Member News
The winners of the Green Apple Awards 2012 for the Built Environment and Architectural Heritage were announced at an awards ceremony at the spectacular East Wintergarden, Canary Wharf, London.
The awards were presented by Trevor Baylis, the renowned British inventor, famous for inventing the wind up radio. Created in 1994, the Green Apple Awards is one of the most respected environmental awards programmes in the world.
Green Apple Award winners are recognised for their contribution to the built environment and architectural heritage. The awards give recognition for all steps towards sustainability including design and construction, restoration and regeneration as well as product and service innovation.
Entries were received from a wide range of organisations including the building and construction sector from sole traders to global construction companies as well as individuals and councils.
Over the last 15 years the Green Organisation has seen an impressive move towards a constantly improving sustainable built environment. Increasingly projects entered are demonstrating a greater reduction in energy usage and much better ongoing performance.
It has been said that 'sustainable development should meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs'.
"I believe that we are already beginning to see the evidence of this in action" commented event organiser, Richard Collins.
"This year saw a high level of entries, which included innovative uses if insulation, thermal mass and renewable energy techniques for both retrofits and new-builds. Some of these projects are already showing that we can live and work now in a fossil fuel free environment, in zero heated, zero CO2 emission buildings with zero loss of comfort. Buildings already in occupation are delivering up to 100 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions and 80 per cent reduction in running costs."
Other projects included improved road building techniques, sustainable operating initiatives, heritage restorations and international entries from as far a field as India and America. Please visit www.thegreenorganistation.org to view the winners list.
All winners attended the prize giving ceremony, where they were presented with the unique trowel awards. The judges criteria included environmental benefits, social benefits, financial benefits, visual/aesthetic impact, energy efficiency, waste reduction, recycling, architectural heritage, traditional crafts and skills, minimising environmental disruption, innovation, transferability etc.
All winners have the opportunity to have their award-winning paper published in The Green Book – the world's only annual work of reference on environmental best practice. The aim is to help others to support the environment. "We distribute this digital book globally, to environment professionals, reference libraries, universities, embassies and the media and have been distributed by media partner Dods throughout the Westminster community" said Richard Collins.