Progressive Building Society’s Newtownards branch has become the first retail space in Northern Ireland to receive SKA Retail Gold accreditation for sustainability, following a major refurbishment led by a team of construction and environmental specialists.
The certification, confirmed by consultant RLB, recognises high environmental performance in fit-out projects and is being hailed as a landmark for the region’s retail and financial services sectors.
At Newtownards, Progressive undertook a full strip-out of its existing branch before installing new finishes, furniture, fixtures, equipment and building services.
Working with Todd Architects, SCC MEP, McCue and RLB’s sustainability team, the Society set out to create a modern, efficient space that would cut environmental impact while improving comfort for Members and staff.
Construction was planned around strict monitoring of carbon emissions and waste, with contractors prioritising reuse and recycling and limiting what was sent to landfill.
Furniture was either reused or specified to contain high levels of recycled or recyclable content.
Efficient taps, hand-dryers and lighting were installed, alongside new mechanical and electrical systems designed to reduce day-to-day energy and water use.
The building fabric was upgraded with enhanced insulation and leak detection technology to minimise energy loss.
Environmentally friendly paints and finishes were chosen to support better indoor air quality.
Photovoltaic panels were also fitted, providing a proportion of the branch’s electricity from renewable sources.
Kevin Flannery, regional manager at Progressive Building Society, said the SKA Gold accreditation underlined the organisation’s wider ambitions on climate and community impact.
“This certification is a reflection of our ambition to embed sustainability into every aspect of our operations; from the way we serve our Members to how we design and maintain our physical spaces,” he said.
“We’re proud to be leading the way in Northern Ireland and grateful to our project partners for helping us achieve this milestone.”
SKA, originally developed by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and now run by SKA Rating Ltd, assesses refurbishments against good-practice criteria covering energy and CO₂, materials, waste, water, pollution, transport and wellbeing. Projects are rated Bronze, Silver or Gold.
Progressive, which operates a network of 11 branches across Northern Ireland, said the Newtownards scheme would act as a template for future refurbishments as it works to align its property strategy with environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals.
The Society said the SKA framework, developed specifically for refurbishments and fit outs, had provided a clear and practical route to improving energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality while offering credible evidence of progress for Members and stakeholders.
Heather Evans, partner and head of sustainability at RLB, said the project built on the firm’s track record of securing first-of-their-kind SKA certifications across the UK, including the first SKA Gold in the North West and the first Gold, Silver and Bronze in higher education.
“With the first SKA Retail Gold in Northern Ireland, Progressive has shown how high-street branches can be renewed in a way that benefits customers, communities and the environment,” she said.
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