Watson Batty go green wth top environmental award.

Watson Batty has been awarded one of the top prizes at the 2007 International Green Apple Awards for the Built Environment and Architectural Heritage, following the creation of the company’s sustainable new office development in Leeds.

The annual awards event recognises building projects that either enhance the built environment or are helping to protect the country’s architectural heritage. Shires House, Watson Batty’s purpose-built headquarters beat off strong competition from over 550 nominations to take home the National Gold Award for best new commercial development.

Watson Batty was presented with its award by top botanist and TV personality Professor David Bellamy OBE at London’s Kensington Roof Gardens. The practice’s award-winning office will now be featured in the next National Treasures guide and the company will also be presented with a prestigious Green Plaque later in the year, during a special prize giving ceremony at the House of Commons.

The judges commented: “This fresh and striking building houses some ecological secrets in its construction. Modern considerations such as orientation to maximise solar benefit are becoming the standard in modern buildings, as is rain water harvesting, but the secret to this building’s success is 45 metres below ground. Eighteen bore holes are used to take care of most of the buildings heating and cooling requirements, reducing costs and emissions by a third.”

The new three-storey building, located at the rear of the Guiseley Retail Park also combines cutting edge design with an array of sustainable features including an eco-friendly geothermal heating and cooling system, which Watson Batty is amongst the first to install in the Yorkshire area. A recovery system is also in place, which collects rainwater to flush the office’s toilet facilities in order to significantly reduce freshwater consumption.

In addition to the use of recyclable construction materials and the extensive use of natural light and ventilation, the new offices also benefit from its close proximity to local public transport links and are just a few minutes walk away from Guiseley’s rail station and bus stops.

Watson Batty director Paul Ryan said: “As architects, we were extremely keen to put the theories behind sustainable design into practice and the decision to move to larger premise gave us the ideal opportunity. We are extremely proud of Shires House and are delighted that it has now been recognised with such a prestigious environmental award.”


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