A costal Northern Ireland primary school has came 'top of the class', after being named as the UK's first recipient of a government-backed 'green' building award.

Victoria Primary School in Ballyhalbert, County Down got a 'big gold star' for its energy efficiency, following a £2 million rebuild project.

The school, located on the scenic Ards Peninsula, is the first building in the UK to receive an Energy Performance Certificate, thanks to its rainwater powered toilets and biomass boiler.

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All premises in the Province must now produce an energy certificate before they can be sold or rented.

Victoria Primary School's green rainwater flushing toilets are expected to save around half a million litres of water each year.

Dromore-based contractors Graham completed all the design and construction work, Project Manager Keith Patrick said the adjustments to the school will not "only save the school money but have less of an impact on the environment".

"These include Northern Ireland's first stand alone biomass boiler in a new school, very high levels of insulation, rainwater harvesting to flush toilets and photovoltaic cells to generate electricity from sunlight," added Mr Patrick.

Principal Alison Campbell said the school's £2m building investment had created "a great learning atmosphere for all".

"It also helps educate the children and, indeed, parents of how important it is to think about what impact we have on the environment," said Ms Campbell.

(PR/JM)