental assessment method, benchmark and standard that helps landlords and tenants evaluate non-domestic fit-out projects against a set of sustainability good practice criteria. The assessment comprises more than 100 best practice measures which cover materials, pollution, wellbeing, transport, energy and CO2 emissions, waste and water.
Claremont’s Gareth Bunting – Estimator and Quantity Surveyor and Emily Guttridge – Quantity Surveyor have both completed RICS’ training programme and can now help occupiers achieve either a bronze, silver or a gold level of certification.
Richard Brook, Claremont’s Construction Director said: “Our decision to invest in SKA is an investment in the future of office interior design and fit-out. Our SKA accreditors will ensure environmental best practice informs how we approach, design and manage projects, plus it will give clients the insights and proof they need to show that their workplace supports their own ESG commitments.”
Gareth Bunting, RICS accredited SKA assessor, said: “SKA assessments can help occupiers to understand and identify how they can make the biggest impact in terms of sustainability before they embark on a project. It’s an important way to educate businesses, encourage them to make more sustainable choices and achieve a standard which has increasing importance to employees and stakeholders.”
So far, Claremont’s SKA team has assessed St Modwen’s 2 Devon Street project in Birmingham which achieved SKA Gold. The team is also working on a project with Manchester Metropolitan University.
Claremont’s investment in SKA assessment training forms part of its wider sustainability programme – which includes an annual target to reduce carbon emissions by five per cent, offsetting 200 tonnes of carbon in 2022, a newly launched subsidised EV scheme for staff and an imminent investment in solar panels at its Warrington head office.
Claremont is one of the UK’s leading office interior design, fit-out, furniture and technology companies, delivering projects across the UK from its offices in Warrington and Bristol.
Developing an effective workplace experience is a balancing act.
This years annual insight report delves into the work-life balance we now face in our day-to-day lives. How the new hybrid working world sees us challenge the balance of getting these things right and what workplaces can do to support its colleagues.
Find out how your organisation can get it right by clicking here to download Balanced Workplaces, a Claremont Group Interiors Insight Report Issue 6.
