Green Future NI Ltd has won the top Energy & Environment Innovation Award 2012 for its 'Carbon Zero' House at the annual Sustainable Ireland Awards.

The company was presented with the much coveted award, sponsored by Invest NI, at a glittering ceremony at the Ramada Hotel in Belfast.

Green Future's zero carbon house, the first ever of its kind in Northern Ireland, is a five bedroom home located five miles outside Armagh city and is also the first and only house in the Province to have achieved five years 'no rates' under the government's Zero Carbon and Low Carbon Homes Scheme.

Its unique construction successfully addresses key issues in today’s socio-economic landscape, namely energy crisis and rising fuel costs along with leading an exemplary way to effectively target the detrimental impacts built environment has on our surroundings.

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The Green Future house has more than 10 times less energy requirement compared to average UK buildings, it performs almost eight times more efficient compared to 2006 Building Regulations, has twice less heating demand compared to maximum called by Zero Carbon Hub and has negative CO2 emissions, producing at least as much energy as it consumes. It is also up to four times speedier to construct.

As a result of this prototype's success, Green Future has secured numerous contracts to build further zero carbon houses here in Northern Ireland.

The annual Awards is organised by the Hillsborough based publishers of Sustainable Ireland, 4Square Media, and is now widely regarded as the premier event in the Irish Environmental, Waste Management and Energy sectors, attracting entries, support and sponsorship from all the leading players across the industry.

Image (L-R) - Noel Thompson BBC NI Presenting Awards Ceremony, Ian Wilkinson Invest NI, John McClatchey managing director of Green Future NI, Golda Burrows managing director Sustainable Ireland.