As the construction industry is responsible for 25% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, national practice GSSArchitecture is continually striving to help reduce these statistics and, as part of its wider sustainability strategy, has a range of in-house specialist teams.
With offices in Milton Keynes, Kettering, Gloucester, Harrogate, Leeds and Newcastle, GSS has expertise across the country and can deliver sustainable design solutions to a wide variety of clients in a range of sectors.
The recent appointment of GSS’s in-house SKA Assessor means the firm can enhance its client offering by supporting sustainable assessments whilst also delivering effective designs. SKA assessments are a sustainable initiative, focused on the refurbishment and remodelling of existing buildings, which is a crucial part of the sustainability strategy that GSS promotes with its clients.
As an organisation, GSS is committed to promoting the efficiencies and sustainable outcomes that can be achieved by reusing or repurposing existing built assets. The practice is working to increase the current 11% of UK construction spending on fitouts and refurbishments, rather than building new.
In addition to its in-house SKA Assessor, the practice has also appointed a Passivhaus specialist who will focus on how
GSS can deliver net zero design solutions to both new-build and refurbishment projects through tailored approaches. As a result, the buildings built to Passivhaus standard provide a high level of occupant comfort whilst using very little energy.
The practice is involved in numerous fit-out and refurbishment projects across the country, including the decarbonisation scheme for Milton Keynes University Hospital, which is part of a wider initiative that aims to reduce emissions from public sector buildings by 75% by 2037. The important scheme has been supported by the practice’s in-house SKA Assessor and Carbon Reduction team to ensure best practice is used to deliver the most effective results.
Further afield, GSS has recently delivered the £13m Net Zero Industry Innovation Centre (NZIIC), a state-of-the-art facility that has achieved RIBA 2025 Net Zero credentials, together with BREEAM Outstanding. The NZIIC, at Teesside University, focuses on developing new approaches to tackling the impact of waste and pollution on the environment, utilising expertise around industrial decarbonisation, sustainability and the circular economy by working in collaboration between academia and industry.
Chris Chapman, Partner at the GSS Milton Keynes studio and the GSS Sustainability Team lead, said: “We know we have a long way to go to improve the carbon emissions of the construction industry, but we hope that the appointment of our SKA Assessor and Passivhaus specialist, together with our in-house teams that have access to the latest research, will be a step in the right direction. At GSS, we are keen to invest in the next generation of designers who can be part of the change we want to see.”
To find out more about GSSArchitecture and its stance on sustainability, net zero and other important topics, or to find out how the team can assist with an upcoming project, visit www.gssarchitecture.com
