Yorkshire timber centre wins top award

A timber frame building has won the Prime Minister's Better Public Building  award at the prestigious British Construction Industry Awards 2007.

Dalby Forest Visitor Centre in North Yorkshire, commissioned from White Design by the Forestry Commission, stood out from a strong shortlist of 18 projects.

The judges of the award said: 'The client had the vision to maximise sustainability in creating the building - and then to use it as an educational example for all visitors.'

Opened in April, the centre is driving a regeneration project that will attract more visitors to Dalby Forest and the North York Moors National Park, leading to new business and employment opportunities. Dalby Forest is one of the most visited outdoor attractions in Yorkshire - about 300,000 people a year - and the new centre has already made it even more popular. The week after the centre's opening was the busiest in the forest's 85-year history.

The building has been designed to be as energy efficient, recyclable and sustainable as possible - so much so that it can completely dismantled and recycled at the end of its life.

The materials, machinery and labour used in construction were sourced locally. Larch used to clad the building was grown and milled in the forest and the use of local natural materials - together with its sympathetic design - make the building blend seamlessly into its surroundings. The water supply comes from the local spring and rainwater is used for the toilets. A biomass boiler powered by woodchips from the forest, solar panels and wind turbines mean that nearly all energy comes from renewable sources. The roof covering is made from recycled tyres and inner tubes, and the reception desk is forged from recycled mobile phones, yoghurt pots and Wellington boots.

At least a third of all carbon emissions currently comes from the construction and use of public buildings. The same commitment to environmental sustainability that has gone into creating Dalby Forest Visitor Centre should apply to all new public buildings, if we are to meet targets for cutting carbon emissions.

The Prime Minister's Award, sponsored by CABE and the Office of Government Commerce, recognises high-quality design - essential for a good public building - but also efficient procurement; good teamwork between client, designer, contractor and specialist; sound financial management and whole-life value for money; and sustainability.