Office Is Number One 'Green Building'

A NI office has been crowned the UK's number one green building after beating stiff competition and finishing ahead of dozens of prestigious projects from right across the UK.

The headquarters building of construction firm Graham in Hillsborough bagged the award - which means they have been named the UK's most sustainable building.

The County Down company were awarded the title at Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) UK Awards at a grand final event in The Savoy, London.

The company beat competition from elite contenders such as a multi-million pound Canary Wharf landmark opened by The Queen.

In addition, the refurbishment and extension of the Crescent Arts Centre in Belfast was Commended in the Community Benefit category of the awards, behind The RSA Academy building in Tipton.

It is, remarkably, the third year in four that a Northern Ireland project has won the Sustainability category of the RICS UK Awards, following in the footsteps of The New Library at Queen's University Belfast in 2010 and The Orchard Building at Stranmillis University College in 2008.

The Graham building, which was completed in 2009, finished ahead of accounting giant KPMG’s main London office, which houses 4,000 people and was described as a flagship example of a 21st century 'green' building when it was launched by The Queen last year.

The Graham headquarters building was designed by architect BDP on behalf of the company and was completed at a cost of £7.5million. Other firms involved in the construction included surveyors Bruce Shaw Partnership, and engineers Caldwell Consulting.

The company says on its website that its headquarters is:"built to the highest practicable environmental standards to reflect our underlying commitment in the Group to good design, sustainable construction and creating facilities with a reduced carbon footprint and low operating costs".

RICS Northern Ireland Director, Ben Collins, welcomed the win: "It is recognition of the skills of chartered surveyors and other property and construction professionals in Northern Ireland, and deserved reward for Graham for what is a fantastic construction project".

(LB/BMcC)