Recognition of sustainable preservation

Modern building technologies being used to preserve a historic coastline have been recognised and honoured with two significant awards.

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.

Passivent is part of the Building Product Design Group and is the UK's leading designer and supplier of natural ventilation systems for both domestic and commercial applications.

The company is a founder member of the NatVent EC-EU-funded project co-ordinated by the Building Research establishment to develop practical natural ventilation solutions for the commercial sector, and has also contributed to the BISRIA Guide BG2/2005 Wind Driven Natural Ventilation Systems, as well as being a member of the DfES steering committee on natural ventilation guidance for schools, Building Bulletin 101.

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