A building in Wales is to be presented with a prestigious architecture award in recognition of its sustainability, reports FM World.

The Wales Institute for Sustainable Education (WISE) building at the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) in Machynlleth is constructed using eco-friendly and low energy materials.

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Solar tube arrays and photovoltaics

Well-insulated, it boasts solar tube arrays and photovoltaics on the roof. It also has connections to a biomass heat and power plant. The frame was constructed from glulam timber while the external cladding was derived from lime render, rammed earth and finished with natural paints and stains.

Architects, Pat Borer and David Lea, plus contractor Ian Sneade will be given the internationally-renowned Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) award at a ceremony in July. They said they were “honoured.”

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Sustainable construction

The WISE building is one of seven in Wales to be commended by RIBA. It is used by the CAT as a teaching space for sustainable workshop courses, and with this win, they are certainly practising what they preach.

Commenting on the decision, chair for the RIBA awards, Jonathan Speirs, told specificfinder.com:

“We constantly see the words “sustainable” and “eco-friendly” being used to describe buildings, in many cases incorrectly. This project not only lives up to the centre’s mission statement but it does so with a calm and quiet confidence.”

“Many such buildings ram home their credentials; this building doesn’t and as a result, is a delight. The choice of materials was researched and taken very seriously by the architects who seemed to be completely in tune with the client and its goals.”