A 'GREEN' business centre in Okehampton has notched up three national building awards in the last month — and a fourth could be in the pipeline.

The glittering prizes are a tribute to the unique design of the building. It is expected to save up to 50 tonnes of carbon emissions each year — about 80% less than using conventional energy sources.

The new 16-unit Okehampton Business Centre, officially opened this summer and managed by West Devon Borough Council, has won an award of excellence from the Institution of Civil Engineers and the national Best Sustainability Project in the Local Authority Building Control Awards.

And the development has now been shortlisted for the Best Small Renewable Energy Scheme in next month's annual South West Green Energy Awards.

The business centre's green features include building materials chosen for low environmental impact, windows designed to increase natural lighting and conserve electricity, solar panels to provide a significant percentage of the building's energy needs, a wind turbine which provides 6KW of power, and a boiler fuelled by wood pellets and a renewable energy source to provide heating.

The starter unit offices have natural ventilation, rainwater will be collected and reused in toilet facilities, and the buildings have energy efficient fittings.

The building was put forward for the Civil Engineering Environmental Quality Assessment and Award Scheme aimed at improving environmental performance in project specification, design and construction.

 The awards are made to projects which have gone beyond the legal and environmental minimum to achieve excellence.

The use of water, energy and land, impacts on ecology, landscape, neighbours, archaeology, noise and dust waste minimisation and management, and community relations and amenity are rigorously tested.

The centre achieved the highest available award of excellent.

Tracy Windemer, West Devon Borough Council civil engineer, said: 'Pell Frischmann, our civil engineers for the project, carried out the assessment process for us, but the award required the input of the entire client and design team.

'The contractors had to adhere to a strict environmental management plan.  A percentage of the scoring is based on the construction phase and Rok, our contractor, has performed exceptionally well.

'The building has also achieved a BREEAM excellent score from the Building Research Establishment which is the world's leading environmental assessment method for buildings.'

The centre's second award for Best Sustainability Project came from LABC, who represent Local Authority Building Control members from across the country.

It was awarded to builders Rok (Exeter).

Bruce MacDonald, Rok's Devon and Cornwall construction team director, said: 'It has been great to bring our expertise in sustainable building to such a pioneering project and very satisfying to see an award for the building itself as well our environmentally friendly construction processes.'

Mark Wray, sustainable construction manager at the South West RDA, said: 'The RDA is extremely proud of its investment in this project which uses the very latest green technology.'

The centre is the first development on the 26-acre Opportunity Okehampton site, alongside Exeter Road.

Funding for the whole scheme has come from a £3.25 million investment by the South West RDA, £2.48 million from the Objective Two European Regional Development Fund and £650,000 from West Devon Borough Council.

Cllr Terry Pearce, mayor of West Devon, said: 'We're really delighted with such prestigious awards.

'The council is committed to sustainable development and Okehampton Business Centre is a prime example of what can be achieved by a small authority managing such a large and complex project.'