North Down Borough Council won two top awards in the annual Sustainable Ireland Energy, Environmental and Waste Management 2007 Awards, held last week at the Ramada Hotel in South Belfast.

The ‘Best Recycling Initiative’ Award was made to the Council for its two new £18 million state-of-the-art waste management facilities; the waste transfer station on Balloo Drive and the recycling centre/ environmental education centre on Balloo Avenue.

Both facilities are energy self sufficient through the use of solar panels and PV cells, together with an 850kw wind turbine. The judges felt the project exemplified how sustainable energy can be used to deal with the management of waste and, in turn, make a difference to the environment.

The Council also took top prize in the ‘Sustainable Building Project of the Year’ category after the judges agreed that the two new facilities demonstrated what is regarded as a new level of environmental sensitivity in waste management.

-- Advertisement --

Mark Prentice from Firmus Energy who introduced the award, said: “Sustainable construction is only now being recognised as a fundamental approach to architectural design, but it is an award category that we hope will grow in the coming years. The judges thought the wining buildings embraced a radical modern design and innovative concepts in their primary application of managing waste. It is a project that goes beyond the required level of building standards and sets an example and indeed a benchmark for others to follow.”

The awards were presented by television personality and actress Nuala McKeever, in front of an audience of leading players on sustainability from industry and government.

Mayor of North Down Dr Councillor Stephen Farry, who accepted the Awards on behalf of North Down Borough Council, said: “I am absolutely delighted that our new waste management facilities have been recognised for their innovation and sustainability through these Awards. The two new facilities represent a significant public works programme and it was important to the Council to ensure green energy generation systems were incorporated into their design and development. This has been a very exciting undertaking and we are very proud of what we have been able to achieve to date. We will continue to take a holistic and sustainable approach to waste management and, indeed, to other capital projects we are developing in the Borough.”

North Down’s two new waste management facilities, designed by Michael Whitley Architects, are due for completion in November 2007.

(LC)