Modern building technologies being used to preserve a historic coastline have been recognised and honoured with two significant awards.
Bridgend County Borough Council has won both a National Gold Green Apple Award for the Built Environment and Architectural Heritage, and CLAW (Consortium of Local Authorities of Wales) Award for Sustainable Building of the Year, for its extension and refurbishment of the Visitor Centre at Kenfig Nature Reserve.
The scheme includes Passivent natural ventilation, where 13 Aircool ventilator units at high level both draw air into the internal space and exhaust used, warm air, maintaining a fresh, draught-free environment within. The Passivent ventilators use just 1 watt of electricity to attenuate their louvres to maintain the required airflow, primarily functioning through natural air movement principles.
Project Manager Phil Watts explained: “We tried to use sustainable materials and techniques as much as possible, hence why we chose natural ventilation. It forms a key element of the environmentally-friendly solutions at the Centre, which also include rainwater harvesting, underground heating and solar panels.”
The International Green Apple Awards for the Built Environment and Architectural Heritage are one of the major award schemes recognising and rewarding environmental endeavour in the sector around the world. The CLAW Sustainability Award was launched in 2006 to promote and reward excellence in the field of sustainable development in Welsh local authorities.
