Transcript Laboratory Auditing and Energy Efficiency (LEAF)

Using Ska Rating with HE
Projects
Sally Sloan
Peter James
Ska HE Project
Considerable
interest and some use of Ska Rating in
universities, especially UCL
RICS,
AUDE, Overbury and RLB funding actions to
adapt the scheme and develop materials
Currently
scoping and addressing these questions:
1. Does there need to be a completely new scheme for
non-lab spaces, or can existing Ska scheme(s) be
adapted?
2. Is a set of Ska measures for labs possible and what
would it look like?
Introduction to Ska
Ska
Rating is a scheme to assess, and minimise, the
environmental impacts associated with the
refurbishment and fit-out of buildings and spaces within
them
Complimentary
to BREEAM by dealing with smaller
scale projects, and in excluding the building fabric

First developed between Skansen, AECOM, RICS
and others - now run by RICS
There
Retail.
are currently two versions, for Office and
Good practice measures
Environmental Issue
Ska Office Measures
Ska Retail Measures
Measures Common to Both
Schemes
Energy & CO2
22
27
17
Materials
28
31
27
Pollution
8
8
8
Project Delivery
3
3
3
Transport
4
3
3
Waste
18
18
17
Water
11
11
10
Wellbeing
15
11
11
Total
109
112
96
The Assessment Process - 1

Uses a freely available online tool available to all

Identifies which good practice measures are ’in
scope’ for an individual project
- 10 measures are always in scope

Has three awards:
- Gold 75% of measures in scope
- Silver 50% of measures in scope
- Bronze 25% of measures in scope

Main assessment at Handover stage
- Indicative assessment at Design stage
- Occupancy assessment possible but little used
The Assessment Process - 2

Measures are ranked against each other by
importance, primarily sustainability but also
feasibility

A fixed proportion of the highest ranked measures in
scope must also be achieved, aka Gateway
measures

To be certified projects must be submitted to RICS
by an accredited assessor (internal or external)
- HE mainly internal to date but external growing
HE Use to Date

UCL
- 26 full projects using Ska Office or Ska Retail
- 35-40 projects using home grown ‘mini Ska’ and
‘Ska Lab’ measures for small or specialised projects
- Aims at Ska Gold
 City University
- 18 projects using Ska Office
- Requires Ska Silver as a minimum standard
 University of Liverpool
- 2 projects using Ska Office and Ska Retail
- 1 pilot project to assess residences
 Universities of East London/Edinburgh
- 1 project each
The Benefits of Ska

Identification of low or zero cost opportunities to
save money and/or improve environmental
performance

Reassurance that issues have been formally
addressed e.g. with regard to compliance with
regulation

Motivation of project managers to achieve the
benefits through formal recognition by a prestigious
body with easily understandable score
Key Issues re Ska and HE

Universities tend to own most of their buildings and
(should) have a longer term perspective

Pressure from HEFCE and other stakeholders to
meet long term carbon targets

Public nature
- gives high visibility
- creates challenge of influencing many users

Universities have sustainability capacity and
mechanisms - Ska less stand alone
Key Issues re Ska and HE

Most universities operate on integrated campuses
- many facilities are shared

Many laboratories
- highly serviced
- high environmental footprint
- concentrated on the use stage
Difficult Measures
Good practice measure
HE issue
Possible Action
D02 Lighting Controllability
Equivalent lighting control zone required for lecture theatres.
Minor amendment
D28 Thermal comfort
D30 Lighting design
D31 Daylight glare control
May not be applicable to lecture theatres.
Equivalent lux values required for HE.
May be a safety or business case why this criteria cannot be met in
HE spaces.
‘Tenancy’ areas often less defined in HE so floor by floor not always
appropriate.
Equivalent ventilation rates required for HE.
Wording will require modification in line with changes to E08 Tenancy
sub-metering.
Equivalent design targets required for HE.
Some HE spaces require zoning for differential use and controls
available to staff only.
Public areas used by people unfamiliar with the space will require
point of use instructions.
Would not be applicable to lecture theatre.
Lecture theatre seating that meets the criteria can be difficult to
source.
Sometimes difficult due to lack of physical access.
Further research
Minor amendment
Significant amendment
May be provided outside of project boundary.
Universities not required to produce for many buildings + unlikely to
get DEC for one space.
On site cycle parking unnecessary due to campus wide provision.
Minor amendment
Significant amendment
E08 Tenancy sub-metering
D33 Ventilation rates
E09 End-use sub-metering
E29 Acoustic design
D32 Occupant HVAC Control
D45 Building User Guide
D04 Daylighting
M22 Other loose ancillary furniture
items
D36 Cleaning of existing air supply
ductwork
D62 Staff breakout space
P09 Display Energy Certificate
(DECs)
D41 Cycle parking
Significant amendment
Minor amendment
Minor amendment
Minor amendment
Minor amendment
Significant amendment
Further research
Minor amendment
Minor amendment
D31 Daylight glare control
Current Ska wording
For office spaces all of the following criteria must be met:
• occupant-controlled window coverings (typically blinds or screens) are fitted to the external windows and atria
that receive sunlight directly or indirectly;
• coverings are designed to provide optimum glare control and allow the best possible retention of views out
with the coverings drawn closed; and
• fabric screens, where specified, have a visual light transmittance (VLT) of less than 10%. For retail spaces
one of the following criteria must be met for all visual display units (VDU) e.g. tills, ATMS:
• the VDU must be positioned so that light from the window does not fall on it or cause reflections;
• the VDU must be fitted with an anti-glare screen; or
• the workspace must be provided with a screen that the staff can position to shield the VDU from the source of
glare.
HE issue:
There can sometimes be a safety or business case why this criteria cannot be met. For example some spaces
require black out blinds.
.
Suggested action:
Significant Amendment: if a safety or business case is made, allow a space to be excluded from assessment
if it is only a small proportion of the total project floor space, or allow the measure to be ruled out of scope if a
significant proportion.
E08 Tenancy sub-metering
Current Ska wording
• Automatic monitoring and targeting (AMT) equipment is installed. AMT equipment comprises meters, an
automatic meter reading device and analytical software.
• The meter component is installed for each floor and each tenancy area within a floor for space heating and
cooling, and domestic hot water.
HE issue:
‘Tenancy’ areas often less defined in HE so floor by floor not always appropriate.
Suggested action:
Significant amendment: Modification required to criteria to allow for alternative area breakdowns. Suggested
wording - ‘OR for each usable area breakdown (e.g. wing) where per floor is not feasible.’ Lecture theatres to be
classed as independent.
D04 Daylighting
Current Ska wording
Average daylight factor is 2% or greater.
HE issue:
Would not be applicable to lecture theatres, many of which have no windows to avoid distraction.
Suggested action:
Significant amendment: Allow lecture theatres to be excluded from assessment if they are only a small
proportion of the total project floor space, or allow the measure to be ruled out of scope if a significant
proportion.
P09 Display Energy Certificate
Current Ska wording
A DEC is issued for the portion of the space that was fitted out and an advisory report provided. The certificate
is issued by an energy assessor who is accredited to produce DECs for office or retail buildings.
HE issue:
Universities not required to produce for many buildings (though some do). Also university unlikely to get DEC for
one space.
Suggested action:
Significant amendment: If the university does not produce DECs allow measure to be out of scope. If it does,
suggested rewording – ‘A DEC is issued INCLUDING the portion of the space that was fitted out and an
advisory report provided. The certificate is issued by an energy assessor who is accredited to produce DECs for
office or retail buildings.’