DTZ surveyor gains RICS qualification
A surveyor from the Manchester office of real estate services firm DTZ has become one of seven people in the city to be awarded a new qualification which aims to help organisations achieve more sustainable office fit outs.
Tim Russell, part of DTZ's project and building consultancy team, is one of eight DTZ surveyors across the UK to become an accredited Ska assessor after successfully passing a two-day exam.
Ska rating is a Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors accredited environmental assessment tool developed to enable occupiers and landlords to integrate best practice in sustainability.
The other seven to be awarded the qualification at DTZ includes:
- Shaun Buchan – Edinburgh
- Ross McDermott – Glasgow
- Malcolm Porter – London
- Adrian Lawson – Newcastle
- Steve Pike – Cardiff
- Catherine Thompson – Birmingham
- Elaine Sowman – Bristol
Eric Roberts, director in project and building consultancy at DTZ, said: "The current economic climate often means that occupiers are now more likely to refurbish their existing offices than seek new ones.
"The Ska rating system means we now have a network of trained assessors throughout the UK who are able to assist in fit out work and help our clients to achieve a more sustainable fit-out.
"DTZ's Ska rating assessment service sits comfortably alongside our project and building consultancy core skills in the design, specification and project management of office fit out projects."
In 2005, interior construction company Skansen commissioned a research project with RICS and technical and management support provider AECOM, to establish whether it was possible to measure either the environmental impact of fit out on the environment, or measure good environmental practice on fit out projects.
A collaborative team of development partners led by RICS then used the findings and evolved the concepts into a fully working Ska Rating.
Officially launched in November 2009, the Ska rating system differs from other assessment tools such as BREEAM and Energy Performance Certificates, as it specifically focuses on the office fit out rather than the whole building.
Ska ratings are awarded at gold, silver or bronze levels and certificates can only be issued by accredited Ska assessors.
DTZ's project and building consultancy team in Manchester has managed office fit outs for a number of clients including Her Majesty's Courts Service, Universities Superannuation Scheme and Deloitte.
The other six to have gained the qualification in Manchester includes:
- Sam Bensky, Rider Levett Bucknall
- Jason Brownlee, Rider Levett Bucknall
- Simon Capp, Rider Levett Bucknall
- Neil Kelly, NB Real Estate
- Trevor Moffat, undisclosed company
- Richard Unwin, Richard Unwin
The following four people also hold the Ska Rating qualification in the North West:
- Louise Page, Faithful & Gould in Warrington
- Jonathan Sadler, ISG Cathedral in Chorley
- Guy Freeman, Freeman Property Solutions in Bolton
- Martin Hunt, Powell Williams Partnership in Chester
