Two projects managed by International construction and management consultant Turner & Townsend fought it out for first place for the 2008 RICS East Midlands Sustainability award. The Heart of the National Forest Youth Hostel was the eventual winner at the 9 May Awards dinner, with Lawn View House being highly commended by the judges.

Mike Ballantyne, Heart of the National Forest Foundation (promoted the project in conjunction with the Youth Hostel Association) says: "Turner & Townsend positively contributed to delivering a unique sustainable building within stringent cost parameters, and throughout showed a proactive approach towards enabling design innovation. As a result the National Forest Youth Hostel will serve as an exemplar of sustainable design and as an important learning experience for families and young persons for generations to come."


Completed in October 2007, Nottinghamshire County Council’s new £6.5m office build (the hub for the North Nottinghamshire area), Lawn View House was awarded a BREEAM excellent rating and commended for its sympathetic use of recycled materials in construction. The office is a strong example of a modern, efficient working space flexible with an open plan design which uses natural day light and ventilation to maximum effect. The office was built on a brown field site on the base of a previous dye factory and will form part of larger regeneration in the Sutton in Ashfield area.

Larry Greenwell, Director of Turner & Townsend said: "We are delighted to have worked with the Heart of the National Forest and Nottinghamshire County Council on these two innovative and best practice examples of sustainability. Both clients paid exceptional attention to detail and to the issues surrounding sustainability; it is just a shame that only one could be the ultimate winner for the East Midlands."

(JM)